Monika is someone who I have been DYING to do a transformation story on for MONTHS. However, she just so happens to be someone who is unbelievably humble and wanted to wait until she met her ultimate goal before I had the opportunity to share her story.
She did it.
And I can’t WAIT to tell you about it!!!
Usually, I summarize the details that my challengers share with me for these transformation stories, but with Monika — I am just going to let her do the talking!
I asked Monika a few questions, and here’s what she had to say…
What made you sign up with a coach who ran accountability groups?
” I had tried Shakeology several years ago and when I would get the motivation to get my health in check I would be good and drink it. However consistency was soooo not a thing for me. I had a coach who I ordered through but it was more a matter of I wanted to support someone I knew with my money vs. really looking for a coach. However this past December that all started to change. I had seen several people I knew posting on FB about Beachbody/Shakeology and about these challenge groups. I knew if I really wanted to start to move the bar on my health I needed to switch to actually being engaged with a coach vs. just placing an order. Well that was a critical step, the encouragement and motivation in the challenge groups has been vital to me. The sharing, support and learning is priceless! Get this, all of that additional support is free! yes, free! I just had to take advantage of it!”
What took you from eating what you wanted and not exercising, to waking early to workout and dialing in your nutrition on a daily basis?
“Anyone who struggles with their weight will tell you that they clearly know when they are spinning out of control, know when they are off track, know when they aren’t doing what they should do. However knowing that and being motivated to do something about it are two very different things. I had reached my limit and knew I had to do something and I had to stop with my excuses, yes I have horrible knees, but that doesn’t mean it’s a ‘get out of jail free’ card. I also had to really assess me, what were my triggers, what would cause success or failure for me, not for someone else and what worked for them, but for me. Through the challenge groups a variety of people share what works for them, and it’s all variations. There was freedom in not being tied to a single way to do it, but rather truly talking with my coach to see what would fit for me. So in Jan, I dove in with a mindset change of not losing weight and dieting, but rather having a healthier lifestyle! This was a critical game changer for me. I know how I think, if I say I am losing weight or on a diet, or starting a new workout routine, I decide in my mind that if I did X effort then I should have Y results (and yes immediately have Y result) and when that doesn’t happen I get really mad and say to heck with it and go right back to all my comfort foods and comfy not working out ways. So, doing an initial weight and measurements and then locking up the scale for a month or at times 2 months is what was needed. I was instead focused on ‘non scale victories’, how was I feeling? How was I moving? What foods were fueling me? How was my energy level? And bless, how were my clothes fitting!”
What benefits has this lifestyle change (Shakeology daily//exercise//nutrition//ch
“My planner/organizer/routine driven self was a perfect match for the challenge group app! To have that daily check in to post about my workout and food was a key to success. Take note all those things you read about starting to move and then you want to move as well as eat healthy food and you will crave healthy food, heck, it’s all true! I noticed that once my health started getting in balance so did other aspects, my mood, temper, getting stuff done around the house, you name it, more energy for life!“
What was your BIG scary goal? How long did it take?
“I set a big goal right from the start, ideally to be healthier I had to get into the healthy BMI range. I know it was a big goal, so I never looked at how many inches/pounds, but rather how was I feeling, what was my flexibility, my strength, energy level, my glow! Yes, glow!”
Edited to add: Like I said, this chick is MODEST. Being in the healthy BMI range is SO important, but many people lack knowledge on what that looks like. To put it into terms that are more relatable — this amazing woman lost 58.6 lbs to get to that healthy BMI range!!!!!
If you could give one piece of advice to a woman who feels hesitant to start this journey, what would you say?
“Start small, know yourself, be honest with yourself and with your coach, a good coach (Like Alyssa!) will listen to you and support you, not convince you that you have to do A+B and there is no other way. If you try a workout and don’t like it, don’t throw away working out, try a different workout. Don’t like that eating plan, research other healthy eating plans to find one that works for you. Ok, the pizza, pringles and ice-cream diet isn’t one of them, but there are a zillion different clean eating plans out there, I promise if you give it a solid 30 days of clean eating and moving every day with some form of exercise, after the 30 days you will notice a difference in how you feel, and trust me that feeling, well THAT is addictive!”
There you have it.
If that isn’t wildly inspiring, I don’t know what is!
This is why I do what I do.
Monika, well done, love. xoxoxoxo
This cute blonde is Cara – welcome to her transformation story!
1 cup whole wheat flour
Your first step is to make the bruschetta mixture in a small mixing bowl.
onger cooking time — lesson learned!!
a, cold water, and ice! Delicious and pretty similar to my typical morning routine.
! As good as Shakeology — no. Drinkable? For sure. TIP — add in some cinnamon or a pure extract like vanilla or almond (a little goes a LONG way — just a dash!!).
nner options and really enjoyed both of them, especially the spinach salad — it was SO big and we were hungry!! I loved adding the sunflower seeds to the salad — added that extra crunch and some saltiness — yum!
