Bank clerk loses 98 pounds, gains tons of confidence; once high on calories, Atlanta woman is now high on energy and happiness - Lorena Michelle Jenkins

Ebony, Oct, 1990

Bank Clerk Loses 98 Pounds, Gains Tons Of Confidence

AFTER looking at herself in a mirror and seeing the outline of a plump unattractive body buried beneath yards of dowdy clothing, Lorena Michelle Jenkins of Atlanta concluded that it was time for a change. Determined to improve her appearance, Jenkins, who weighed 255 pounds, made a New Year's resolution on Jan. 1: She was going to lose weight.

Six months later and 98 pounds lighter, Jenkins, 22, says she not only felt better about her appearance, she also was proud because she developed her weight-loss program herself. She says deciding to lose weight was the best decision she ever made. "When I looked at myself in the mirror, what I saw wasn't sexy," recalls Jenkins, who once squeezed into a size 22. "That's when I decided to go on the diet. It was something I had to do for me."

Jenkins, who lives with her parents, gives a lot of the credit for her weight loss to her mother and father, Catherine and Homer Jenkins. "My parents are the people who motivated me the most by saying, `Trust in God, and most of all, believe in yourself,'" she ays. "I'm glad I listened to them because by believing in myself and having them on my side, it was possible to conquer what seemed impossible."

The Atlanta bank clerk developed her personal diet by asking friends for advice, reading weight-loss stories and researching the effect different foods have on the body and health. As part of her personal weight-loss plan, she now eats only two meals a day, drinks at least eight glasses of water daily and stays away from fried foods. She also jogs two miles each day and plays tennis to keep the unwanted pounds off. "I count every calorie," says Jenkins, who recorded her weight loss in a diary. "I guess you can call me a calorie counter."

Jenkins, who now has a 157-pound curvaceous figure, often sees friends who don't recognize her because of her smaller size. Many friends with weight problems compliment her and ask how they can lose weight, too. "I tell them, it isn't what you eat, it's how much you eat," she says. "When you eat a disciplined and nutritious diet, not only will you lose weight, but you will also feel healthier."

Unlike the days when she had to buy large, gaudy clothing designed for overweight women, Jenkins now selects clothes that are "revealing and sexy" because she feels her new body and attitude deserve a glamorous look. "When I used to buy clothes, all the attractive things were for smaller people and the clothing for larger women was expensive. I guess I was paying for all that fabric," laughs Jenkins, who now wears size 12 clothing. "Now, I don't cover up my body as much and am more open with myself because I'm not ashamed of how my body looks."

Since she lost weight, Jenkins has made many new friends. Much of her new appeal, she says, is due to her new-found confidence and improved appearance. "Many people avoided me when I was overweight," she says. "I guess my lack of confidence showed. Now, a lot of people are attracted to me and I get lots of attention from men. I guess they can tell I feel second to none."

PHOTO : Before her diet, Lorena Michelle Jenkins of Atlanta weighed 255 pounds. The extra weight, she says, was unattractive and unhealthy. Today (below), Jenkins, 22, weighs 157 pounds and says she lost the extra pounds by developing her own weight-loss plan. It took six months to lose the 98 pounds, she says.

PHOTO : Jogging (above, left) helps Jenkins relax, keep trim and feel good about herself. Eating fish, salads and vegetables (above, right) also helps her maintain a trim figure and improves her health. Socializing with new friends (below) is one of the rewards that come with an improved appearance and new positive outlook, she says.