This story is from my online personal training client, Darci, who made a long term commitment to change her body and life for good. She followed my daily workout plan, clean eating recipes and meal plan to make long term changes. It was never about how to lose weight fast, but to lose it for good.
All week I have been thinking back over my journey so far. I remember the excitement of signing up with Kyra and anxiously awaiting your first email!
Lets be honest, I was very overwhelmed at first with all the reading material and things I needed to fill out, AND the new workouts! I really truly believed I knew what I was doing on my own, when I saw my first week of workouts I about shit myself. I will NEVER forget the first workout. I didn’t really sweat at the gym when I was doing my own thing. After Kyra’s first workout I left the gym a hot sweaty mess! My wrists hurt so bad that night, it kept waking me up; I had to keep taking ibuprofen. I emailed you asking if this was normal or if I hurt something. I think you really wanted to say “gurl, hush up, stop whining and get with it!” You were always so kind to quickly respond to me and let me know everything was going to be ok, just to keep with it.
I had a vision in my mind what I wanted to look like in a few months. I thought with all of this training and running for my Sawtooth run I would look like the beast I thought I already looked like (until saw my before pictures). Over the first few weeks I didn’t really pay attention to the “vision” and just focused on my training schedule and this entirely new way of thinking about food and being a clean eater.
Lets talk about this clean eating for a minute. I am always down to try something new and learn for myself if I like it or not. When I first tried plain greek yogurt with fruit, I thought this isn’t happening, NEXT! Until you let me know I could mix it with protein! DUH! Over the many trial and error yo-yo diets I have tried, I was a little skeptical; just because I was afraid to eat chicken at every meal…. been there, done that. Surprisingly enough it wasn’t in my meal plan to eat that way! I have not been hungry or felt like I was starving this entire journey. Yes, when I’m getting ready for TOM I do get a bit more hungry, but not an OH MY GOD I can’t wait for this diet to be over feeling.
It’s amazing to me the eating journey. At first people/friends/loved ones think and ask if your on a “diet”. I really hate that word, almost as much as the word perfect. It is such a shame that people think just because you are a clean eater that you are on a “diet”.
It was very difficult for me in the beginning, dodging all the meals I knew I couldn’t eat, trying to eat at family dinners; feeling like I was being sabotaged by those I loved! The thing is, they didn’t know what is was to be a “clean” eater. Slowly but surely my parents started changing Sunday dinners, my in-laws would ask what we “could” eat, it all started evolving. My co-workers stopped asking me if I wanted a treat, they stopped bringing junk. Our cleaning lady would bring treats for the other girls and she would bring me flowers every week. Everyone started embracing my change and stopped trying to change me back.
I love being a clean eater! I feel way better, I don’t feel bloated or chunky. I could tell you in my sleep what I can and can’t eat, what I need to stay away from; what I will and wont eat. I’m a little surprised with myself because I haven’t gotten bored or felt like I was in a loop with the same foods. I did notice the farther and farther my journey went my food got more colorful and creative. I wasn’t just eating iceberg lettuce and chicken. Now everyone at my office stares at my food and tells me how good it looks and smells.
In the beginning I told myself to take this one day at a time and not get overwhelmed. I am (as you have learned) an all or nothing girl, I just don’t have that grey area. I jumped in with both feet running (LITERALLY!). As the days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months. I kept taking my pictures and putting them side by side. There were times when I couldn’t see the changes, but my husband could and kept cheering me on. I think there was really only on week I couldn’t tell and I was so upset. But I kept going and pushing forward. I see HUGE differences now when I compare the old with the new! I don’t show a lot of people my photos, but when I do their reaction is priceless. No it doesn’t bother me or make me sad, it makes me super happy! I have had to tighten up the strings on my bikini, it will be fun to see how much string hangs in a year!
By the time the Sawtooth relay race was here, all I could think about was what am I going to eat! I’m sure you got tired of me constantly asking trying to plan it out. It was time to see if my “vision” became a reality. Did I look like the girl I imagined myself to look like? No, but I didn’t care. I looked like a WAY better version of myself!
Over the months the weight and inches just fell off, I was so busy running I didn’t really notice my body changing. Yes, I would see it in the photos but I didn’t think about it; all I could think about was “Ok, now I need to go run.” I won’t ever forget the morning of the run, this was what all my hard work was for! I lined up on the starting line thinking “I can’t run as fast as these people, do they know how old I am”? And then, I was like what the hell, stop this self doubt! THIS is what your busted your ass for! YOU CAN DO THIS!!! The gun went off, and everyone took off. I let everyone go ahead of me, but I was ok with that. I knew if I started out to fast, I would tire out sooner and not have enough energy to get me through the first 6 mile leg.
I hurt my knee the week prior and I was so scared that I wasn’t going to be able to run! I took the entire week off before, so I could rest my knee. I was a little nervous when I started and then I was like… OH MY GOD I’VE GOT THIS! I CAN DO THIS! My knee didn’t bother me at all! I was about a mile in and I got all teary, this is it, this is what it feels like to work hard and train your ass off and be totally prepared for a 60 mile run with friends.
Next came the training for the Tough Mudder! Jumping from one training to the next, I still did not have time to concentrate on what my body looked like. Yes I kept taking pictures, but was not focused on what I saw.
When I first started I could barely do all the sets of push ups on my knees, now I am doing all of the sets with no knees! We cut my one mile run time from 14 minutes to 11 minutes. I always thought I was fairly strong, but now I know I am. I watch men lift around me all the time and I am lifting the same or more weight than they are. I LOVE it! Does lifting make you bulky? HELL no! Does lifting make you look like a dude? HELL no!
Over the past 6 months I have learned so much, about food, myself, lifting, and clean eating. I think a few of the most important things I have learned are these:
I am ok with, know and understand this is a JOURNEY it does not happen over night!
I know that I wont get my “vision” for a least a year, maybe longer. I am happy! I love myself and my body! And that alcohol will hold me back from the body I want!
It is crazy to me how easily it is for our minds and bodies to not walk but RUN back to the way we use to deal with stress/death/sadness/heartache. Why is it that food and alcohol the way to drown these emotions? I hate it, but I have actually learned to deal with it. Through all of these trials the universe has put me through, I have survived and not turned to food or alcohol.
Did I cry? You better believe it, but I left it at that. I mentally chose to cry and move forward, not dwell on what happened and not let it destroy me.
I think one of the main reasons this journey has worked for me is because I was mentally ready to be my best version of myself. I knew I would not let anything get in my way and with an amazing teacher I have done just that! Yes, I have had a few slips along the way… but who hasn’t? I am not perfect, nor do I claim to be. I am human.
Thank you for giving me the tools for this journey and being my guide! You know I will FOREVER be in your debt and can NEVER thank you enough for what you have helped me accomplish! I will always be a supporter of Kyra and will talk about you until I’m blue in the face!
Lets see what the next six months will bring!
– Darci
Are you ready to change your body and your life?
Sign up for online personal training today.
Kyra,
The Get In Shape Girl
P.S. If you want more from Darci, check out part two of her success story here