Then & Current weight loss w/ 2 babies! - 100lbs (pics)

Hey everyone!
I've been wondering if I should share my story because, I'm not sure if it would qualify as a success, but I know it qualifies as hard work!
I started my journey January 2012, weighed in at 360lbs & I was like :noway: ... I was in denial. But then the realization set in, i was 40lbs away from 400lbs?!?! How did I allow myself to get here... I'm more than obese I'm HUGE... I was only 5'6. So of course I wanted the weight off NOW, and unfortunately i looked for the fastest way possible and settled on a diet where i lost 20lbs in one month (January). But what i realized was my muscle tone was now gone, it seemed like I lost my muscle in my arms and at that point my arms we're turned into jello... If anyone is familiar with pokemon, i felt like jigglypuff (i was 22, lol)
Also found out i was pregnant in January, so i quit that diet, and just watched my portion size, i didn't make that much better choices but I didn't eat a lot.

Fast forward to the end of my pregnancy, I was 275, from 360-277 in 9 months! Awesome
So i didn't want to lose my momentum, i started doing zumba and bought a treadclimber; I had a new born couldn't leave her at home, plus just moved to a new state had no family here. After 3 months of dedicated exercise I saw my weight increase with the loss of a few inches. I got mad and went back to that fad diet, couldn't stick to it because my life style changed, so i gave up and focused on my daughter.

October 2013, 7 months later i was back to 300lbs and i finally said Hell No! I started logging again on mfp and saw no change in my weight but was exercising. It had to be my eating then, right??
Looked back at my logging and realized i ate TONS of processed food, i eliminated them and replaced them with whole grains. Did tons of research of what I should be eating, I'm a woman and I want my waist to be non existent, so i read weights would help. I tried Insanity, turbofire and i was afraid of p90x... so i sat down and combed through all of beachbody programs, and i found a program! I wanted a program that wasn't terribly hard, but challenged me, and I found it.
I started a weight lifting program at home, in combination with my new diet and started losing 10-12 lbs a month.

Now I'm here at my half way mark of 100lb, and currently expecting my 2nd child. Solely focusing on eating and since i've been pregnant lost 11lbs. My doctor feels i'll gain back my weight in the 3rd trimester, but i'm not worried because I finally know what to do to keep the weight off

Ultimate goal is to be under 200, lowest weight i'll go will be 160. I don't really follow bmi, nor do i follow body fat. I have a image in my mind that i want to achieve! So now i focus more on inches, and clean eating. I rarely eat out, i prefer to cook my own meals. Mostly because you never know what people are doing with your food, and i bake A LOT! I love Sweets, Chocolate and All! And I've started to do Clean eating groups, to share what I've learned with others! I've found that so many people want to do the quick fix way instead of focusing on what you're eating. I rather know how to eat forever, than lose the weight now just to gain it back in a few years.

I post tons of tips on my facebook page! Sharing is caring in my opinion and i do recipes! Its easier to share and attach a picture on facebook than it is on here, so send me a friend request (Chantelle Benjamin)! Just please don't be crazy, i have kids! Lol :laugh:

Be aware, I'm super family oriented, because they are my & the part of the reason i wanted to get healthy. I come from a line of heart disease and diabetes. I try to share with people you can still eat the things you love, without all the unhealthy things that go along with it!

Hope i inspired someone!





(totally started to get abs, lol)