As a child and young adult, I did not have very many issues with weight. It wasn't until college that I put on the "freshman 15". Even then, I was still active and able to manage my weight. After  having 3 children,  I'd gain weight after the birth of each child. The weight slowly crept up on me due to my sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits. You see, I'd always been a ballet and modern dancer, a cheerleader, and even a pageant queen. So, my downfall was removing exercise from my life and making poor food choices. I eventually went from my normal weight of 115 pounds up to an astounding 227 pounds by 2007. It was then that my doctor pointed out my increased blood pressure. It was like a "light bulb moment" for me and I decided that very day sitting in my doctor's office, that I would do whatever it took to change my life. And so, the journey began.

I read everything I could to learn about proper nutrition- how, when and what to eat, what to remove from my pantry and even how to shop at the market. I found that education is key when learning to live a healthy lifestyle. This is not a diet for me- it is a way of life. I slowly removed the negative eating habits from my diet and added in whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies and even protein shakes, while also incorporating consistent exercise. I began by walking on the treadmill daily. I also utilized FITTV and would do some of the exercise and yoga shows twice a day. My favorite was Namaste Yoga and Gilad's Total Body Sculpt exercise show. I also joined my local gym- Fitness 19 and began weight training daily. Eventually, weight training/exercise became a passion for me and it still is today. I eventually lost almost 107 pounds and I have regained my true self once again.

As an obese woman, life was difficult for me. I remember dropping into a severe depression after the birth of my last daughter. Along with the excessive weight, the depression added another hurdle for me to overcome. With the help of medication, I was eventually able to function again- although not without difficulty. My spirit had become so burdened down with feelings of inadequacy, isolation, poor self esteem, hopelessness, guilt over being obese and feeling overwhelmed with life and what I'd done to myself. I eventually weened myself off the medication with my doctor's help and finally began to see the light of day again. Being obese is a terribly life altering way of living. I avoided social situations, my clothes were always uncomfortable and I could never find any clothes that fit well. I would always wear the same baggy T-shirt and elastic waist band pants every single day. I didn't care about my hair or how I looked, because my goal was to always stay at home and away from public scrutiny. I was merely existing. I was not living. I still recall with great pains, the hurtful comments from people- even family and friends. I was also very self conscious about going to my children's school because I did not want to embarrass them. Being obese was like living under a rock...for me, it took away my spirit- my light- and I'm so happy to be back and living life to the fullest today!

 

As for my health when I was overweight, my blood pressure had begun to rise in 2007. Thankfully, I had not begun having any of the major self-inflicted illnesses that are so prevalent in our society today. I think I caught it all at the cusp. In May of 2007, when I was obese, my cholesterol level was 180. My HDL was 49, my LDL was 113. My Triclycerides level was 88. Today, my cholesterol has improved greatly and I'm thrilled!. My overall cholesterol is 136, my HDL is 65 and my LDL is 63 and Triclycerides are at 39!  Additionally, my previous blood pressure in 2007 was 140/90 and my pulse rate was 76. Today, my blood pressure is 108/64!

 It is so important to me that I help spread the word about obesity in America. The rates are staggering- especially amongst African American women. The catastrophic stats regarding self inflicted illnesses induced by obesity are outrageous. It is my hope that when people see my story, they will see a regular woman who changed her life- all on her own- no diets, no gimmicks, no celebrity trainers- just sheer will and determination- that they too, will be inspired to stand up and fight through obesity. I pray that I can reach someone with my journey. Fighting obesity has truly become another one of my life's passions.

Today, my life has totally changed. I am the person God always intended me to be; the person I was before the weight gain. I feel amazingly wonderful! I have found my hopes and dreams again and I'm strong enough to pursue them now.  I've surrounded myself with like-minded people in the Fitness industry who have become my mentors.  In addition to the Personal Training we offer, The Bella Fitness Group has also launched our Maxx Fit Boot Camp which is in full swing! In 2007, I also started an Interior Design Firm- called Bella Grace Interiors. (www.bellagraceinteriors.com) Lastly, I am finally singing out loud- and hoping to further launch my singing career with gigs throughout Atlanta.I have a music manager and  I am currently recording my debut CD. See www.chaundanicole.com for more!

 

As you can see, the world has truly opened up for me now that I've come out of my cocoon. I feel like a beautiful butterfly now- the struggle is behind me and now it's my time to live! There's nothing I can't accomplish and I'm taking it all by storm! Through all of my blessings, I want to use Bella Fitness to spread the word about the perils of obesity and help others regain control of their weight, their lives and their  beauty- inside and out.

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