by EM2WL | Nov 26, 2013 | Testimonials, Transformations
Angela’s 1.5 year progress update!!
I can’t thank you enough. I have followed you guys all the way back from MyFitnessPal for a year and a half. You have changed my life.
A little about me:
I have struggled with my weight for most of my life, from middle school until recently. I was a dancer through all these years, so I kept it in check for the most part, but I was still one of the “bigger” girls in dance class. Once dance stopped, so did the whole “keeping it in check.” Luckily it was more of a slow, steady creep up for me. The eating was bad. The movement was minimal.
Following the college weight gain, I got married. I tried different gimmicks to drop the pounds, including the low cal thing, very low cal. I was just spinning my wheels, with no progress and a lot of hard work. A year after I said “I do”, I was pregnant. At that point, I was already 30 pounds heavier than high school. I only gained 18 pounds throughout pregnancy. Not too shabby, right??? Well those pounds fell right off, and then some, after I had my son. Another “woohoo” moment…THEN…the slow, steady creep was back. I gained all the pregnancy weight back. I like to blame it on stress of being a new mother…whatever the excuse…I was UNHAPPY. I was unhappy with every aspect of myself. I was barely in any pictures with my new baby, and the pictures that exist…well, they were screened to assure they looked how I wanted them to. I loved being a mother, but I was exhausted and cranky most of the time (my husband would agree to that). I decided to make a change!!!! A permanent change. A lifestyle change. I needed to do something for the sake of my family, my marriage, and my own happiness.
THE PLAN:
Eat as clean as tolerable (I am a known anti-veggie person)
Eat MORE
MOVE more
Whine less
No more excuses
Be happy
Don’t be discouraged (progress is progress, no matter how small)
Track everything (ACCOUNTABILITY)
Bring others along (the journey is much easier when you have people to encourage you, even if it is just moral support)
Support others (I found that motivating others, in turn, motivates me!)
This was the beginning. Notice I did not say “this IS the beginning.” I wish I would have started a blog from day one. I would have loved to be able to look back and see the emotional changes I have made. I know how I felt, but reading it would have been more powerful.
Fast forward to current…I am 50 pounds lighter. My energy level has grown significantly, and my moods have been on the upswing (my husband BETTER agree this time!). My blood pressure is normal, my knees don’t hurt, and my cholesterol is on its way down. The best thing is, on occasion, I am happy with myself and my progress! (It is still tough to break old mindsets) On that note….Let the journey continue!
Permission to post: Absolutely! Thank you so much. I owe these muscles to you! Now my goal is to motivate and inspire others to get out of their dark places that I know all too much about. You guys started my journey, and I am eternally grateful!
Bicep growth progress! :)
by EM2WL | Nov 21, 2013 | Testimonials
I’ve struggled with disordered thinking, eating, and body image for most of my life. I grew up understanding that “success” meant being thin and “failure” meant gaining weight… and since I was overweight or obese through all of my growing up years, my self-image was pretty bad. I’ve experienced each of the three major eating disorders over the years, most recently 2-3 years of anorexic behavior that left my body in self-destruct mode. After running a half marathon in January things just started falling apart. I had several injuries to my feet and knees, as well as other concerning health issues. I was running almost 40 miles a week, exercising the other days, and netting probably 500-1000 calories a day – and consistently gaining weight. I was pretty sure my body was incapable of being normal. I was terrified to stop running or eat more.
Still, I wanted to do what was “right.” So I gathered a team of people (some professional, and some for moral support) to tell my story and seek help. The most confusing and challenging “help” was with a medical and sports nutritionist, who kept telling me to eat MORE and increase my grains & proteins! She said my metabolism had tanked, but I just didn’t get it. I REALLY wanted her way to be the answer, though. I believe God is generous and life is to be enjoyed fully, so I really wanted to discover that eating ENOUGH and not feeling hungry, weak, and sick all the time was the answer!
I was determined to listen to the nutritionist’s advice, since she has 25 years of experience in the field and is a runner herself. And even though it was scary and hard, the more I followed her advice, the more pleased she was with the results of the body fat and muscle tests I’d take every time I visited her office.
Personally, I wasn’t seeing or feeling results. I was still training for my next half marathon (September) and gaining weight, fighting to understand the logic of what I was being told to do. I did run the half marathon in September, and finished slow and exhausted.
Out of desperation after the race, I decided to search the web for “metabolism reset” – everyone I knew who had done a reset had gone on some sort of juice fast, then slowly added other foods back into their diets. This seemed like torture to me—but like I said, I was desperate to be able to eat without gaining.
Funny enough, every resource I discovered when I Googled “reset” was about eating MORE. I learned what BMR and TDEE meant. And when I landed at the EM2WL website, and started reading, it was like everything the nutritionist had told me to do was being explained fully! It all just clicked together (not to mention, a VERY WORTH-IT e-book is a gazillion times cheaper than a professional sports nutritionist).
