Tonight, we will be looking at the journey of a woman who managed to lose 116 pounds in the span of two and a half years. Not with any crazy fad diets or supplements but by choosing to change her lifestyle making it more health conscious. While doing this she used social media as her highest form of accountability. Jaleeza Roberts spoke with Soraya Rosado and tells the deeper story behind her transformation:
For many people, changing their life begins with a New Year's resolution, a doctor's warning, or a breaking point. For Soraya Rosado, it began on what she simply calls "a random Wednesday."
Known to many online as Aya Marie, the Corozal native has become a growing source of inspiration across social media after losing an astonishing 116 pounds and maintaining that weight loss for more than two and a half years.
But behind the transformation photos, gym clips, and healthy meal prep videos is a story rooted not in vanity, but discipline, motherhood, and self love:
Soraya Rosado, Lost 116 Lbs
"So the reason I started my weight loss journey was mainly because of health issues. It wasn't mainly because of weight loss per se, but I had underlying health issues and close relatives of mine were getting sick. So I decided I needed a change for my life and that's where it all started on a random Wednesday."
"When I started, it was only through what I ate and it was a learning process. But after I lost the weight, I needed to find a way in how to keep it there and maintain it. So I decided to join the gym as well."
"So at the beginning, I really did not know what I was doing. I had to do a lot of research. I decided I was going to do a diet."
"But what I realized that it's not a diet, it's a change of lifestyle and you have to condition your mind to that. So every choice that you make and every food that you place or eat, it's supposed to be to fuel your body and not for satisfaction. So it's helped me mentally, physically in all aspects. It's also helped me managing my life because I have to make sure that I create a schedule for myself. So it's helped me in all areas."
She said that diet has to begin with intention and realistic expectations:
Soraya Rosado
"Healthy eating means that you have to be intentional whenever you cook. So you have to pick your ingredients right. You have to make sure that you cook them right and measure your food because of portion control. A lot of us don't know what portion control is and we would do, for example, carb on carb, meaning like mashed potato with bread, which we shouldn't be doing. Also, noticing, well, another challenge would be that whenever I started the diet, I expected to see results immediately and that does not happen. You have to wait and give yourself time. Your body is adjusting. It needs time for it to process the new changes and then you will see some weight loss. However, don't go in with the mindset of it's a weight loss journey. It's a health journey. It needs to be a health journey, a mindset."
But while mindset is one thing, money is the other. For many, the decision to eat healthy comes with a cost consideration - because, bottom line, unhealthy fast food is cheaper and more readily available than healthy food.
Soraya Rosado
"I'm a single mom. I only have one income. I hustle and here and there. I actually have also a meal prep business as well."
"When it comes to meal prepping and eating healthy, it can be expensive based on the type of food you would like. However, you can choose a cheaper alternative. For example, you could eat beans, you could eat grilled chicken and that's a meal right there, right? Or you could do a grilled chicken with mashed pumpkin. Pumpkin is not that expensive. It's something that you can find at the market and you can also cut down on your carbs. So if you eat three flour tortillas, cut it down to one. If you eat 10 fried jack, cut it down to three. So you can still eat what you want but you have to make sure that you control the portion. Portion control is very important. So you might not want to invest in quinoa or almond flour. That's fine. You can keep the carbs. You can keep the gluten but just cut it down to one-fourth of what you usually eat."
Rosado chose to document her journey publicly on TikTok under the name "AyaMarie1212," sharing raw videos from the beginning stages of her transformation. This wasn't a way of showing off, it was a means of accountability - and while she saw herself transform, so did the public:
Soraya Rosado
"Okay, so when I started my journey, I decided I'm going to go on a social media platform, which is TikTok, AyaMarie1212, and share my beginnings. Honestly, I haven't had an issue with confidence, but it has helped me and helped others around me. The entire reason why I started my social media platform was to inspire others because like I said, I am very open about my weight loss journey and I would love to see other people join it. It helps you mentally, physically, and I put in my mind, I'm buying myself years. So you might take away time from your life by going to the gym, but you're adding years to your life. So it has helped me mainly with my confidence in eating properly, right? I would say now I'm sure of myself. I am sure as to what I'm placing in my body is actually providing nutrition for me and fueling me the right way."
A diet that has reduced her inches but boosted her self confidence. We asked her what it feels like to embrace the woman she has become:
Soraya Rosado
"I feel successful, I would say. I'm proud of myself and reason being is because I am teaching my child how to be a healthier version of himself. So him growing up seeing that I am aware of my health and making sure that what I put in my body is nutritious. I'm hoping that I set the standard for him and for my personal self, successful and happy. It makes me feel lighter. It has helped me sleep better. My skin looks better. So physically and mentally, I feel accomplished and happy, I would say."
If you could say something to the girl two and a half years ago that decided to start this journey, what is it that you would say?
Soraya Rosado
"I would say you could do it. Don't give up and make sure you always think about why you're doing it."
"Like I always say, if I could do it, you could do it. I was 320 pounds and a random Wednesday I woke up and said, I need a life change. Consistency and discipline on your side, you can accomplish anything."
Jaleeza Roberts, 7 News.
She can be found on social media @AyaMarie1212 where you can continue following her journey.
