I hope you find helpful tips and trick to help inspire and motivate you to a healthier more fulfilling life!! JOIN ME ON MY JOURNEY TO GET IN THE BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE!!!! So here we are, January 2016!! I have made it my MISSION this year to get in the best shape of my life. Not only physically, but mentally, emotionally and financially!! Every year I say the same thing and never put it into actio
n. SO... THIS YEAR, LET'S ACT!!! My passion for health and fitness started at a very young age. At 18 I moved out on my own! ALONE! Across the country! Growing up with a health nut for a mother (we were never allowed junk food); when I was finally on my own, I could eat WHATEVER I WANTED!!!! I thought that was great, until my weight shot up to 175lbs standing 5'5" at 19 years old... The only understanding I had at the time was if I workout and eat healthy foods, I'll lose weight!! I was greatly disappointed when I started going to the gym 2 hours a day and not seeing results. SO, I increased to 3 hours a day. Still no results! Beyond frustrated, I just stopped eating... Unfortunately, because I wouldn't eat, and then still train 2-4 hours a day, I'd get so hungry, I'd lose all self control. Every binge was justified by the countless hours I had spent in the gym and not eating. At a young 18 years old, I was developing an eating disorder. After about 2 years of what I now recognize as self sabotage, I sought out help! I turned to a personal trainer and professional nutritionist with a holistic certification. We sat down, made some goals and set me up with a workout routine, supplementation and meal plan. Here I was, 20 years old, and had finally set out to achieve my dream of being a fitness model! That night, I was registering for my first bikini competition!
8 months of prep and I got on stage at 127lbs!! A size 3! The smallest I had been since middle school! I was over the moon! After my show, I managed to maintain 130lbs for a good year! And then life decided to happen. A traumatic event in my life led me into a whirlwind of depression. This also happened around the time I was diagnosed with IBS. (I'm still not ok with this diagnosis. I believe it is a lazy doctor's diagnosis...) Unfortunately, I am an emotional eater. I fell back into my old habits and ended up putting most of the weight back on. Naturally, because enrolling in a competition worked for me before, I signed up for another show, got a coach and started another prep. This time, I had 4 months instead of 8 to get ready. I had at least 30lbs to lose. The diet was very aggressive, and the training was grueling!! I did everything my coach told me to do TO THE LETTER! (including but not limited to eating boiled chicken and getting up at 4am for morning cardio on 3-4 hours sleep). Not a single cheat! Never missed a workout! I hit a plateau... For 5 weeks my body didn't change. (This is detrimental in a 4 month prep) My coach blamed it on me. Told me I wasn't doing what I was told. I remember it like it was yesterday! I felt like the biggest failure! I will never forget that feeling! I ended up finding a new coach. After 4 weeks, he decided to tell me "you just don't have the genetic make up to compete"... I placed dead last in that show. And of course, rebounded! I gained 10lbs MORE than when I started prep. I was so discouraged! I had so much doubt! I decided to take some time off from competing and just do my own thing. A couple years went by and I still wasn't reaching my fitness goals. Up to this point, I had competed 3 times, and prepped for 3 others shows I chose to drop out of. I had done so much yoyo dieting my body didn't know what to do anymore! It seemed competing was my only motivation to get lean! So alas! Another show! Another grueling prep! Another diet so incredibly restricted that by the end of it my coach had me eating 1000 calories of sole (the fish) in a day and 4L of water for 2 weeks. NOTHING ELSE!! I swear you will never hate a food in your life more than if it becomes the only food you are allowed to eat. I stepped on stage October of 2012 in THE BEST shape I had ever been! But I was drained! Mentally, emotionally and physically. A walking zombie! After this show I maintained a healthy lifestyle. Stuck to my routine of going to the gym and eating healthy. Fast forward to July 2013! I was diagnosed with Endometriosis. (The root cause of my IBS and struggle to control my weight over the past 10 years). At 29 years old, I am now told that I have 3 options. Have a hysterectomy (my reproductive organs removed), get pregnant (I was single at the time) or go on hormone therapy until I hit menopause... ( I had always gained weight from birth control which is what they use to treat endometriosis.) I was so incredibly discouraged! I had lived a life of health and fitness. I rarely partied, didn't drink, didn't smoke, didn't do drugs, barely ate junk food, went to bed early... I failed to see the point of anything anymore. I gave up on health and fitness, stopped going to the gym, stopped caring about what I ate, lost all motivation for anything but my work really. After roughly a year and half, I became very ill. I was overweight, on multiple medications, exhausted, lethargic, unmotivated... just all over depressed. I was falling apart at the seams! I needed to take action! I needed to rebuild my immune system. I NEEDED CHANGE! The IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) method of dieting became a little more mainstream. I turned to my friend and coach for help! May 2015 I began prep for another show. In a new class, with a WHOLE NEW APPROACH!! This was still the easiest and healthiest prep I have ever done. With IIFYM you can eat... WHATEVER YOU WANT... as long as it fits your macros! By dieting this way, I learnt portion control and food combining! I stepped on stage that October, not only in the best shape I had ever been in (yes, better than 2012), but I was strong! I AM strong! Mentally, emotionally, and physically! After my many years of struggles and learning, I have decided I want to help others! Help avoid the metabolic damage of yoyo-dieting and help gain the confidence necessary to achieve YOUR ultimate health and fitness goals! With all the tools necessary for success, Lets get YOU in the best shape of your life! IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE!!
