‘Taylor made’ for fitness: Jamaica-born beauty entrepreneur loses 250 pounds

You’re one decision away from living your best life. But don’t take my word for it; just ask Elizabeth Taylor. After her health began deteriorating quickly, this celebrity makeup and hair artist was left with no choice but to fix her mental and physical state. Today, she is proud to announce that her valiant effort has resulted in a weight loss of close to 250pounds.

“I had tried many times to lose weight, or at least take control of it. Each time I failed, because I didn’t implement a real plan,” the owner of Faces By Pureness told The Gleaner, adding that without a steady health regimen and a fitness lifestyle, there is very little hope for true change.

It was for this reason that she took the necessary steps to be successful, which not only changed her life, but saved it as well.

AGENT OF CHANGE

So how exactly did this agent of change accomplish this seemingly impossible mission? Her transformation consists of four words: one meal a day. This is, of course, complemented by intermittent fasting, daily exercise, and frequent water intake.

“I have all of my calories for the entire day at one time and fast intermittently for the rest of the day. My day starts off with drinking water all day until approximately 2 p.m. By that time, I eat my meal. Then it’s back to fasting and drinking my water, then bed,” Taylor explained.

She has incorporated a ketogenic diet into the fasting mix as fuel, to prevent the trigger of her previous bad eating habits. “I was addicted to carbohydrates,” she confessed, so she knew that keto would help to fight the carbs cause. “Letting go of carbs was hard at first but I stayed focused and now I just crave my protein.”

Keto might not be for everyone; however, she found it to be the perfect solution to her health needs. She gets her fill of mostly protein for the week. “I prepare a week’s worth of oxtail, barbecued ribs, jerked chicken, or curried goat. Then I portion it out for each day, warming it up when I need it and adding avocado to it.”

As it relates to exercise, the fitness enthusiast works out every day, lifting weights four to five days a week at the gym. Additionally, she remains intentional with her steps, employing her trusty Fitbit to document her activity. She averages approximately 20,000 to 30,000 steps per day.

When she isn’t going to stores, the Jamaican native, who is based in the United States, makes it a point of duty to park very far. “Also, when I go to work I arrive on television sets early and walk around. I am always moving. I love to lift, so I also go to the gym as many times in the week as I can fit in, and do most of my machine lifting there,” she added.

Since starting her journey at 394 pounds two years ago, she is now down to 148, losing 246 pounds in total. This remarkable achievement is matched by her attitude of gratitude, confidence, and humility. Hardly one to sit or stay still these days, due to her newly acquired energy, she admitted that she runs around now more than she did in her youth.

“My life has improved so much. It was getting hard to deal with the physical and mental in my line of work. Now, not only can I keep up; but I mingle more by going to industry events to grow my connections even more. I didn’t realise how much I let my weight hinder my life and business, too,” she highlighted.

Elated at her current weight loss, she is equally excited to be helping others on their wellness journey. Her advice to people seeking to shed some pounds is to look within. “If you are truly ready to be real with yourself, be sure to deal with your physical and mental health, and examine the reasons you are holding weight. The rest will follow.”

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com