Client Success Story: Kelly S

June 12, 2022

Once upon a time, Feed Your Soul Fitness was only able to support local people with their health and wellness goals. One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that we were able to go online. Not just for fitness with exercise classes, but also with our Nutrition Coaching. Technically, we had been doing online nutrition coaching since August of 2019, however, no one really fully understood the concept of what ‘Online Coaching’ was. Now that most people have discovered and utilized Zoom, we have been able to reach outside of the bubble around our facility in Northwest Denver. 

A Client Success Story

This story is about Kelly S. from Madison Wisconsin. And it’s a good one…

You see, Kelly never stepped foot in the FYSF facility. She attended all exercise classes via Zoom from her house and she met with her Nutrition and Accountability Coach weekly on Zoom as well. She reduced her body fat by more than 6%, increased her muscle by more than 4%, dropped 13+ INCHES off her whole body, and finally, lost more than 27lbs. (See how I mentioned her lost pounds last? That is because it’s better to focus on reducing body fat, increasing muscle and tracking inches lost rather than just what the scale says.)

Kelly’s Success Story with Nutrition and Exercise

This success story occurred over the course of 12 weeks. 

Kelly works a sit down job from home. After work, she would sit and watch TV.

She used one word to describe her lifestyle. “Sedentary”.

When I asked her what she wanted and what her health and wellness goals were she said, “I want an active lifestyle, the ability to go backpacking, do Stand-Up Paddleboarding, enjoy a beer with my wife and not feel guilty. And last, just feel good in my body.” (Notice how she never said “I want to lose weight”?)

I love everything about her statement. I love that she was focused on getting more active, being able to explore nature more, spending quality down-time with her partner, as well as improving her relationship with food/drink. That is a true health and wellness path that anyone can relate to. No one wants to restrict, feel deprived or feel guilty about food or drink. They want to be able to maintain their social life and be able to spend time with their loved ones. 

Kelly’s Nutrition Journey

Through our Nutrition coaching, we taught Kelly how to fold in the pizza and beer she loved so that she could still enjoy them and not feel guilty. She loves that she is never hungry, never feels restricted, and is fueled for the active life she has; all through the power of understanding macros. Kelly didn’t have any experience with macros or logging her food but she was open to the concept because she knew something had to change. She even says herself that she now knows that carbs are good to eat and understands she needs them in her diet. 

Kelly was grateful that within our program, we consistently had her measuring her progress via measurements and pictures. She’s in awe of her before and after pictures. Seeing the changes in her pictures and seeing the measurements improve gives her constant motivation to keep going.

client success story: kelly s before and after 12 week photos

She found profound importance of the accountability involved in the program despite feeling reluctant to the weekly check-ins at first. Connecting with her coach allowed her to ‘bounce ideas off of him’ so that she could make better decisions for eating out, fitting in certain indulgences, and staying on track. All those conversations and check-ins with her coach taught Kelly the sustainability of this lifestyle of eating and she feels it’s something she can carry forward for years to come.

None of the behaviors her coach taught her during the 12 weeks were unsustainable. That is important because anyone can do certain restrictive behaviors for a small amount of time, but what happens when real life comes around? Kelly loved watching this sustainable approach play out through her assessments and realized it’s the kind of progress she needed to ensure she keeps it going for the rest of her life. 

Another thing the accountability did for Kelly during the 12 weeks was it helped her navigate through natural hiccups. She had a few bad work days where stress was high and she had a few more beers than ideal along with too much pizza. Talking with her coach one-on-one allowed her to understand it did not mean the end of the world or that she failed; It did not harm her progress and all she had to do was get back on track.

This is a very common theme, especially with women. Women tend to feel pressured by perfectionism and it often sabotages their health and wellness journey. One thing doesn’t go the way they wanted, or they eat one cookie and think the whole day is compromised. That’s what is great about coaching; it helps give perspective. Kelly now knows that if she made a not-so-ideal choice, it does not mean she has to make up for it the next day; she does not have to do two workouts or restrict calories. She just has to get back on track. 

Kelly's measurements and progress throughout her success story

Kelly’s Exercise Program

Kelly always knew exercising was important and she actually has enjoyed it in the past. When the pandemic hit, she lost access to the exercise classes and facilities she had through her work. She knew she needed to replace that and attending the 40 minute virtual workouts FYSF offered daily was just the answer. She was able to switch from work mode to workout mode as soon as her day ended. She was feeling stronger, more energized and more confident from the consistent workouts she was accomplishing weekly. Exercising consistently naturally had her wanting to drink more water, eat more protein and generally eat healthier.

The Motivation for Kelly’s Success

One of Kelly’s main reasons for doing the 12 week Nutrition Program was because of her family history with heart disease. She did not want to end up the way some of her family members had. She was concerned about losing limbs or worse, hitting the grave early. She also hated that she was missing out on life because she was too tired to do anything outside of sitting at her desk for work.

Kelly is vocal about her gratitude for making the investment of time, money and energy to herself, her coach and the program so that she lives her best life. Her coach loved working with her because she was positive, willing to change, and was coachable. 

To hear Kelly’s story in her own words, check out the video below

Create Your Own Success Story

If you are inspired by Kelly’s success story and want to create your story with your own transformation, please reach out and book a “Chat with a Coach” call. With no obligation, we can explore your options to see what makes sense for your goals, lifestyle and budget. 

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About Ashley:

Ashley is a dedicated and passionate clinical nutritionist. She holds a Masters of Science in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. She specializes in personalized nutrition counseling, helping clients achieve their health goals through tailored recommendations.

 

As an integrative nutritionist, Ashley uses a holistic approach, focusing on balanced nutrition, physical activity, and mental well-being. She enjoys hearing her clients’ personal stories, journeys, and goals and hopes to create a space where each client feels comfortable being themselves.