Kierra Sheard's weight loss journey is more than just a story about shedding pounds; it's a deeply personal and emotional saga of struggles, triumphs, and self-discovery. It's a journey that resonates with many, encapsulating the emotional rollercoaster that often accompanies the desire to change one’s body and health.
Early Struggles and the Turning Point
Kierra Sheard Kelly, the gospel recording artist, reality TV star, fashion designer, actress, and daughter of Grammy Award-winning singer Karen Clark Sheard, has been transparent about her ongoing struggle with weight. She had always felt like she was living in someone else’s body. At her heaviest, she weighed around 210 pounds, a number that felt heavy both physically and emotionally. The turning point came when she found herself feeling left out of social activities, missing opportunities to truly engage with her friends and family due to her insecurities about her body.
The Initial Steps: Mindset and Education
The first step in her weight loss journey was acknowledging the emotional toll her weight was taking on her life. For Kierra, this meant confronting feelings of low self-esteem and frustration. She realized that she needed to be her own biggest supporter. This shift in mindset was crucial.
She began to educate herself about health and wellness, pouring over articles, books, and videos focusing on the principles of healthy eating, nutrition, and exercise. She wanted to understand what she was putting into her body. With a focus on whole foods and balanced nutrition, she crafted a personalized eating plan that included plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
The Role of Community and Support
As Kierra ventured further into her weight loss journey, she quickly realized that she couldn’t do it alone. She learned that having a support system was absolutely crucial, emphasizing the importance of surrounding herself with people who believed in her. Community support played a significant role in Kierra’s transformation. She tapped into the power of social media, using platforms like Instagram to document her journey, share her ups and downs, and connect with others who were on similar paths. Posting her progress was like therapy for her. Every like, comment, and message from her followers provided a boost of motivation.
Read also: Weight Loss Guide Andalusia, AL
Kierra also sought out friends and family members who could support her in more tangible ways. She had friends who would join her for workouts or cook healthy meals together. This camaraderie not only made the process more enjoyable but also held her accountable. When the going got tough, having someone beside her made it easier to stay committed. Kierra also emphasized the significance of professional guidance, consulting with nutritionists and fitness trainers who helped her develop a structured plan tailored to her needs. Working with professionals made her feel empowered. They provided her with a personalized diet plan and exercise regimen, ensuring that she was making healthy choices without depriving herself.
Mindfulness and Mental Health
As Kierra navigated her weight loss journey, one pivotal element emerged: the importance of mindfulness and mental health. It’s not just about the food you eat or the workouts you do; it’s about your mindset. For her, embracing mindfulness became a critical part of the process, allowing her to cultivate a healthier relationship with her body and food. Kierra began incorporating mindfulness practices into her daily routine, which included meditation, journaling, and simply taking time to breathe. She started to listen to her body instead of just reacting to it. This shift in perspective allowed her to pay attention to her hunger cues and emotional triggers. There were moments when she’d reach for food out of boredom or stress, and recognizing that was a game changer.
Kierra’s experience also highlights the importance of mental health in the weight loss journey. She faced days filled with self-doubt and frustration, but instead of letting those feelings consume her, she sought help through therapy and wellness coaching. Talking to someone about her feelings was liberating. Incorporating mindfulness and prioritizing mental health not only fortified Kierra’s resolve but also provided her with the tools to handle setbacks with grace. Every challenge became a lesson.
Embracing Lifestyle Changes
As Kierra Sheard moved deeper into her weight loss journey, one crucial theme emerged that significantly influenced her transformation: embracing lifestyle changes. This wasn't just about shedding pounds; it was about redefining her relationship with food, exercise, and ultimately, herself. Kierra began her transformation by overhauling her eating habits. She realized that quick fixes and fad diets weren’t sustainable. Instead, she focused on developing a balanced diet that included healthy portions of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. She wasn’t about deprivation; she was about moderation. One of the most significant shifts in her eating habits was learning to cook. Cooking became her therapy. She started experimenting with recipes and discovered a love for preparing healthy meals. It was a way for her to take control of what she consumed while also discovering the joy of nourishing her body.
In conjunction with her dietary changes, Kierra also embraced a consistent exercise routine. But, like her approach to nutrition, she steered clear of extreme workouts that would leave her feeling burnt out. She began with activities she enjoyed, like dancing and walking. It didn’t feel like a chore; it felt like fun! This key insight is crucial for anyone on a weight loss journey: finding joy in movement can make all the difference. Kierra’s workouts gradually evolved to include strength training and cardio, but they were always framed as part of her lifestyle rather than a punishment. Exercise became a celebration of what her body could do rather than a requirement to lose weight. Moreover, Kierra acknowledges that her lifestyle changes extended beyond food and exercise. She made it a point to prioritize her mental health, incorporating self-care practices that contributed to her overall well-being. She realized that her mental health directly impacted her physical health.
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?
Self-Love and Acceptance
As Kierra Sheard reflects on her transformative journey, she emphasizes a critical aspect that often gets overshadowed in conversations about weight loss: the importance of self-love and acceptance. It’s not just about the physical changes; it’s about embracing who you are at every stage of the journey. In the early stages of her weight loss journey, Kierra often struggled with feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt. She remembered looking in the mirror and feeling like she would never be enough. These feelings are not uncommon, especially for those trying to change their bodies. But for Kierra, the turning point came when she recognized that her worth wasn’t tied to a number on a scale. This shift in mindset allowed Kierra to approach her weight loss journey with compassion rather than criticism. Instead of punishing herself for every little setback, she learned to celebrate her progress, no matter how small. This approach is vital; it creates a positive feedback loop that encourages persistence. The more she practiced self-love, the more motivated she felt to continue her journey.