So right now, I’m 6 weeks into the full metabolism reset and I just finished Meso 1 of the Cathe STS series. I don’t have much to crow about, YET – as far as results go. Although I’ve definitely noticed that some of my muscle definition is coming back, and I feel SO MUCH HEALTHIER. I’m not exhausted. I’m not starving. I don’t love what I see in the mirror, but at least mentally, I’m at the point where I’d rather feel this way and never look in a mirror again, than be skinny and sick. It’s a walk of faith at this point, but it’s a walk I want to take.
Plus, focusing on weight lifting helps fill the void of running, which I’ve had to almost stop because of my knee. My hope at this point is to enjoy a winter of joyful TDEE eating, heavy lifting, and getting healthy. Then I plan to train for a half marathon next spring (one that I had planned to run this year but was injured).
The best part of it is, I do have hope! I’m 37 years old, and for the first time since I was six (when I was put on my first diet), I see that I have a wonderful body that takes good care of me when I care for it. It wasn’t my body that was betraying me all along. It was the very destructive paradigm that skinny = acceptable.
Thank you ladies so much for what you’re doing. If I get a tank top, I’ll wear it in my race next spring. (:
~Kyle
by EM2WL | Nov 14, 2013 | Testimonials, The Journey
I replied to your post about a week ago on your mental aspect of fitness and health. I had even messaged you prior to that months ago on how upset I had been on not getting anywhere. We were able to relate to each other. Then I saw your status and had just weighed and measured myself the morning of your status and finally busted through my year long — even more — plateau.
Your Facebook status that prompted me to write:
The mental aspect of the journey truly drives or hinders… I went through a mental hump months ago but kept pressing forward… Now I’m seeing the fruits of that press. Stay encouraged because you mentally know the right thing is to fuel your body… Remember that always as you press forward, even when you think nothings happening. When you eat well, get in your protein, lift with some cardio… I guarantee things are happening when you aren’t seeing it just quite yet. Sometimes you have to tweak a little… Switch up the cardio or lifts, macros, change the cut percent, as in my case get a BMF to get true TDEE (I chose wrong activity so I was under eating still), get hormone levels checked… But dropping cals drastically should never be the go to again. That doesn’t work, it just sets you back. If you’re close to goal, then remember your cut should shrink the closer you get to it. Ok, guess I should go do STS legs and stop stalling. Have an amazing day!
My reply with story after your encouragement:
The last time I had messaged with you I was at an all time low. I was depressed and so unhappy I could not budge to get to my goal. I was at a weight loss plateau for over a year. I studied to become a trainer (after 20 years of reading about health and fitness and working out so it was a passion) and was certified last June. I also became a Beachbody coach in July to supplement my business with DVDs for those who could not afford to come to me or schedules were not syncing. Anyway I felt useless as a trainer and was always thinking if I cant get myself to my goal how can I truly encourage and get my clients to where they want to be. I did build muscle and did not want to lose that so I continued lifting 4-5 days a week different body parts. I grew tired of making my own plans and since I love DVDs started following Body Beast as well. I just didn’t want to lose what I gained. I logged everything on MFP minus 250 cals (to lose 1/2 lb a week) sometimes I KNOW I went over and I was finally ok with that. After starting the program the cravings and mental aspect of logging went away and still are 2-3 months later.
I
am finally happy (words cannot describe) as I have reached my goal of 115 lbs. I am only 5’2″ and I was 125 so according to charts to get to my fit BF% I needed to lose 10-15 lbs. And I know most of the muscle stayed on as I lost 13″ inches all over (I measure 10 different areas). I use fat calipers and the mm’s went down. I haven’t calculated BF% yet. I used a HRM during all workouts including any lifting and logged that cal burn. So I was eating 1800-2300 cals a day depending on my activity level that day. I also TRIED to eat well 80/20% of the time but honestly in the last two weeks alone we had to go out to eat due to birthdays and schedules. So I ate at two Mexican places, pizza hut and KFC and had ice cream cake and I was stuffed as I did not hold back. LOL. I do confess I drink coffee every morning and 1 glass of wine most evenings. I give all the glory to God here. Had none of this come into my life I would still be struggling right now and the worst part was the depression and self-loathing. I want others to have the feeling I had this morning of happiness again.
Obviously this is long and I just poured out what came to my mind. Thank you for wanting to hear.
by EM2WL | Nov 10, 2013 | Team EM2WL, Testimonials, The Journey
Other than my weight gain after pregnancy, I’ve never had a major weight problem. Most of the time I was careful to eat very little, and stay active doing some type of cardio. Usually riding a stationary bike or walking.
