At the time this written, Ally lost 60 pounds. As of June 2021, Ally has lost over 80 pounds!
I recently picked up a book written by Angela Duckworth called “Grit”. It talks about how to create a goal, persevere through the struggles, and ultimately achieving those goals. Little did I realize it, but come to find out, the author and I follow the same philosophies when it comes to setting and accomplishing goals.
When a client comes to me with a certain goal in mind, I create a personalized plan with them that gives them all the tools they need to reach their desired goals. Like all challenges in life, creating the plan is the easy part. The real challenge happens during execution. Like all goals, nothing comes that easy without hard work and perseverance.
Although goals can be hard, they are very doable! With the right personalized plan, anyone can definitely reach their goals!
Just Ask Allie!
When you’re striving to reach a goal through fitness and nutrition, it’s not easy! Just ask Ally! Ally and I began working together in August of 2020. Together, we created a personalized fitness program, and a personalized nutrition program with foods that she enjoyed eating.
On day 1, she started following her nutrition plan. We started working out twice a week. She began with two hours of cardio a week while within her target heart zone.
Within a couple weeks, Ally already made great changes. Within her first 2 weeks, she was already down 11 pounds and had already lost 4% body fat.
After 5 months of hard work and dedication, Ally had lost 60 pounds!
Here are the changes that Ally made of the 5 month period.
Weight
60 pounds down
Body Fat %
17.21% down
Changes in Circumference Measurements
Neck
1 inch down
Chest
5 Inches down
Bicep
2 Inches down
Abs
11 Inches Down
Hips
7.5 Inches Down
Thigh
3 Inches Down
Q&A With Ally
Ultimately, it’s not easy for anyone to make changes. Ally worked so hard to make changes that I decide to share her story with you. In fact, we had a little Q&A about how she was able to stay on track and reach her goals. We decided to post it in my blog in hopes to inspire those who have the desire to change their life, but have not found their determination.
Q: What motivated you to create your goal and get started?
A: I had noticed that my usual weight had gone up by 10 pounds but it didn’t bother me enough to make a change. When COVID started and forced me to sit all day trying to get my work done, my kindergartners work done, and keep my 3 year old entertained I started to notice some changes. I was stress eating and my energy level went way down. I was avoiding putting on my real clothes opting for stretchy pants instead. One day I randomly decided to step on the scale and could not believe the number that flashed before me. I was heartbroken to say the least. It was the heaviest I have even been in my life and none of my clothes fit anymore. I decided that if I wanted to be happy in my body again that I needed to do something. I had searched my neighborhood page for personal trainers and Travis name popped up as a recommendation. I took a leap of faith and made an appointment to meet up. We worked out a little and discussed the ins and outs. I felt confident about my choice and said yes. I told Travis that if he could get me back to pre-covid weight while dealing with me being a picky eater then I was up for the challenge.
Q: When you were with family and friends around all the foods and drinks you love, what kept from cheating on your plan?
A: Food was definitely going to be my biggest challenge. My family loves to eat anything and everything unhealthy. Fast food and restaurants were our best friends. It also did not help the situation that I am an extremely picky eater. I decided that if I really wanted to get to my first goal of losing 40 pounds, than I needed to trust Travis and stick to my meal plan. It was not easy! The first 2-3 weeks were the toughest. I had to break 33 years of bad eating and it was a hard mind shift. It did not help when my husband or children would say, “Lets go to Whataburger” or “Lets eat pizza!”. Not only did I have to do a mind shift with myself, but I also had to have my husband try to do it as well. I held firm when they tried to convince me to “Just eat 1 fry, or just have a piece of pizza”. Over time, it got easier to refuse the bad foods and stick only with my meal plans.
Q: After continually making changes every couple weeks, what motivated you to continue to stay on track?
A: When I started seeing the amount of weight coming off in the beginning, it was shocking and empowering at the same time. I knew in my head that diet and exercise work, but actually committing to dieting and exercising regularly with great results just motivated me more than before. I liked that my body was changing and I liked seeing the number on the scale go down. I kept telling myself, 30 more pounds to my pre-covid weight, 20 pounds until pre-covid weight, etc… I loved having more energy and the fact that I was happy was enough motivation for me.
Q: When you first started your plan, did you think you could eat all the foods you had on your all your different meal plans and still make changes?
A: The meal plans were very intimidating to me. I am super picky and I am very stubborn about trying new things. One of the first things I told Travis was that if he could make me lose weight without forcing me to eat something I don’t want to, I was down for the challenge. I’ve had trainers before that would put together a general meal plan with things I didn’t like. I lost weight for a while but it immediately came back on because I was hungry and would cheat. Travis told me that he will only put things I like on my plan and guaranteed that I would lose 2 pounds a week if I stuck to my plan. I never thought that I could still eat at some of my favorite places and still lose weight. I happily eat at Whataburger and still get my favorite meal at any Mexican place all while sticking to my plan. Win win for me. I still lose the weight and can still eat at my favorite places to go.
Q: Being a wife and a mother of 2 with a full time job, what tips can you give to motivate someone else to get started towards their goals, stay committed, and ultimately reach those goals?
A: My advice would be to get an amazing trainer like I did, have an attainable goal in mind, and stick to it. Why get a trainer and work so hard to end up cheating? Take the first step and find someone that gives you that excitement that you can reach your goals. I happened to get lucky and found a trainer that listened to my picky eater needs and was willing to work with me on squeezing in workouts. I have a busy schedule working all day as well as taking care of family needs and activities. Travis was so flexible and understanding with it all. I had a great feeling about him from the start and he never let me down.
When it came down to staying committed, I had a small time frame of working out. I made myself go do my cardio at my neighborhood gym at least 2-3 days in the beginning for a quick 30 minute work out. It was hard and it sucked at times but I didn’t want to give up. Over time it got easier and it had me feel happy after I got my cardio done. I had more energy and my family got used to me going to the gym. My son even cheers me on and tells me to enjoy my workout every time I go. Now that I have been doing the program for 5 months, I go do my cardio at least 5-6 times a week. I never in my life thought I would be one of those people that enjoys going to the gym. I do a quick 30 minute cardio, then I’m done and on with the rest of my day.
When it came to reaching my goals, I just made sure to listen to my trainer. Obviously my way has not worked in the past so it was time to be flexible and try it a different way. I stayed committed to my meal plans, and only cheated a couple of times for specials occasions which I discussed with Travis prior. I worked out, did my cardio, and lost 60 pounds all with the help of Travis. Trust me, if I can do it after 33 years of bad habits, you can too. It all started with a quick search for trainers, then lead me to being 60 pounds lighter, and 100% happier and more confident.
It’s Never Too Late To Lose Weight
It’s not easy to create a goal, start a personal plan, stick to it, and ultimately reach the goal. As you can tell by Ally, it’s doable. You have to have grit and persevere through the tough times. You will reach your goals if you trust the process and focus on what you are working hard to achieve.