How Rapper Rick Ross Lost 85 Pounds

Rapper Rick Ross is a music industry heavyweight who has been known as much for his big hits as his imposing size. But he’s sporting a far slimmer physique these days.

In an interview with ABC News’ Sara Haines, the “Hustlin’” rapper who was born William Leonard Roberts II said he’d lost about 85 pounds in the past year through lifestyle changes and CrossFit workouts.

I just feel like I was at the point in my life where, you know, so many other positive things were happening in my in my in my career, my life. And, you know, two years ago I suffered two seizures,” the 38-year-old said. “And, you know, I woke up from that. And I was like, ‘Wow.’”

He added: “I was just like, ‘I really need to, you know, re-evaluate what Im doing.’"

The rapper had embraced his more rotund shape. He famously appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone showing off his large bare belly.

He told Haines he had to change.

“You know, I feel Im fat boy forever. Im going to always be a fat boy. But it most definitely was just something I had to do, you know, for the better, you know. And I always enjoy my size. I love taking my shirt off, running around, you know … it was really a health issue for me,” he said.

He made some drastic changes, cutting back on his drinking, sleeping more and watching what he ate.

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“Sodas was the first thing I cut out. Most definitely. That was, majority of my sugar. The way I ate, you know, fast-food,” he said.

Now, on a typical day, he’ll have three eggs with turkey bacon for breakfast, then he’ll do a workout.

"Thats RossFit, you know. I put a twist on that CrossFit,” he said, laughing.

Ross said he gets in three to four CrossFit workouts per week, and admits that some people have questioned the change, which can go against the stereotype of rappers always living the high life.

To those detractors, Ross has an answer.

“I say, ‘Baby, you already know ... I still got it. Aint nothing went nowhere. You just better with it, you know what I mean? And you know, everything really been going well,” he said.

Ross is forging full-steam ahead musically, churning out album after album. His latest is “Hood Billionaire," his second in seven months.

He said it’s a result of his passion for music.

When Haines asked him whether the weight loss affected his music or his life, he replied:

“Not at all, you know. My music just comes … from the heart,” adding that he drew inspiration from all aspects of life, including the interview with Haines.

He jokingly told Haines he might rap about her.

“I may actually put your name, you never know, in a verse," he said. "But, you know, every day I wake up, theres something new for me to feed on, or I see something new thats going on around me that I could make not just a punch line, but an actual topic for an incredible record."

By Natasha Singh

Source: https://gma.yahoo.com/rapper-rick-ross-lost-85-pounds-141426466--abc-news-celebrities.html

12 Tips Help You Lost Weight Successfull 3

Youre 10, 20, 30 or more pounds overweight and youve dieted, on and off, for years. Youve lost weight and then put it back on and more.

Why? Diets dont work. Today we know diets dont work. Even Weight Watchers says so. Restricting calories again and again alters your metabolism. Thats why so many people put back the weight they lost while dieting, plus more.

Yet, desperate to lose weight, Americans keep going on diets. While theres no magic bullet for weight loss, there are steps you can take to lose weight, safely and for good, while increasing your health.

The common sense advice to "eat less, move more," isnt entirely correct. It matters what you eat.

And heres a dirty little secret: Consuming refined carbohydrates -- simple sugars and starches -- is one of the biggest reasons Americans are now battling obesity. Carbohydrates you dont burn get stored in your body as fat.



Since food manufacturers began lining supermarket shelves with "no-fat" and "low-fat" foods -- most of which have added sugars -- we have become fatter than ever.

This list of healthy eating habits is by no means complete. But here are 12 of the many recommendations in my new book to help you lose weight and gain the benefits -- more energy and a fitter, healthier you.

1. Eat a healthy breakfast every morning. Eating breakfast revs up your metabolism. If you skip breakfast youre likely to eat more calories by binging later in the day. In a study of people who lost weight and kept it off for more than five years, one major thing they all did was eat breakfast. But Pop-tarts, donuts and Hot Pockets dont cut it. Cooked oatmeal, whole grain cereals, whole grain breads, eggs and tofu with a salad are all healthy choices.

2. Stop counting calories and eat foods that nourish your body. A meal of fat-free, sugar-free, refined processed foods is also nutrient-free. Plus, it wont satisfy you for long compared to a meal of nutrient-dense whole foods like vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and healthy fat. As you begin eating more nutritious foods and get a little more physical activity (if you arent physically active now), your body will come to its natural healthy weight.

