If you remember your teenage years, or are a parent of one, you know the last thing a teenager wants to do is listen to old people. Because usually, we know nothing. And if you were anything like me, sometimes you just did the opposite of what a person of authority said. 🙂

Teen Athlete Training is Very Rewarding!

So, when my I met my teenage client for her weight loss program I was hoping she’d be open minded to making the changes she’d need to shed some weight, and improve her tennis game.  Lucky for me, working on her training and meal planning was a breeze. Week after week she continued to post steady weight loss, improve her strength, endurance, and agility.  She made the entire process truly effortless, by listening, taking her training seriously, cooking and preparing her own meals, and incorporating the changes into her lifestlye.

So, how did this teenage tennis player lose 25 lbs and 3 inches from her waist over the course of her summer break and get back to school with a new figure, game, and healthy habits?

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I know that Latin culture (like my own) tends to favor fuller figures on women. While there’s nothing wrong with that, coupled with a cuisine that’s heavy on fatty meats, fried foods, and plenty of rice, beans, starches, and double fried starches (tostones!), it’s not surprising that obesity rates among U.S. Hispanics is as high as ever.

It’s even more impressive that my latina online client below (MM) was able to achieve her desired weight loss goal, while still cooking with plenty of her native flavors. Not to mention, she’s a full-time working mom.

At the start of her 6 month journey, she was 145 lbs, now she’s at 116. How did she do it?

Sumi:
What made you decide it was time to lose the belly fat?
MM:  First it was the fact that I was wearing a size 8, which I had never done, and the pants were starting to feel a little tight.  Almost at the same time, my husband took a picture of me and my daughter and I was so shocked about how I looked!  I almost did not recognize me!  I talked about this with my great friend and goddess of fitness Sumi and she mentioned starting the program and I knew I had to do something or my weight was going to continue to go up.  I was definitely ready to commit to the program.

Sumi:
What was the first thing you changed about the way you ate?
MM:  The first thing we did was stop eating sweets and pastries altogether.  No more chocolate, donuts, ice cream, caramel macchiattos, cookies, etc. We also stopped going to fast food places.

Sumi:
As a Hispanic woman, was it easy to incorporate the flavors of your native cooking?
MM:  Yes it was.  Puerto Rican food is mostly about the seasonings and that didn’t change.  I kept making my food the same I had always done it, but now I weigh and measure everything (plus I buy lean meats or if they are fatty, I make sure I cut out any of the fatty parts).  We love eating white rice and beans with every meal.  I started cutting back and only had it once a day and I would measure my rice (only 1/2 a cup for me and 1 cup for my husnband).  I made it up with vegetables and salads.  We sometimes had cravings for some of the more unhealthy and fried items in our cuisine, but we would use our “cheat meals” once a week if we really had to have a bacalaito or an alcapurria.

Sumi:
I understand your husband lost a few lbs on the way too, how important was it to have his support?
MM: It made a HUGE difference.  I don’t think I would have lasted as long if he wasn’t committed as well.  We supported each other and helped each other out whenever the other one was feeling like we didn’t want to continue.  As soon as he saw how serious I was about this and that while we had to sacrifice some of our vices (fast foods, sweets, juice, chips), our “native cooking” was not being affected he was on board.  He was also feeling that he had gained a lot of weight and being a Physical Education teacher he knew he needed to get back to a healthy weight and lifestyle.  It made it easier when planning meals and grocery shopping.  I liked knowing that I was making healthier choices for all three of us.  He has lost 46 lbs and is still very committed.

Sumi:
How did you incorporate exercise in your busy schedule? And meal prep?
MM: Finding time for exercise was hard, but I did stuff at home (using your website and videos as guides) and I would use weekends to get a chance to spend time at the gym, when during the week I couldn’t make it.  Meal preps became easier when I started planning my meals ahead of time and preparing multiple things in one day.  For example: On Sunday  I might make 4 different meats (1 on the slow cooker, 1 in the oven, and 2  in the stove) and the rice and beans for the week.  Then again maybe on Thursday I might leave something on the slow cooker before going to work to have for dinner.  This has been very helpful because I don’t have to worry about rushing home to cook, which eliminates stopping at a fast food place to grab dinner when I’m running late, and it gave me extra time to exercise. 

