Update Dec 2015 – MicheLe wrote in to update us on her amazing transformation. She’s lost over 67 pounds, recently turned 46 years old and she continues to eat clean and train regularly.
I just wanted to update you on my transformation. You featured me last year on May 30th. I turned 46 years young on December 20th. Here I am, 20 months later. During this time, I have managed to maintain my weight, lose more inches and drop another dress size. Initially, I wore a size 16, now I’m in a size 4. I have continued to do strength training three to four days week and cardio five to six times a week. As you know, the majority of weight lost is due to diet. I have been eating clean for two years now. I eat five to six meals a day, eating every three hours. I still only drink water, about a gallon daily. A girlfriend told me just the other day that her struggle is doing it solo. I told her that although I have trained with someone, I am only with the trainer three hours a week. The other 165 hours, I am on my own. So, essentially, I am solo 99% of the time during the week. I have to make good decisions when it comes to my diet.
May 2014 – Weight Loss Story of the Day: MicheLe lost 67 pounds, going from a size 16 to a size 6. She embraced calorie counting, portion control and strength training to transform her body so much that she recently competed in her first bikini competition. Read about her journey and check out her photos below:
“With commitment, focus, dedication and determination, I lost 67 pounds, going from a size 16 to a size six (height 5’4”). Two years ago I had pre-hypertension. My doctor continued to tell me to lose weight and to exercise. When I started my weight loss journey, I set a goal to get into a size eight. I reached my goal in seven months with strength training, counting calories and controlling my portion sizes. I met with my personal twice a week for 30 minutes and took a bootcamp class once a week. I tracked everything I ate and drank a gallon of water a day. I ate every two to three hours including breakfast, lunch, dinner and two to three snacks. I had protein for every meal and snack. My trainer told me the best way to lose weight was consistency so I ate basically ate the same foods every day. My breakfast consisted of egg whites, spinach, oatmeal and a tablespoon of peanut butter. For lunch, I had protein, brown rice and veggies. For dinner, I had protein, veggies and tablespoon of peanut butter. For my snacks, I had a protein shake and fruit.
I maintained this size for a year. Late last year, I set another goal: to enter into a bikini competition. I began strength training, cardio and clean eating. I met with my personal trainer three times a week for one hour and did cardio on my own four days a week for 35 minutes. I accomplished this goal in five months and participated in my first bikini competition last Saturday (May 24, 2014). I did not take home a trophy but I won this struggle to lose weight.”
Few would argue that a toned guy with six-pack abs walking down the beach probably leads a more healthier life than the fellow with a beer gut spilling out of his ‘frankie says relax’ tanktop as he double-fists a cold brew. While exercise and eating right has a tendency to limit health problems, is it a guaranteed fact that beer-belly guy is unhealthy? For years people have made the correlation that waist size reflects health and longevity so let’s weigh out the facts.
There’s a definite snowball effect when it comes to dieting and we’re not talking about the cream-filled coconut cakes made by Hostess. The spiral of a dieting sabotage can happen in an instant and usually the results aren’t pretty. One minute you’re at the gym trudging along looking forward to a post-workout smoothie and the next thing you know you’ve woken up from a blacked out state surrounded by pizza boxes, soda bottles and 37 empty candy bar wrappers. There are definite things that can sabotage your weight loss and it’s important to break on through to the other side of each of them.
Update – Shout out to 
The biggest struggle is still patience. It’s been one year since I started on this journey and I am still not happy. Instead of realizing how much I’ve done, I still see cellulite and side rolls. My biggest victory is the number of people that have told me I’ve inspired them to change. It’s one thing to make positive changes in my own life, but when making yourself better inspires others to do better, that’s victorious.”
What did you do in terms of exercise?