3. Always have some veggies and fruit washed and cut in your fridge. This way theyre easy to grab when youre hungry (instead of reaching for that giant-size bag of potato chips) and you can throw them in your bag when youre on the go.



4. Replace diet soda with unsweetened beverages. Diet drinks keep your sweet tooth craving sweets. Plus, they make you feel virtuous. Many people who drink diet drinks actually reward themselves with extra calories through the day. Instead, drink iced teas or plain or carbonated water with a slice of lemon or lime.

5. Use the "Plate Method" to make a healthy meal. Fill half your plate with low or non-starchy veggies like broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, string beans, mushrooms, peppers, or leafy greens and some fruit. Fill one quarter, with a whole grain like brown rice, barley, bulgur, or quinoa, or a starchy vegetable like corn or potatoes, or beans. Fill the last quarter with protein like broiled, sauteed, roasted, or baked (not fried) fish, chicken or turkey without the skin, lean cuts of meat, tofu or eggs.

6. Cut down on carbs. Refined carbohydrates (cake, candy, cookies, muffins, scones, cupcakes, soda, fruit juice, syrups, chips, and most supermarket breads) you dont burn turn into fat. Even foods like fruit yogurt and many breakfast cereals have lots of added sugar. Replace fruity yogurts with Greek plain yogurt, choose high-fiber, lower carb cereal and add small amounts of healthy fat to your meals with avocado slices, unsalted nuts, seeds and olive oil.

7. Shrink your lunch and dinner plates. If you and your family eat off a plate larger than ten inches, replace them with plates that are nine or ten inches in diameter. We tend to eat whats in front of us. Using smaller plates theres less food in front of you to eat.

8. Enjoy less healthy foods now and then, in small portions, unless theres a medical reason not to do so. Not letting yourself eat something you love may make you feel deprived and frustrated and subvert your efforts to eat well.

9. When eating out ask your server to double the green veggies in place of the potato or rice. I always do this and benefit from more nutrition and less carbs. Also, share food at the table. My husband and I always share an appetizer and when with a group, if someone orders dessert, it comes with a spoon for everyone.

10. Keep tempting foods out of the house. Stock your fridge and pantry with healthy foods and youre creating an environment that will help make you successful. Enjoy treats occasionally when youre out.

11. Enlist family members and friends to eat healthier with you. Its easier
when its a team effort, and, your family will also reap the health benefits along with you.

12. Talk positively to yourself and quiet your inner critic. Notice during the day your positive efforts and compliment yourself. "I chose a healthy vegetable plate instead of a slice of pizza. Great job!" The more you pat yourself on the back for what youre doing well, the more energy youll have to keep doing it. If you notice youre telling yourself youll never succeed, or beating yourself up for having two bowls of ice cream, stop! To quiet your inner critic head out for a brief walk, turn on some music and sway, and above all, tell yourself tomorrow is a new day and a new start.

He lost 275 pounds reunited with love

In the summer of 2007, Lee Jordan hit his heaviest weight of 454 pounds. "There are almost no pictures of me big because I never allowed my picture taken," he said.



Editors note: Do you have a weight-loss success story to share? Tell us how you did it, and you could be featured in our weekly weight-loss story on CNN.com.

(CNN) -- Every detail was planned out that afternoon.

Lee Jordan was meeting a friend at a Starbucks in Herndon, Virginia. He had scouted out the area, including the parking situation, since he could walk only a very short distance.

He also wanted to make sure he didnt have to stand in line and could sit without fear of breaking the furniture.

Jordan weighed 450 pounds.

This was no ordinary chat over coffee. Jordan was meeting Beth, his high school and college sweetheart, more than 20 years since they had last seen each other.

He had only told Beth that he was out of shape -- that he had gained some weight and lost some hair.

He anticipated the same looks he usually received from others who met him.

"Pity. Shock. Horror," he said.

What happened next was life-changing.

"Beth looked at me, and all she saw was Lee Jordan," he remembers. "Thats it. There was nothing but love and acceptance in her eyes.

"I cannot express how powerful that was. That was the turning point to give me the willingness to turn things around."

Young love

In 1979, 15-year-old Jordan met 16-year-old Beth Schwein through a church youth group in the Washington area. The two started dating soon after.

