Client feature: Amanda

When Amanda came to me she was out of shape. She was not obese or even overweight by any body calculator standards but wanted to slim down in some areas to feel more comfortable with her body and in her clothes. Amanda described herself as someone who was always naturally thin and never thought much about healthy eating or exercise, but her habits eventually caught up with her as her natural metabolism changed from that of a teenager to that of a woman. She is also super busy. Shes a law student and needs the healthy eating stuff to be quick and easy. She has no time for cooking elaborate meals and very little desire to exercise outside of regular meetings with me (preferring the motivation of the appointment as well as someone to push her.)

Sound familiar? Im sharing all those details because I think Amanda is very relatable for a lot of folks.

So weve been working together for some time, including a brief winter hiatus. Amanda has lost weight. She is noticeably leaner. She looks great. While I dont mean to gloss over this, weight loss is not the interesting part of this story.

To me Amanda has made a complete transformation in the time that Ive known her. Something which Im almost positive shes not giving herself credit for yet.

When we first began working together she was more than completely opposed to running. She preferred to do as little cardio as possible. She was focused on aesthetic body changes but not entirely willing to try a whole lot of new things, mostly because she was just too busy and a little stuck in her habits. She visibly didnt enjoy many of the workouts we had. *To her credit she always completed them!*

Now- she pushes herself. She is stronger and its obvious both in her physical abilities and in her presence in a workout. She no longer seems like someone who is putting herself through a workout, but rather is working it.

And did I mention shes running? Sprint intervals to be exact. Fast ones. Really fast ones. Today she even admitted a set wasnt challenging enough, asking for harder intervals. Cheerfully! And when we were unable to meet earlier in the week she was disappointed as she was really looking forward to working out! She attacks the workouts now. So much so that shes surprising me every time we meet with her strength gains, willingness to just tackle whatever I throw at her and is now trying to rope her man into going to the gym with her on our off days!

I got a text a few moments ago about how excited (she) is about feeling stronger, faster etc. I watched her weigh herself today- the verdict- smaller numbers than she has seen in a long time. Her response? A shrug. Because I really believe it isnt about that for her.

Now Im sure Amanda, and most of us for that matter are happy when we see some things round out and others flatten out. Obviously there is nothing wrong with liking a more fit physical appearance. But when someone starts to get excited about feeling strong, I know a real corner has been turned.

While her eating habits were never horrible, she is now seeking out healthier options for all of her staples and encouraging her significant other to do the same. Shes become a smoothie junkie, cut way back on her soda intake and taken real, measurable action toward making healthier choices. Amanda is planning more meals in advance, cutting back on convenience foods and taking time to prepare things for herself. Shes also let go of unhealthy patterns around food, like feeling guilty when she indulges- calling this just a part of living a full life.

Im confident Amanda will meet her aesthetic goals. She has already made great strides toward them. And as stated before, she never had far to go. But the real changes have occurred within her. She is visibly healthier which I find so inspiring and Im so proud of her.

Mostly Im excited for Amanda and anyone who comes across her as she is now an awesome example of both taking the reigns on your own health, and having a positive outlook on food and her body. Her new viewpoint can only have a ripple effect on those around her, and as the Mommy of a little girl Im stoked to have another positive role model out there.

Cheers to you Amanda! And dont worry Ill do some revamping to keep you challenged.

Love, Mama

*This is one of a series of features meant to both honor the work of my clients and inspire others with their progress. I dont begin to write about anyone without permission and print nothing without pre-approval*

Category: Motivation