Sumi:
Do you have any tips for working moms? And what about for Hispanic women?
MM: Prep ahead of time.  You never know when you have to stay late at work or you will get stuck in traffic or your child gets sick and knowing that dinner is already done and you only have to heat it up makes it easier to stay on track.  It also frees up your time and you can exercise.  I didn’t think that being Hispanic made a difference because I still got to eat what I liked, I just was careful about my servings.  Cheat meals also saved my life because whenever I felt like I needed to cheat or was tempted I would say to myself “I’ll have that alcapurria on Saturday.  Or I’ll grab a juicy burger next week”.  Our goal was to make it through the week and then we would reward ourselves.  Now, it is part of our life style and I don’t crave the sweets and fatty stuff as much.  But when I do, I still reward myself but with moderation.  I love donuts.  I can’t buy just one, but if someone brings a box to work, I’ll have one.  I have learned that every once in a while I can have what I like as long as I don’t over do it.  But the best part is, now I crave the healthy food, the veggies and the salad, and the fruit.  We had a crazy week when we moved and fast food was all we ate (although even then I would do it in moderation and tried to make better choices) and I found myself wishing I was eating a baked chicken with veggies and a salad.

I think the most important thing is YOU have to want to change (because it is a life style change) and you need support from family and friends.  If the people around you are not in it with you it is an uphill battle.

Some clients come to you with some really specific physique and fitness goals, such a getting to eleven percent body fat.  I want to get boulder shoulders, I want to perform a pullup, I want to bench 225 lbs, and so on.  The nice thing, from the perspective of a diet coach and trainer, is that the guys and gals who are as specific as possible with their goals are usually the ones who achieve them.

RB was no different. Not only did he express dedication to his training and nutrition, he practiced it, lived it, and breathed it.  He was always thorough, kept meticulous records of his food, training, and body composition, checked in with me on a regular basis so that we could make sure he was steadily dropping body fat, and most importantly, was a pleasure to work with.

Side, Before

Side, After

Here’s my interview with him:

Sumi: So, why me? How did I get so lucky to meet such an awesome, driven athlete?

RB: I sought the expertise of Sumi Singh for an aggressive, effective, and efficient nutrition and workout regimen.  This was the content of our initial consultation.  Based on the lack of results I noticed on my own, I realized that my challenge stemmed from my nourishment consumption.  I soon learned that Sumi was the solution to my challenge.

Of importance, I am a self-motivated individual where maintaining a fit lifestyle is paramount.  This time, however, I wanted more definitive, specific results.  What I learned from Sumi are permanent, lifestyle changes which I carry with me at every meal.  The most significant change has been my nourishment (food and supplement) consumption and portion size.  I eat MUCH healthier now.  I thought I ate healthily before, but my regimen lacked some basic elements and my portion sizes were too large for my body.  Further, my workout routines had become static.

Sumi: So, you’re a big fan of working out regularly in the gym.  What did you have to change to reach your goal of 11% body fat (from 18%).

RB on Training:

On my own, I was working out 4 to 5 times regularly for 30 to 45 minutes prior to my program with Sumi.  Of note, this was a gradual progression.  Originally, I started working out twice a week due a busy work schedule.  As I began to feel more lethargic and winded from simple everyday activities, I increased my workout frequency to 3 times per week…then 4…then 5.  At one point, I reached 7 times in one week and STILL no results.

RB on Nutrition:

Under the auspices of Sumi, she taught me how to be mindful of my caloric consumption coupled with a dynamic workout routine.  The results are irrefutable.  I began to notice significant progress within two weeks.  By the time I reached the first milestone date, I overshot my original goal.  This occurred with the second milestone date as well.

Sumi: What’s the most important thing you learned about yourself while reaching this goal? And any advice for those with goals as specific as yours?

RB: The best lesson I learned throughout this journey is will power.  I am reassured that one of my strengths is pure will power.  In conclusion, I have 3 pieces of advice that I have found priceless:

1) Be consistent…start small and continue with small progressions

2) Be persistent…do not allow obstacles to discourage you

3) The secret to success is 1 and 2.

Sumi: Please, don’t stop now.

RB: My journey with Sumi Singh has been quite enlightening.  Not only have I surpassed my fitness goals, but I have also acquired some unexpected benefits as well.  I feel more alert in mind, agile in body, and confident in spirit.  Sumi has unlocked a whole new person within me, for which I am extremely grateful.  Thank you Sumi!