In May of 2011 at 5’7″ And weighing 141lbs, I wanted to lose about 8lbs. My body wasn’t looking like I wanted it to. I thought losing more weight was the answer. Wow, was I wrong. I joined a calorie counting website: ate 1400 calories, did cardio everyday, went to bed hungry and…yes, I quickly met my goal of 133lbs! But whenever I would eat over 1400 calories I gained weight! So, for almost a year I ate 1300-1400 plus LOTS of cardio! And my body still didn’t look like I imagined it would. Another crazy thing is, that during that year I fired my hair dresser because my hair was failing out and I thought it was her fault! I now know it was my under eating and poor nutrition that caused it to fall out!
But I was skinny. Yes, skinny…with no booty and thinning hair!
On about March of 2012, I befriended an angel named Lucia! She told me about “Eat More to Weigh Less,” lifting heavy weights, eating TDEE, and macros (protein, fat and carbohydrates) — all these things I had never heard before. (Although…she already had my attention at “eat more to weigh less!”). She sent me an invite to the (then) newly founded EM2WL group on MFP. I upped my calories to 1700 over time, then to 1850. I set my macros to 40% carbs, 30 % protein, and 30% fat. Eating 300-450 calories more a day! I was like WOW!! At first it was hard. I started by having an extra protein shake for a snack, or eating one ounce of nuts. Then, I think around a month or two later, I met another rambling angel — Kiki! She led me to Cathe Friedrich strength training workouts. My first DVD purchased was Muscle Max. I dusted off my son’s weight bench, bought some 10lb dumbbells, then 15lbs, then 20lbs, a barbell, and now I have my own weight room! In October 2012 I joined the Catheletes and did STS total body strength training 3 month workout. I did deadlifts, squats and bench presses, oh my!! I was in love with weight lifting!! And now STS is an annual October 3 month session for me. Yes, the scale did go up, but over time the tape measure went down and down! I now can enjoy healthy meals and not feel deprived.
I am lifting weights and building the body I used to dream of having in my 20s and 30s — NOW at the age of 49!
I work out 2-4 days a week, lifting weights or doing HIIT, depending on my schedule. I’m eating more, and still wearing a size four! But more importantly, I gained strength and confidence in myself. Now, I wear my hair short because I want to, and I have a booty! The scale no longer defines me. I didn’t have to starve to reach my goal, and I don’t have to starve to maintain it. And neither do you!
Thank you EM2WL! I’m so proud to be apart of this family!
by EM2WL | Nov 5, 2013 | Testimonials, The Journey
Back in September 2012, we were on vacation and I saw myself in a full length mirror and I was horrified. I thought what the heck am I doing to myself?? I told my when I get back home I am finding the closest gym and I am going to do this! I set a goal of losing 70 pounds and I went for it. I joined the gym and I started with lots of cardio and weights on machines. I went 6x a week and I changed my eating habits, less eating out, nothing processed and logged everything I ate. I was set at 1500 calories and did ok, then I went down to 1200 and felt horrible but I wanted to lose weight and at 1200 calories I wasn’t losing and I was so weak and GRUMPY!
I came across Eat More to Weigh Less on myfitnesspal, so I looked into it. I was scared to death to eat more and lift heavy for I knew nothing about my weights. But I went for it, researched many weight lifting programs and watched many YouTube videos on how to perform these exercises since I didn’t have the extra money for a personal trainer. I taught myself EVERYTHING in the weight room. Sometimes, I watch a how to video when I’m at the gym. Lol. I was eating 2000 calories and felt fabulous. My weight was at a halt and I got so frustrated. I got rid of my scale and focused on pictures and measurements only. I felt free…
People ask me everyday what I did to lose weight and say I must of not eaten anything and I would always say, “oh I eat and I eat 2000 calories” and they are like “no way. How do you eat that many calories and look like that? You must spend hours at the gym and or doing cardio??” I said nope, maybe 15-20 minutes a day plus my weights. They are shocked. I’m at a stall right now and very frustrated, I hope I can encourage someone to keep doing what you are doing with weight lifting and eating more :) my pictures (above) are 8 months apart :)
Update (sent in shortly after – before the original story above had even been published)
Was feeling a little down today cause my weight hasn’t changed in months! In my mind I know the scale doesn’t matter but some days it really gets to me. I had to look at a picture from a year ago and compared it to one taken yesterday! I know I’ve sent my success story, but I really am glad that I found you guys, it’s helped me in so many ways! I’m now into my 2nd week of heavy/light workout and it’s kicking my butt – but I love it! Squats and lunges are the key to this booty!! I hope this winter I can get my body into tone shape for the summer :) no more hiding in jeans and long capris, summer dresses here I come!!
Have an EM2WL transformation to share? Willing to let us tag along on your journey? We’d love to see it! Be featured on our Transformation/Journey page by submitting your story to Success@EM2WL.com
Plugin by Social Author Bio
Recent Comments