Erin lost 50 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Erin lost 50 pounds. This dynamic young lady focused on academics instead of playing sports and it paid off with a scholarship. Unfortunately, the lack of physical activity led to weight gain over the years. In college, she made the decision to change her life and get healthy. She’s put in lots of work and now she’s sharing her awesome story with us.

My name is Erin. I’m a 22 year old personal trainer and nutrition coach. When I got to high school, I stopped playing sports to focus on my academics. It worked out! I received a full ride scholarship at the University of North Texas, but my health suffered. I was living a sedentary lifestyle and gained about 60-70 pounds over 3 years. One day, I got on the scale, and at 220 pounds, I knew that I had to change. This was the largest number I ever saw on the scale, but I’m 100% sure I spent some time at a heavier weight too, because I just avoided weighing myself.

My motivation to change stemmed from the fact that I was so unhappy. I no longer liked the person I’d become on the inside or outside. I knew that I wanted a better life for myself, so I began to make it happen. I started by getting my body moving. I would walk with my mom, usually 2 miles. Eventually I started jogging a little bit. The game changer in my workouts was being introduced to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). We set up circuits at the local high school track: Agility ladders, pulling the tire, flipping tractor tires, running bleachers, jumping jacks, etc. It was intense, and exactly what I needed!

During my 2nd year in college, I started paying attention to the foods I ate. I ate lots of grilled chicken, tilapia and steamed veggies, but I was still consuming too much processed junk. My 3rd year, I stopped eating meat and reduced my dairy intake. I don’t use the scale very often at all, but after a few months I finally weighed myself. I was down to 159 pounds from 220+. Six months later, I got into weightlifting and put on about 10 pounds of muscle between February and August. This was good for me. I found that a lot of cardio made me sort of soft and flabby, even though I was smaller. I exercised 5-6 days per week while I was working to lose weight. For maintenance, I workout about 4 days per week.

At 5’ 7”, I currently weigh 170 pounds. I feel great, and I’m working towards leaning out and getting stronger. My transformation so far has been over the course of 4 1/2 years. It’s been a gradual, steady process because I like to give myself time to make sustainable LIFESTYLE changes.

My best advice to anyone trying to lose weight is to focus on your overall health and not just the number on the scale. Add some HIIT and weightlifting into your routine. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Drink plenty of water. Make most of your meals at home with WHOLE FOODS. Watch your sodium intake. Reduce the amount of animal products you consume. Save the processed foods for cheat days. Be patient with yourself! It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

After becoming so passionate about health and fitness, I decided to start a blog! If you need some healthy ideas or inspiration, be sure to check it out at lifexerin.com.

Instagram: @lifexerin