Client Success Story: Marion
Marion had worked with a personal trainer already, and while she had gotten stronger, she had not experienced significant body composition change. But it wasn’t just about weight loss – she also wanted to be a fierce athlete as she started her 40’s, and to recapture her fitness from earlier in life! She wanted to do pull-ups (which were still out of reach, even after months of in-person training), and she also wanted to continue to improve her running performance.
But Marion also needed to balance her goals with her career and her personal life – she has a busy academic job (with a long commute) and travels not only for work, but also for personal adventure! She needed a plan – both for workouts and nutrition – that could be resilient to the ups and downs of a busy life.
Plus, as a vegetarian, she struggled to get her protein to the levels that are generally recommended for strength-training women (especially when in a calorie deficit). She felt that her protein goals had been previously overlooked, because she couldn’t use the easy shortcut of just throwing more lean meat at her diet.
She only wanted to lose 10-15 pounds, but it was feeling impossible.
But now that we’ve worked together for 5-6 months, Marion has…
- Lost 12 pounds, all of it from fat (thanks to strength training)
- Lost 2 inches off both waist and hips
- Achieved 3 unassisted pull-ups
- Shaved 4 minutes off her 5k time
And she’s still going!!
Now, I’m going to let Marion share her story in her own words…
“I was feeling like I’d lost control of my weight…”
I had just turned 40 and was feeling like I’d lost control of my weight at the end of my 30s. For about three years I was way over the weight I’d been in my early 30’s, and I felt like I kept losing and gaining the same 5 pounds, but with a lot of hard work. Also, because I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, with fish once or twice a week, getting high levels of protein was a challenge. Although I felt stronger I couldn’t fit into my old clothes and was pretty discouraged.
So I decided I need help on a holistic level – nutrition, strength and cardio… and I found Rachel.
“Someone was here to help me figure it out…”
The literal first thing Rachel said to me was, “You can absolutely lose 15 pounds in 6 months, it’s totally achievable.” She also said I would be able to do pull-ups, my big fitness goal. That was so encouraging, because I was starting to feel that as I got older, I would just not be able to lose more than a couple of pounds. So that mindset shift and the sense that someone was here to help me figure it out, week by week, has been the biggest help.
Rachel really helped take a holistic approach to put the pieces together in a different way. Things I did in the past and expected to hear from her was to highly restrict calories, stop eating bread, give up alcohol and sugar. In the past I’d had success losing weight only if I restricted myself to 1200-1300 calories a day, usually by eliminating something like carbs. Rachel really changed how I think about my overall nutrition so it also fuels my fitness goals- there’s no way to get enough nutrients with such low calories, especially without meat.
“Concrete plans that meet my protein goal…”
Some of the basic things that helped so much actually sound so simple, but I just didn’t know before. One thing is building in high quality snacks at the right time of day. I usually start my day at 5:30 when I go to the gym and need to eat something to fuel my workout. I get home late from work and don’t usually have dinner until after 7. Rachel helped me see how I needed to spread out eating with some more high protein snacks and to eat a bigger breakfast so I wasn’t feeling starving by lunch or dinner. She also helped by actually giving me concrete plans that meet my protein goal. I was frustrated hearing “eat more protein” without any way to figure out how. Rachel turned me on to soy curls, edamame noodles, roasted edamame snacks – and I do admit I eat a ridiculous amount of Greek yogurt. But I really don’t struggle to hit the right amount of protein anymore.
Additionally, she helped me focus on other aspects of nutrition like more fiber and vegetables. I’ve seen my nutrients and iron increase and I feel so much more energetic too. My cholesterol level is down too, which is a big relief.
A lot has changed about my workouts. I exercise more now – 4 days strength training and 2 days running each week, but they feel more efficient and manageable than what I was doing before. Instead of needing 2 hours at the gym and being too sore to move the next day, I get the whole workout done in less than an hour. Instead of just long slow runs I’m doing speed work and pushing myself on pace too. I feel like I can get more from a 40-minute run.
“Times when I might have gotten completely derailed…”
Rachel helped me make really good plans over my Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday trips, both times when I might have gotten completely derailed. She encouraged me to make good decisions but not track my eating, and how to get some workouts in to stay active without stressing about keeping up with every single one. I was thrilled with both trips to return home without any real weight gain! From the end of November to end of December I lost 3 pounds instead of gaining the 5+ pounds I usually expect to! And I didn’t lose any strength – I got right back to my pull-ups when I returned.
“I feel more flexible and less stressed about getting it all perfect…”
Other things that really changed my habits are about the numbers. I thought you had to really precisely stick to a calorie-in-calorie-out calculation, but Rachel is so helpful looking at the bigger picture – you’re in a calorie deficit if you’re losing weight, even if that’s just .5 pounds a week. The calorie goal is just a range with wiggle room. Also, get on the scale more! I used to dread weighing myself weekly or every other week and felt like it would randomly go up or down. Turns out it probably did, but now I weigh myself 3-4 times per week so can see how it fluctuates and just take the average. All of that helped me feel more flexible and less stressed about getting it all perfect.
I feel so happy with my progress. I’ve lost over 12 lbs and a couple of inches off my waist in 4 months. My pants are loose and I’m fitting into dresses I haven’t worn in years. All the work I’ve been doing building muscle is showing, and I’m starting to see some definition in my arms and legs. Just as importantly I’m hitting my fitness goals- I can now do pull ups with a neutral grip and working my way up to more of them. I’ve shaved minutes off my 5k time and running at a pace I haven’t in at least 4 years. I ran my longest run ever – a 12k – and felt like I could keep going. I might be in the best shape I’ve ever been! I have more energy, I’m not anxious about traveling or getting derailed. And I can see how I can go forward through my 40’s feeling and looking good.
“It became so routine, that it didn’t feel like hard work…”
You have to work hard, but you don’t have to be perfect. In the beginning of this program I felt a little overwhelmed fitting everything in. Prepping all my meals, snacks, and clothes at night so I can hit the gym at 5:30 and head to work is a lot of work. But after a couple of weeks, it became so routine that it didn’t feel like hard work. And if I do that most days, it’s okay if every day isn’t perfect. I used to think I wasn’t the kind of person who could achieve balance – I’m an “all in” or “all out” type of person. But this routine actually works for me in a way I feel like I can keep consistent with it. It’s been rewarding seeing how consistency on most days pays off even if you don’t hit everything every day.
Marion has done a beautiful job of achieving balance, and enjoying the benefits of a healthier lifestyle that is flexible yet focused! She is in the process of completing her initial 6-month program (only one month left!), and she’ll be downshifting into a long-term strength training plan to maintain her results. If you want to apply to the same Signature Transformation Program, click here to answer a few questions and get the process started!
