Nutrition Client Spotlight – Kate
I sought out a nutritional coach because I was frustrated that I was working out so much and not seeing any physical changes or feeling healthier or stronger. If anything, I gained weight and clothes got tighter. I knew I needed to get my nutrition under control in order to see results and I do best when someone holds me accountable.
My short term goals were to learn how to track my food/calories, and honestly, experience some weight loss. I incorrectly thought weight loss would give me confidence but I have now since amended that goal based on my experience with Aubree, my coach. I have learned that only I can give myself the confidence and self-acceptance I have been searching for, not a number on the scale. This journey is about feeling stronger and healthier; it’s about gaining confidence through weight lifting; it is about being able to have a couple “off days” and get right back on track without all the negative self-talk, guilt and restriction. It is truly about learning to find balance. My long term goal is to maintain this mindset which can be hard to do in this diet driven, quick-fix, social media focused society in which we are inundated with what beautiful and thin means even though it is completely unrealistic and does not bring confidence, happiness or balance to people.
I chose Aubree after having an in-person meeting with her to discuss my goals. I knew Aubree was the coach for me because she made it clear that this journey is not just about dropping weight fast and cutting calories/starving yourself. Aubree explained this program is about creating sustainable habits and that this is not a quick fix program. Initially, I was hyper focused on the number on the scale, but that is one of many factors Aubree looks at and that’s exactly what I needed in order to make these nutritional and lifestyle changes in my life.
The biggest change I have made so far is to stop focussing on the scale. At one point, I was becoming so hyper-focused on the scale, that Aubree offered me to take a week off from weighing-in because she saw how negative I was being on myself. I could feel great on weigh-in day but the second I stepped on the scale,my mood completely changed based on the number that appeared. I could not focus on the mental changes I was making or the new nutritional habits I was developing or the muscle I was gaining. Fortunately, I had Aubree who reminded me every week that it is not about the scale…she was there to encourage and remind me that this program is about making a healthy lifestyle change. Aubree has no expectations for weight loss for me. If all she focused on was weight loss, I would never be making these sustainable long-term, lifestyle changes and be doomed to continue a life of yo-yo dieting, shame, restriction and binging instead of creating and finding this new balance in life. Aubree reminds me that I need to be kinder to myself and focus on all the positive changes I have made and what I have achieved.
If you do this program, you will only be as successful as the effort you put in. Your coach is there to guide you but only YOU can make the actual changes necessary in order to find a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This is not about sacrifice and restriction, it is about improving your overall health which is worth the hard work, time and investment!
Also, these photos depict a 4-5lbs weight loss. I hope that seeing these pictures helps people to realize that the scale is not the only way to measure success. Building muscle and recompositioning my body takes time, so even if I gain muscle weight, I can see that i have loss fat as well.