After graduation, Schwein went to Radford University in Virginia; Jordan followed her a year later.

"In our minds, we (just had to) finish college, and then we could get married," he said.

While Schwein was on a straight-and-narrow path, Jordan focused more on partying and less on academics.

Eventually, Schwein got fed up and broke up with Jordan. She graduated. Broken-hearted, Jordan dropped out of school, moved home and went to work.

Schwein requested that the two not speak because it was too painful. He obliged.

Up and down

Jordan immersed himself in his job as an assistant manager at a clothing store.

Professional success, though, came at a high price. Not only was he not exercising, he was binge eating at night. Whether he was on the road or home alone, he estimates, he was eating 8,000 to 12,000 calories a day.

"I never ate less than two large pizzas, followed by the super-size large family bag of Doritos, two large tubs of dip, two large boxes of cookies and a half-gallon of ice cream," he said.

The pounds continued to pile on as he dealt with the stress of work.

"I buried my emotions in food."

Over the next decade, Jordan tried to battle the extra weight. On one occasion, he dropped 100 pounds in just four months.

"I would get on the treadmill or Stairmaster every single day for one hour," he said. "Then I would eat practically nothing: anywhere between 600 to 900 calories a day, which is insane."

But he soon learned this was not a lifestyle he could sustain. He gained all the weight back.

Nine years later, Jordan went to a weight loss camp. For a year, he prepared healthy meals and worked out. He was able to again drop 100 pounds.

He instantly started gaining it back once he returned to work.

He even tried a lower-stress job. Yet his obesity problem persisted.

The box

Jordan never married and barely dated. Even though he had no communication with Schwein, no mutual friends and no plans of ever seeing her again, he dwelled on her, often sifting through a box of cards and letters she had written years prior.

"People would say, Youre crazy, and I would say, I cant help it. I only love Beth, " he recalled.

Meanwhile, Schwein did what she thought she was supposed to do: build a career, get married and have a family.

But in 2004, an aunts dying wish prompted her to send a letter to Jordan out of the blue.

"(My aunt) knew how my life was going, and it wasnt the perfect life," she said. "I wasnt completely happy."

In the letter, she talked about how their love had been true and apologized for any hurt feelings. She caught him up on her life.

Several years earlier, she had suffered a broken back as a result of a Rollerblading accident. She didnt opt for the surgery the orthopedic surgeon had recommended. Rather, she taught herself to walk again, strengthening her body by working with a trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise.

Feeling better than ever before, she then decided to get certified as a trainer herself.

"If I could do this, then I could help somebody else," she remembered thinking. "It wasnt about doing anything extraordinary. It was about doing little things every single day."

Warning for Jordan

Shortly before the two met again in 2008, Jordan was diagnosed with obesity-induced breathing problems, diabetes and high cholesterol. He was put on an oxygen machine. Doctors warned him that if he didnt lose weight, he would be dead in two years.

"Even that couldnt (motivate me)," he said.

But after he saw Schwein, her love and acceptance encouraged him to make a complete lifestyle change. His first step was having an adjustable gastric band inserted around his stomach to control his food intake.

He also began a walking program, starting out for just 30 seconds at a time. Then he hired an ACE trainer. Schwein, who lived more than two hours away, encouraged him via letters.

"(Beth) told me, if you show up, you win," he said.

As Jordan became healthier, the couple began to explore their relationship beyond the occasional letter.

"All the years were washed away," he said. "I was alive again."

Immeasurable joy

After Schweins divorce, the two got engaged in 2012 and were married shortly thereafter.

The site of the proposal? The same spot in Starbucks where they had met for coffee four years earlier.

At his heaviest, Jordan weighed 454 pounds and had a waist size of 72 inches. He now weighs 178 pounds and has a waist size of 34.

"Love, acceptance and encouragement (were) the difference-makers for me," he said.

Today, both are ACE-certified personal trainers. Jordan is also a health coach. They are committed to helping others live healthier lives.

The couple often does 5Ks, 10Ks and half-marathons together. They also both participate in triathlons.

They work together at Beths Boot Camp in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, a program specifically designed for women. They also see individual clients through their company, Fullest Living.

The couple likes to say "Go small or go home" rather than "Go big or go home."

"If you do a little at a time, you can gain so much," Jordan said.