At the age of 11, I was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition that causes spinal abnormalities. A part of my healing process was wearing a brace for 22 hours a day. The doctors also advised me not to exercise, which caused weight gain. I’m not very tall, and at only 4 ft. 11”, I weighed over 200lbs, and by my late teens, I was clinically obese. I didn’t live a normal life; because of my condition, I was home-schooled, and food became my friend. I hated going out because I was so big, and I just felt miserable. Social media didn’t help, I spent most of my spare time scrolling through images of perfect-looking women, and I became really insecure.
In November 2020, I decided enough was enough. I was tired of feeling sorry for myself, and I was tired of hating the way I looked. No one was going to do this for me. I had to find the strength of mind and the courage to become the person I knew I was destined to be. I got together with a friend, and we devised a diet plan that focused on eating less calories than I burned. I also corrected my metabolism by switching to a high-carb, high-protein diet. I ate 1600 calories per day and stuck to the same meals. A typical day of eating for me included:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with protein powder, peanut butter, and blueberries
- Lunch: Chicken, rice, vegetables
- Dinner: Salmon, rice, asparagus
- Snacks: Protein shake, rice cake with peanut butter
To stay motivated, I took a photo of myself wearing the same bikini every single day for six months. Once I had lost 35lbs, I turned the photos into a 30-second video of my transformation, and it got over 12 million views and 1.7 million likes on TikTok. I was so overwhelmed by how many people I had inspired. The reaction literally blew my mind. The viral video led to several TV, radio, and magazine interviews.
Working out and healthy eating had become a lifestyle for me, but with the amount of traction my video received, I knew what I had achieved was bigger than me. I am now living the life of my dreams, and I had no idea posting one video on social media would lead to this. I was doing okay as a personal trainer before my video went viral, but now my business has really taken off, and I couldn’t be happier. I always ask my clients why they hired me, and the main response I get is that I can relate to their weight loss struggles.
A lot of fitness gurus entice people by promising to help them lose unrealistic amounts of weight in a short space of time. It took me six months to lose 35lbs. But during the process, I developed a love for healthy eating and an even greater love for exercise. It’s how I live my life, and that should be the same for everyone. Working out should be as natural as brushing your teeth every morning. As well as helping people achieve their weight loss goals, what I want for them more than anything is to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle.
