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Every day I get inquiries from new clients who want to lose weight. Many have done the Whole30 diet and don't know how to continue or didn't lose weight even when they started doing Crossfit or Orange Theory at the same time. Others are struggling because they do 'everything right in their diet and nothing's moving'. Yet others are exercising at least 1-2 hours a day and are not losing weight even though they are starving themselves.
They all have one thing in common: They're trying the old approach of exercise more and eat less. They are trying to cut calories in an effort to see weight loss. It is the one message that is so strongly ingrained in our society that it pains me to see so many women struggling with their weight and body image because I know they just need to understand fat loss from a different perspective. Once they do, usually they have big aha moments that help them change course and see results with much less time spent exercising and a much more balanced approach to eating. And, they get to understand the most important message I want my clients to learn: There is no one-size-fits-all-approach. But, I can teach you what YOUR metabolism needs to be balanced and move into fat-burning mode and into hormonal balance.
I want to introduce you to someone who has made quite the transformation.
The biggest change has been over the past year when things finally clicked. Erin used to take my Slim & Strong classes 3x a week. She was a classic perfectionist when it came to weight loss. She was either on or off. She would be incredibly committed to cooking her own meals, prep and bring food to work and avoid going out to not be tempted to drink and then when something didn't go according to plan, she'd swing the other way. Of course no progress happens that way, even though we think that undoing a week of poor eating is cleaned up with a juice fast or diet.
Well, in the past year Erin really worked on her mindset and realized that progress happens with imperfection. She learned to make great choices even when going out, so she could continue to have fun and socialize AND see massive changes. She learned that she can make an ok choice when stuck at the office and still continue the fat loss and that this 'ok' choice doesn't mean she should just stop trying. She also learned that food isn't a reward, but feeling and looking good is the reward that comes from not eating certain foods. And, she also learned to share her struggles in an honest way so she could get support when the going got tough.
I asked her 5 questions about her journey, so you can see that massive changes do happen with consistency and with all the many imperfections you get to build into your diet and workout schedule.
See for yourself:
1. You've made quite the transformation in the past year. What has changed?
A group of friends decided they wanted to do Whole30 in January 2018, the timing of when we started was one week off from the start of S&S Online. I didn't struggle with the sudden change in my diet (elimination of dairy/grains) and felt good. When the 30 days were up, I still had two weeks of S&S left and kept going. With the combination of the two, I dropped pounds, felt better mentally and physically, slept better and didn't have sweet cravings any longer. In addition to the physical changes, it was nice to have the support of friends and the online forum of Slim & Strong to stay motivated. As my body continued to change, it finally clicked that this lifestyle was what my body needed and for me to be my best self.
I still haven't added dairy back and I don't miss it. When the summer ice cream craving hits, a few spoons of vegan ice cream does the trick. I don't crave sweets like I did before. I do allow myself to have cheat meals and enjoy drinks with friends, but I know when to say I've had enough. I always find myself eager to get back on track the next day.
2. What are you eating in a typical day?
Breakfast - eggs and veggies (either spinach & cucumber salad or roasted broccoli/cauliflower/sweet potatoes)
Lunch - soup/stew that I have meal prepped the weekend before and have in my freezer
Snack - carrots/snow peas/turkey slices/guacamole/hummus/plaintain chips (if I have a craving for chips)
Dinner - another frozen meal or turkey meatballs and veggies
3. What's your workout routine? How much time do you spend working out every week?
My workout routine is the S&S online program, which varies from 10-20 min of HIIT or strength exercises first thing in the morning. Right after I will add 15-30 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill. When the weather is nice, I take the bus to work instead of the train which allows for 10-15 min of walking to the office. I wear a Fitbit and look to get close to 10k steps a day.
4. How did you stay motivated to keep going?
In addition to the support of the online community, coming to the realization that I don't have to be 100% perfect to see results has kept me motivated. It's nice to have friends (in person and online) who are going through the same journey to rely on for support.
5. How do you handle social situations/travel/going out now vs a year ago?
The realization of not having to be 100% perfect and allowing myself cheat meals has been key. I recently spent a week in Aruba with friends. The second day there we went to the grocery store to grab food for breakfasts and lunches that didn't stray too far from my normal routine. When we went out for dinners, I looked for meals similar to what I would eat at home or when going out with friends. I took my Slim & Strong resistance bands with me and before venturing to the pool/beach I would do a quick workout in the room in the morning. The vacation fell the week before my period so I knew that if I didn't get a strenuous workout in that was right according to the plan of keeping stressful workouts at bay during that time.
Here is Erin in 2008 at 259 lbs. and recently in Aruba at 165 lbs.
Will you please give her a high five on Instagram
TELL HER TO ROCK ON!
She is ready for some other great changes in her life and I wish her nothing but an ongoing feeling of strength, power and the knowledge that she's got everything she needs to succeed.
I want to invite you to start the same journey Erin started over a year ago.
I want to invite you to learn about what your body needs to feel and look its best. I want to encourage you to not wait any longer if you are not happy with yourself. Don't waste a single day on another quick-fix diet and please stop the exercise madness if you're working out for more than an hour a day. There is a much simpler and more effective way to get you to your happy self.
JOIN SLIM & STRONG ONLINE
WE START APRIL 1ST
I won't be offering another Slim & Strong program until the Fall,
so this is your chance.
Registration closes Friday, March 29th.
IT'S TIME TO DITCH LONG HOURS AT THE GYM & RESTRICTIVE DIETS
How does the program work?
The program is set up like a school.
Unlike most programs out there, this is not a one-size-fits-all program. You will get daily emails delivered right to your inbox that take you through the process of understanding fat loss nutrition, your unique metabolism, how to work with your hormones to maximize fat loss, how to rebalance them and learn about your special nutrition and workout requirements if you're menopausal, pregnant, a new mom, breastfeeding or have a damaged metabolism. You'll learn what workouts are right for your metabolism and which aren't, and we address and work through the most common mindset pitfalls that derail most people on a diet.
Every Sunday you receive the week's cheat sheet with the workouts. You will access them as videos that can be done anywhere - at home, while traveling, outdoors or at the gym. Our private Facebook group allows you to ask questions and to connect to the rest of the awesome bunch for support and high-fives.
I can't wait to work with you!
Cheers, Ariane
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