Weight Loss Story of the Day: Yvonne lost 75 pounds. This mom of 3 saw her weight creep up over the years and has been working with her trainer for 10 months to change her lifestyle. She has also lost 32 inches, dropping her dress size from 26 to 16. She shared some insights about her weight loss journey and how having accountability helped her…
What made you decide to get your health in order and/or lose some weight? Did you think you were overweight?
No light bulb moment for me. I knew I was overweight. Prior to my first pregnancy, my weight fluctuated between 140 and 160 pounds. I gained 80 pounds with my first pregnancy in 1988/89 and I never lost it all. With two more pregnancies, I eventually got up to 283 pounds. I lost some and gained even more over the years. My heaviest weight was 315 pounds.
My mom, dad and sister are all at a decent weight, not overweight or obese. My mom and sister always wanted to lose 10lbs though, so maybe they are considered overweight on a chart somewhere. My dad was always average size….5′ 9-10″ and 180-190lbs.
Thus far in your journey, has it been difficult… challenging… or what would you call it?
Yes, the struggle is real! It’s a daily challenge, mentally, to stay the course. It can also be frustrating at times just trying to stay on a schedule and juggle the other things in life as of a mom of three, but it has never been too hard that I wanted to quit. There are times when I strongly dislike my coach, Kurt, and the meal plans that he gives me, but I press on because I know that he knows what I need to achieve my ultimate goal. I have a joke with my girlfriends that simply says #kurtisnotthebossofme and then we laugh and say…”well he’s gonna get you if you don’t do right”.
Are you satisfied w/ where you are now? If not, what more do you want or can you do?
I like the progress I’m making. I’m nowhere near satisfied or ready to call this my final results. I want to lose about 60 more pounds, at least, and I want to tone my body up a WHOLE lot. Staying on plan and adding some strength training will definitely help me reach my goals.
During this process, what have you learned thus far?
So much….I’ve learned that I don’t have to have snacks with football games. I’ve learned that when I’m stressed my body doesn’t lose weight. I’ve learned that menopause throws your body way out of whack, but those weeks can be conquered too. I’ve learned how important it is to stick to a schedule when eating, so that your body is satisfied and it cuts the cravings of snack foods. I’ve learned that I will always love candy and sweets, but I can control when I eat them and HOW MUCH of them I eat. I’ve learned what the right portions of food are for my body. I’ve learned to meal prep in 30-45 mins instead of 2 plus hours like it took me in the beginning. I’ve learned that working out wrong is not beneficial at all. I’ve learned that the nutritional part of the journey far outweighs the sweating at the gym.
How do you feel now vs when you were at your biggest?
I feel alive. My son looked at a comparison pic of me recently and he said “you looked like you were about to die”. That really spoke volumes to me because I didn’t see myself that way. You never really know how big you are until you see yourself smaller. I have been blessed to not have any doctor diagnosed health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol which often surprises the doctors and they say…you’re just fat and you need to lose weight. I’m finally on the right track to lose the weight once and for all.
What kind of support, if any, did you get from family and friends? And in contrast, did you experience any negativity from friends and family?
My family and friends all positively support me. They continue to encourage me to press on through my journey. My mom saw the pic of me in the dress and said “I want an 8×10 or larger of the pic” and she is so serious. I better get it done for her soon. I’m sure she already has a frame for it. No one has shown me any negativity.
Have you ever tried to lose weight before? If so, what was the difference in what you did this time vs other plans or programs you tried before?
Yes, for the past 26 years, I have been off and on losing weight. I never really had a plan. I worked out with a small group twice and I have cut back on foods before. I have done no carbs for a while, but nothing part of a structured plan. Just my own stuff. This time, I have a structured plan and accountability from a “REAL” health coach who knows what he is doing and actually likes to help others achieve their goals.
How did you end up working w/ Body Refined? What has your experience been like working w/ Body Refined?
My coworker/friendgirl, Bonita Glover, saw an article where someone worked with him and she started with him. I watched her transform and struggle for many months on the plan and then my youngest daughter said “let’s do it, Ma.” so she and I started August 2014. My experience with BRI has actually been exactly what I expected…. nerve racking but in a good way. Kurt is very passionate about his work and he is no nonsense, but also a human being. He understands that we are all human and he has some of the same struggles that his clients have. He has no sympathy for someone just doing the wrong thing for no reason. He will however let you have a cookie or two if you damn near kill yourself for it during the week. And let me say, I haven’t wanted any more cookies since I earned those two. I’d rather work hard for a burger and fries or a grilled hot dog/italian sausage than them dern cookies that have basically no nutritional value at all. They just tasted good and it was fun working towards the goal he set for us to earn them.
What was the difference in working w/ Body Refined vs the traditional trainer?
I paid three people for workouts before and they were fine for what I purchased. I would probably never just pay someone to tell me what to do in a gym anymore though because I’ve learned over the years that weight loss is much more than that. Kurt Dixon is the first health coach I have ever had and he will be the last one. Whenever I’m done with him, I won’t need another one and if I needed help I would go back to him again. The dude is good at what he does and if you have the mindset to stomach his “curtness” then you will be successful.
Most people are reluctant to get online coaching because they think it’s all about having a “trainer” to push them hard in the gym. Were you at all skeptical about getting help remotely?
Well for me…. I don’t want to see a trainer every day. I think a day or two a week is fine with a trainer if one’s budget and schedule can afford it, but it’s not necessary for a successful weight loss journey. Because no matter what, the client has to want to change and do the things necessary to achieve goals. Whether it is for weight loss or just body toning or even weight gain, they have to want to change. It doesn’t matter how many times you see your actual “trainer”, a health coach gets you the nutritional and physical things you need to be successful. I mean, the trainer isn’t gonna tell you how to eat, when to eat, how much to eat. Trainers talk about reps and how much time to spend on gym equipment. If you spend 4 hrs a day in a gym or working out and you still eat an outrageous amount of unclean foods, you will pretty much be in the same situation you started when you finally quit working with your trainer. A health coach will leave you with knowledge about your body, foods to eat, exercises to do and a better overall understanding about living a healthy life.
Would you recommend anyone to Body Refined? If so, what would be the deciding factor on your decision to refer someone to Body Refined?
Yes, I would recommend folks to Body Refined, but they better be ready for a lifestyle change and not a quick fix. BRI is for folks that want to make a permanent change in how they live every day from when they start until they die. And, yes I mean forever. For me this is the LAST time that I will have to have a “weight loss journey”. I have my mind made up to make a lifestyle change and I’m going to do it. I’m doing it slow and steady. Probably a little too slow for Kurt, but I know he appreciates my efforts most of the time so I know he won’t give up on me.
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