To further reinforce her commitment to self-love, Kierra began to engage in daily affirmations. Every morning, she would look in the mirror and say something positive about herself. These affirmations became a ritual that helped build her confidence and reshape her self-perception. Moreover, Kierra surrounded herself with positive influences. She sought out friendships and communities that uplifted her and echoed her commitment to self-acceptance. Being around people who support and love you for who you are makes all the difference.
Cosmetic Surgery: Addressing Excess Skin
In addition to her natural weight loss efforts, Kierra Sheard also opted for cosmetic surgery to address excess skin. After changing her eating habits, reducing the reading on the scale was not enough. There was a greater concern for the daughter of Karen Clark Sheard of the Legendary Clark Sisters. It’s not a weight loss surgery that I had. It’s a cosmetic surgery and that surgery got rid of the [excess] skin. The dramatic drop in pounds left her with loosely hanging flab she had trouble toning up. Comparing the skin to “elastic” Sheard made the point that if it becomes too stretched, it eventually won’t snap back into place. So that’s what happened with my body. I stretched it out.
Though Sheard was vague about exactly what kind of cosmetic surgery she elected to have done, there are numerous common body-shaping procedures to help women and men get a trimmer, firmer shape. Some opt for: body contouring or body lift surgery, a tummy tuck, a butt lift, breast lift, or even arm lifts. I just got some skin cut off and I made some adjustments. The doctor made me think of it really well. It’s like a broken down house and you just get some things fixed up. In the midst of recovering from major cosmetic surgery, Kierra Sheard says she's trying to heal emotionally by tackling body image issues with help from God. The 28-year-old admits she's experiencing immense pain as she heals from the cosmetic surgery performed on her body and she's being transparent about the painful emotional journey of examining self love.
Big, Bold & Beautiful: Embracing Body Positivity and Self-Care
Along with the new music, Kelly’s first book, Big, Bold & Beautiful(Zondervan), will be available on April 13. In the memoir, Kelly offers advice on body positivity, spiritual self-care, setting goals, living boldly and finding joy within. The owner of Eleven60, a clothing line specifically for plus-size women, really hopes to inspire readers who are battling insecurity. I do it big because I wanted to encourage the reader because there's so many of us that have these little personal insecurities that we don't really talk about, and I wanted to encourage the reader to know that I'm there with you, I can relate. We're in a progressive world where we're kind of moving forward and they're embracing more body positivity. But maybe your thing is not being a big woman, which this thing in my case, it's being a big woman, and I'm encouraging women, own that! Find what it is, why it's attached to you - maybe you got a big personality, maybe you have big feet, a big nose or whatever it is. If it's big, own it! But find out why it's attached to your purpose on the Earth. So be bold about it and own it as if it's a form of beauty.
Read also: Inspiring Health Transformation
The 33-year-old songstress urged people to not allow the world to “define to you what beautiful is.” She is proud of what was birthed in her debut book and excited to inspire others to own who they are. The ownership that happens in your identity when you realize that it doesn't matter what the world says, but it matters what God says. Kelly is now happily married. But in the book, she also candidly speaks about how God healed her heart from a “toxic” relationship from her past. In the book, I talked about the relationship that I was in, one of the relationships that was a dysfunctional space in my life. I had been cheated on. Kelly further went on to detail how the record industry criticized her for her weight. She how she needed to balance her fame. Artistry, and being in that space, and having to embrace what the industry called as imaging. I remember having to take photos for the first few projects that I had released [and] they were waist up. The YouTube star with her channel, “Katching Kierra,” wanted to show her full frame and not be ashamed of who she was and eventually had “speak up.” The average American woman is a plus-size woman. That's the truth of the matter. I could not allow people to have me to feel like ‘Oh, the only way you're beautiful is to be smaller.
I am an advocate of good health. So I'm totally about eating your veggies, making sure that you're healthy to fulfill your purpose. But I think for me… You can't let the world identify what is success for you. Otherwise, you'll be going for something that may be under unattainable. It may not be a part of your purpose or in your view. So this is me just encouraging young women, just because they may say you're not a cup of tea, that is not the truth. It just may not mean that you're called to be that cup of tea at their table. But you are a steamy hot cup of tea.
Big, Bold & Beautiful also delves into the importance of spiritual self-care. Self-care is so important. I'll use, for example, this seasonal bronchitis that I have. When I don't take care of myself, it flares up. They say that it's chronic, but I've noticed that when I rest, and when I take the proper amount of fluids, and I'm getting what I need, as far as my spiritual peace and protecting my space, I sometimes don't have it flare up as often nearly as hard. This was a natural fact and a natural revelation that’s connected to my spirituality, which is you have to rest. God, our Father, rested on the seventh day. If He has all the power that He has, then surely you as a human being, who is built off of His breath … then surely you can take the time that you need that the Bible speaks about on the Sabbath day, that is to be rested and restored so that you can fulfill your purpose.
For people who are looking for scientific proof of the benefit of rest, Kelly maintained that restoration is a part of the medicinal process for someone to be healthy. I'm all about self-care. There's a chapter that says self-care is squad goals. So even being selective with those relationships [in your life]. There's a chapter where I talk about fountain-like relationships versus draining-like relationships. If you're being drained, that, too, is a part of your self-care. Your selections in your friendships and your relationships, that has everything to do with your self-care. If you're always having to explain the favor that rests on your life and the glory that rests on your life, that a lot of people can't understand, that can be exhausting. Sharing her experiences in the memoir was therapeutic for Kelly. So I was literally able to bring my life story and literally my personal journey, which was a form of therapy for me. And it just turned into a book. In addition … some of the 'so-called sermons' that I was practicing then … have been turned into a devotional in the book. I'm completely blown away, but it is a form of therapy. I'm an open book.