Transformation of the Day: Selma lost 57 pounds. This medical student didn’t notice her weight gain until it started to affect her health and relationships. She experienced some ups and downs during her 3 year journey, but she eventually learned how to eat healthy and workout effectively. Now, she’s training for a bodybuilding competition.
My weight gain was slow and steady, I didn’t notice the weight until it started affecting my health and relationships. That’s when I took a stand 3 years ago to workout and become healthy and happy. It’s the decision I’ve ever made.
I started working out seriously in 2014, when I was heading to obesity. At the time, it was difficult for me to even climb up stairs without losing my breath. I started with running. I did 5km runs Monday-Saturday in the park. My fitness partner in crime and I would run up the hills and mountains for extra variation and cardio after exercise classes. Then, I changed my eating to having cereal in the morning and a salad in the evening. I wish I knew better at that time that eating this way was unsustainable. That’s what I did for a whole 6 months. I didn’t stop, I just kept going.
At the beginning of my journey, I weighed 80kg (176 pounds) and mind you I’m 160cm (5′,3″). After those 6 months, I lost 15kg (65 kg/143 pounds). After getting these results, I suddenly stopped. I thought I’d made it. I went back to my bad eating habits and didn’t workout at all. In two months, I had gained 5kg back, and I was devastated and depressed. The people around me started noticing and making remarks about how I was looking. All of this just dampened the situation even more. That’s when I realized that I cannot live with the old habits. If I wanted to create a new body, also I had to change my whole mindset about training and eating. It became about not only proving to myself that I could be a better version of me, but also about being healthy and fit. I wanted to motivate and encourage everyone that it is possible to lose weight and maintain it.
In 2015, I stated training again. This time I joined the gym and started looking online and on YouTube for workouts. I learned how to perform exercises correctly, without injuries. I was following clean eating diet where I ate clean 80% and the other 20% was a cheat meals, like chocolate/chips. Starting at 70kg (154 pounds). I trained hard until I weighed around 60kg (132 pounds) and maintained that weight for a year.
Jumpstart to 2017 , I currently weigh 54kg (119 pounds at 5’3″). I decided to get myself a coach for a month who put me on a strict eating plan (bro style) and training program, training 4x a week. The plan taught me about IIFYM (if it fits your macros) and how I can feed my my body the right amount of nutrients it needs to get the results I’ve always wanted. I’m now doing a 12 week challenge that will allow me into reach stage weight for a bodybuilding competition later this year.
This whole transformation took me 3 years and it’s still going. It took time to lose the weight. I experienced a lot of set backs and worrying about what people might think. There were days when I lacked motivation, but I just kept pushing through.
I want to advise anyone wanting to lose weight that it’s a journey, that means it’s a long road and there’s always room for improvement. Don’t give up. Keep on going, find new ways to workout and do research. Research is very important because you have to equip yourself with as much knowledge as you can about training and eating well.
Instagram: @thatwambochick
Jlo says
Great job in getting your body right and healthy. What tips do you have to flatten your stomach. I have been eating a little better, lost 5lbs so far but my stomach s getting bigger and bigger. HELP!!!