My Fitness Progress Check-In

Alright ladies. Who’s ready for more photos of me in my underwear??? Kidding, obviously. But just to warn you, if you keep scrolling there are photos of me in my underwear. Surprise surprise. But that’s not the point of today’s post. Some of you have been following me for five years, some started following once I kicked off my fitness journey and some are brand new. Regardless of the why or the when, I’m sure you know by now that I have made a major commitment to my health.

In June of 2018, I decided to put the focus back on ME. I was the unhealthiest physically I had ever been and had some personal things to work through emotionally and mentally. When I started, I weighed 170lbs, had zero strength and stamina, had a very unhealthy relationship with food and was going through some seroius digestion issues. On top of that, I doubted myself, didn’t have much confidence and wasn’t embracing the badass that I was.

So…you probably know the drill by now: I hired a trainer, hit the gym, gained some serious strength, made major changes to my diet, found a love for myself like no other and so much more.

Updated August 2019: Since starting my journey with Sumeet, I made even more progress on my own and took my passion for fitness one step further – I received my certification in personal training in July 2019 and would love to work with you to create a custom coaching plan tailored to your needs!

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I mean, it’s crazy to look back over the past few months and see the change in who I am. Physically, yes, there are some major changes (keep scrolling). But, I’m a broken record here, the changes I made on the inside still shock and amaze me.

Let’s take these photos above for example – you know, the ones of me in my underwear. Gianna had to force me to stop posing for these shots. I was having so much fun just embracing and flaunting my body. Rewind to six months ago and there’s just no way. Don’t get me wrong, this newfound confidence is definitely tied to feeling more comfortable in my body due to some of the changes I’ve made on the outside. Seeing the progress and results of time spent in the gym and in the kitchen – that will make anyone feel great. I feel strong and love my muscles and my curves. My hardwork paid off. But I’m a firm believer that you can have your “desired” appearance and still be the most insecure person in the room. Rockin’ abs or a big booty or whatever it is that you’re looking to achieve physically isn’t ever going to make you feel complete. You have to truly love and embrace who you are to get to that point – and I’m on my way there.

June 1 2018 – February 19 2019

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THE NUMBERS

30 lbs + 10 inches + 2 sizes down

squat 135 lbs + shoulder press 50 lbs

increase in confidence = 100000000%

Now, for what most of you might be the most interested in. What did I do to get there? To get to this place of confidence, strength, weight loss, muscle gain, etc. Ah, I wish it was as simple as 3 easy steps. I have to tell you, spoiler, it is not. I didn’t make one change to lose the 30 pounds. There wasn’t one thing I did to feel more confident. Instead, I put in the work for the past eight months. I invested the resources in hiring a trainer that could educate me on the right types of workouts and foods to help me achieve my specific goals in a healthy way. I invested the time (oh boy did I) and made my health a priority. I surrounded myself with people who had similar interests and passions to help me stay motivated. I learned to hold myself accountable. I also learned to not beat myself up when I indulged or skipped workouts. I learned balance. And honestly, there’s so much more. While I don’t have any quick tips, I do have a few key takeaways I’ve learned along the way.

1. Do not be afraid to lift weights…and lift heavy. It’s so cliche at this point but believe it or not, weight training doesn’t equate solely to bulking up. So many women are terrified to break away from the elliptical and lift a dumbbell because they don’t want to “get too big”. We all have different goals and our bodies work differently but lifting weights and using weight training to scuplt and tone is 100% possible. For the past eight months, I have done about 75% less cardio than I used to and was still able to lost fat, make gains (in the booty and back muscles) and tone the areas like my arms and legs. Do your research or find a trainer or class that focuses on the goals you’re looking to achieve and don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone. 60 minutes five days a week on the treadmill isn’t your only solution!
2. Did you know carbs are okay? We are currently in this age of carbs = bad. I hate it. Your body needs fuel for energy and, spoiler, part of that fuel should come from healthy carbohydrates. You can still eat potatoes and whole grains and other good carbs and reach your goals. This idea that you have to restrict everything and limit your diet to only meat and vegetables is not only extremely hard to maintain but it’s also not necessary. I will always encourage a balanced diet opposed to a “fad” diet and think everyone should consult with a nutritionist even if it’s just once to get a general sense of the types of foods and quantities they should consume. You’d be surprised with what they have to say (in all of the best ways possible).
3. A plateau is bound to happen – don’t let it get you down. I will go ahead and warn you, your body is going to even out at some point. I had this mentality that if I continued to eat a certain way and workout a certain way, I would just keep losing weight until I stopped. Well, that’s not only wrong but also super unhealthy and unrealistic. Instead, I stopped losing “weight” and stopped seeing major changes. I was devastated. All of this hard work and my body wasn’t responding. Well, that’s normal. One: my body isn’t meant to drop below a certain size and still be healthy. In 2011, I got down to 97 pounds. I’m 5’5. I was skin and bones but so so unhealthy. That isn’t where my body was supposed to be. Fast forward to now, and I think this size is where my body thrives. I’m 143 pounds and a size 6. I don’t foresee making many changes to the size and I am throwing away my scale because it’s pointless (I actually gained weight but lost inches over the past few weeks – the scale is stupid and very misleading). My goal now is to just tone up a bit more and maintain a healthy physique for ME. My point is – set realistic goals and keep track of your progress. If you start to plateau, consult with a pro on why and if that plateau is healthy or not. You might not be meant to lose more fat but maybe an increase in muscle definition is more realistic and healthy. We’re all different!
4. Surround yourself with people that motivate you. In addition to a supportive group of friends and my family, I found that surrounding myself with other people who inspire me and motivate me to hit the gym, live a healthy lifestyle, etc. was key. This included following accounts with badass women showing off their strength and commitment to health. I needed to see it in action and now I love checking in with these inspiring ladies on a daily basis. My coach is one of these women. I love seeing her client shout outs and testimonials, daily workouts, workout gear and the fact that she constantly shares bits of knowledge is just super helpful for those of us who aren’t pros. Whether it’s a handful of IG accounts that keep you inspired or finding that in-person accountability partner, surround youself with support!

So what’s next?

Until now, I’ve relied heavily on working with a trainer to give me the tools to make these big changes. I’m so glad I did. And to be honest, as I continue to learn more about the body, I’ll still lean a little on people who have the experience and knowledge. But, I’m SO excited to start this next phase of my journey and do more and more on my own. I released my first Fit Guide in January and have some big plans for future guides and challenges. I want to continue sharing my journey and the things I’ve learned. I want to continue to inspire and motivate you guys whether you’re starting a fitness journey or just looking for a few tips and workouts to add into your existing routine. That’s my goal.

Please please please continue to let me know what you guys want to see more of on the blog. Send me your questions. Send me your tips. Let’s keep the conversation going!!

Photos by Gianna Keiko