I’ve known Shellie for several years from when I used to live in Florida almost 10 years ago. Through the magic of Facebook, we managed to keep in touch and I’ve watched Shellie continue to make consistent progress in her own fitness.
Shellie’s a full-time realtor, a spin instructor at LA Fitness, and mother of two to Chaz, 19 and Natalie, 12. I was thrilled when pretty much out of the blue, and after many, many years, Shellie contacted me for online training. I’m pleased to feature Shellie’s story in my latest online training success story.
Shellie lost 2 inches off her hips and waist (and has kept off the 10 lbs she has lost) after working with me via online training. It took her 4 months to lose 10 lbs, and while that’s hardly a dramatic loss, her pictures show otherwise.
Sumi: To what did I owe the honor of your partnership after all these years? I feel super lucky that you chose me, when the Internet is FULL of online diet and fitness coaches.
Shellie: You inspired me very early in my fitness journey. I do not come from a very athletic back ground. I was overweight, never worked out in my life and I was a smoker. My friend took me to a small local all-women’s gym to try out a Les Mills body pump class. She said you were the best instructor and I would love it.
She was wrong it was hell!
I remember thinking my legs would fall off after four continuous minutes of squats; there is no way I am going to get through this and I still have another 45 mins to go.
But you kept encouraging me, we were always working for Sumi to give us a “shout out” when you would single us out by name. Always killing us with a smile on your face as you went through the same routine with heavier weights it seemed like you didn’t even sweat! I remember thinking this chic is evil and I like it!
I continued to come back for more.
Sumi: You managed to achieve a beautiful transformation without really changing very much about the way you cook your food or training. Nevertheless, we did make changes to both. Let’s start first with nutrition. What changes did you make there?
Shellie: The food scale quickly became my best friend along with myfitnesspal.com. You don’t realize how much you are actually over eating. Every calorie counts, and I quickly discovered that some things were just not worth it, alcohol being the main one I eliminated that early on. 4oz of wine has some health benefits but who actually drinks only 4 oz of wine? I also eliminated coffee creamers.
Sumi: If you were to offer some similar nutrition 101 tips to a friend who wanted to shed some fat, what would you tell them?
Shellie: Invest in a food scale, know your portion sizes, and eat out less. Even the “healthy” restaurant foods are loaded with sodium and sugar. By simply eliminating alcohol you can shed a few pounds without even trying.
Sumi: You have an already busy fitness schedule, as you lead several spin classes/week. So thankfully, we had the cardio already taken care of. What changes did you make with your training that you felt were particularly transformative?
Shellie: Staying in the moment and not letting my mind drift off. I focused more on form taking my time to actually feel the muscles engaging during my sets. We also added a few high intensity cardio sessions to my weight lifting routine. I never missed a lifting session. Even whenI traveled out of town during the first few weeks of my program, I found a local gym.
Sumi: You initially came to me with the goal of competing in fitness (bikini or figure competition). At that time, I was 100% behind you but also know goals evolve and change. Tell me about how your goals evolved.
Shellie: There was a natural show coming up in my area and I had toyed with the idea of competing for a few years. I was surprised how easy my diet and training were going. The weight was coming off but it was coming off very slowly.
As we got closer to the date I realized I still needed so many things: a posing coach, a suit, make up, a tan, etc. So many pieces go into competing and financially it was not the right time for me. After everything was said and done it was going to run well over $1,000 just to enter the competition and be stage ready.
Sumi: Do you think you might eventually want to compete?
Shellie: A part of me still wants to but I can think of a lot of other things I would like to do with $1,000 than stand on a stage in a tiny bikini for a few minutes.
Sumi: You work full time as a realtor which means you’re traveling a lot to show houses, or dining out often, and otherwise on the road. I imagine this takes a certain amount of prep work. Tell me more about how you managed to keep your nutritional needs together.
Shellie: Preparation is where it is at. Usually we prepare our meats on Sunday by grilling or putting a few pounds of chicken in the crock pot then shredding it up for the week. I also chop up all of the veggies for the week and keep the fridge stocked with apples and oranges. We rarely eat out. I have a cooler and lots of tupperware that are different sizes that I take along with me. It is cheaper and I find I am able to eat better quality when I bring my own foods.
Sumi: I’m honored you chose me to guide you through this transformation. What’s the benefit of hiring an online coach?
Shellie: Accountability is huge, knowing that I had to report to you was what motivated me when I felt like slipping up on my diet or skipping a workout.
Sumi: What’s next for you and your fitness goals?
Shellie: I would like to help other people achieve their fitness goals in a realistic approach that allows for long term success. Quick fix diets, and weight loss supplements are not the answer. There is an easier way to find balance with your lifestyle and fitness goals. And it does not involve starving yourself or doing hours of cardio daily.
You can find Shellie at LA Fitness in Oceanside, CA. Or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/shellierhea/about
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