The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Success story
Da’Naia Broadus, 27, of Cumming, Ga. lost 77 pounds
Former weight: 264 pounds
Current weight: 187 pounds
Pounds lost: 77 pounds Height: 5 feet, 4.5 inches Age: 27 years
How long she’s kept it off: “I actually started January 13, 2017, because it was a year out from my wedding date,” said Broadus, who reached her current weight in October.
Personal life: “I’m getting married in January; we have one daughter, she’s 1,” she said. “I’m a stay-at-home mom, and I help my fiancé with his business.” She lives in Cumming.
Turning point: “I had just had my baby in October 2016, and I gained 64 pounds with her. I had postpartum depression, and I wasn’t happy,” Broadus said. “I turned around and got engaged a month later. A combination of those things pushed me to do something different. … Working out made me feel better about my body, especially after having a baby. Then, after we added a wedding date, I wanted to look good in a wedding dress and all that — all those were motivating factors.” At Onelife Fitness (www.onelifefitness. com), she found a personal trainer. “She listened to exactly what my goals were and put together a plan that was going to help me tone as I lost weight so I didn’t have all the extra skin and sagging that often comes with weight loss,” Broadus said. “She got what my goals were; she helped me with different functional and weight-lifting exercises, and helped me get to the physique I have now.”
Diet plan: Breakfast is egg whites and turkey bacon followed by a protein shake. Lunch and dinner are lean meat with vegetables.
Exercise routine: She works out with her trainer Monday, Wednesday and Friday for one hour. “Then usually Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday, I do a workout on my own,” Broadus said.
Biggest challenge: “I think getting started is the hardest and just trying exercises I never tried, not being able to do (them), and not giving up because I am not able to do it right then. The beginning is always hard,” she said.
How life has changed: “I am happier and I am not in a depressed state all the time,” Broadus said. “I have increased my self-confidence and self-love. … Self-love changed the dynamic of my relationships with other people.” She learned to “not give into excuses and just get it done regardless of how I feel. A lot of self-help books that my fiancé turned me on to, and a lot of motivational speakers I listened to helped me as well. … It’s never too
late to start. Don’t expect it to be easy, but just take it one day at a time, one exercise at a time, and before you know it, you will have accumulated it and achieved your personal goals,” Broadus said. “It’s all mental, find things that will help you to stay motivated even when you are tired.”
Share Your Success: Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, a daytime phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail. com.