A sneak peak of Lana K’s journey to weight loss accomplishment all the way up to her debut on the stage in Figure category where she placed 2nd in her very first show!!!
This STRONG GIRL also participated in the IDFA Transformation challenge and I couldn’t help but tear when they read her story to the audience.
Lana says, “Until this year I had been uncomfortable in my own skin. As an overweight child I lacked confidence, insecurity, had feelings of inadequacy, and extremely low self-esteem which led to social withdrawal. I turned to food to fill the void. Over the years, I also tried many different yo-yo diets. While I had some successes, I remained overweight and struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food.
At my University graduation I was more than 220lbs. I couldn’t stand to look at myself anymore and returned to the gym. Seeing a woman 20 years older than me easily handling a step class, when I was panting just 20 minutes in, it made me realize something had to be done. I hired a trainer and found a love for group exercise. I became certified to teach Les Mills classes and started teaching at GoodLife Fitness (my sponsor).
At my peak I was teaching fitness classes 5+ times per week, playing soccer 3 days a week, and often tacked on over 4 hours of cardio in a day. I did achieve weight loss success but it eventually came to a halt. I suffered numerous injuries and after an ACL reconstruction, I learned that more is not necessarily better.
I always needed help with nutrition so I hired Jennifer Van Barneveld. My journey this year has been unlike any other. I finally took control of my emotions, my eating, and brought balance back into my life. Years of overtraining killed my metabolism, which she helped repair. The STRONG GIRLS community inspired me in this new life: no fear of carbs, no need to do cardio every day, lifting weights, and no more reliance on the scale!
These motivating men and women inspired me to compete. I love my new lifestyle. But more importantly – I now love me.”
Love this story. More Lana coming soon!!!
A Blog by Coach JVB 