When it comes to slimming down, Juanita Bynum knows what works best for her. The inspirational gospel singer said she recently shed 30 pounds — going from a size 16 to an 8 — and feels good about herself.
Bynum said she lost weight by carefully monitoring her portions and doing a variety of daily activities like weight training, spin class, walking, and barka yoga. While nutrition and workout got her in shape, the 52-year-old singer said the true secret to losing weight was not allow herself to quit.
“I was walking on the treadmill — with people in the gym, walking next to me — and I just started whipping my leg with my hand, saying ‘you are not going to get off this treadmill until you get up to 60 minutes,'” Bynum told AOL Black Voices.
Trying to slim down too? Bynum offers three weightloss must-dos that helped her stay on track:
1. Don’t just focus on the scale. “Determine it by what your clothes look like on you, your heart rate and what your energy levels feel like. That determines if you’re healthy, getting stronger, or if your body is becoming more vibrant and alive.”
2. Remember, life is ever-evolving and often filled with challenges that test our growth. “There will always be challenges. You could lose 50 pounds and 50 pounds being lost, you’ll run into another challenge that’ll send you back to eating again and become non-integral.”
3. Always ‘do right by yourself.’ “One of the best things about losing weight is the ability to know that no matter what the circumstances, you’re doing right by yourself. You take on a different sense of pride.”