Client Spotlight

Level Up! Keep improving after the diet ends.

🌟Client Spotlight🌟 We have been working together for over 2 years now and I am so proud of all he has accomplished.

He began his journey with me after losing a substantial amount of weight (over 100 lbs!) and though super successful on his own with weight loss, moving away from the dieters mentality was a hurdle he was having trouble navigating on his own.

This client had already lost 100lbs before we started working together.

Post weight loss there is an understandable fear of regaining the weight back. (Unfortunately, this is the common reality for most.) It’s nerve wracking to increase calories, to increase carbohydrates, and to decrease activity.

His goals with me included building more muscle, but he wanted to do so in a sustainable way that minimized fat regain.

Initailly I guided him through a reverse diet followed by a long lean muscle building phase that together lasted a full 18 months. In that time we increased his calories (including carbohydrates) and I tailored his weight training program to fit his physique goals while keeping in mind the various obstacles he faced along the way. I adjusting his program as needed as he dealt with life and work. I guiding him through the recovery process after an accident that crushed his toe just 9 months into the process, and even more recently, adjusted his programming to accommodate a healing finger that needed stitches after an accident in the kitchen. (Life keeps happening even when we have fitness goals, and if we stay positive and creative there is always progress to be gained.)

At the end of the 18 month build be was up 10kgs or 22 lbs. Even though he gained a little bit of fat along the way, what he actually gained was mostly muscle.

Over the last 6 months we embarked on a fat loss journey. Using a small deficit and continuing to resistance train he slowly revealed the muscle he worked to build. During his fat loss phase his strength continued to go up and he still ate a substantial amount of food including plenty of protein and carbohydrates. In this time he lost fat and retained his muscle (even built muscle) reducing his scale weight by about 3-4kgs or 7-8 lbs. Notice by his pictures he is leaner now than when we started 2 years ago, but he is still up in scale weight by about 6-7kgs or 15 lbs.

2 years later! Not only has this client maintained his fat loss results, he continues to build more muscle!

Not all scale weight increases are to be feared! He has learned that first hand. Over his 18 month build he averaged a gain of .54kgs or 1.2lbs per month and the vast majority of those gains were from increasing his lean muscle mass. This is incredible!

His full transformation to date. Weight loss is only the beginning! Building muscle after the diet ends is the next step for epic results that last!

I know first hand what it takes to lose weight. I also know how hard it is to let go of an attachment to certain scale numbers to keep those results coming. But it’s so worth it to keep going after the “diet” ends. I deeply appreciate his trust in me to stay the course and stay consistent with my recommendations day in and day out these last few years.

What’s next for him? We are currently on his second reverse diet. We are building back calories and carbohydrates and aiming for some more lean muscle gains. It’s time to take his current results to yet another level!

Weight loss is only the beginning. It feels amazing to keep setting goals and to continue to level up.

Also see his full transformation to date. It is possible to lose weight, keep it off, and build a strong, capable, and healthy body.

If we can do it. You can too.

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Find his and additional Client Testimonials here.

Fitness Tips

Tips For Long Term Sustainable Weight Loss: 5 Proactive Habits You Can Start Now

Over the course of losing and keeping off 145lbs I have learned quite a bit about what it takes to make weight loss not only possible, but also sustainable.

Here are a few proactive habits you can begin doing now to help you get and stay fit long term.

1. Cook: make most of your meals at home.

2. Grocery shop: do this weekly to make sure you always have fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins available.

3. Walk: Move more often throughout the day. Bonus points if you can do it outside.

4. Don’t snack: Mindless snacking makes it so easy to overeat. Aim for 3-5 meals each containing at least 25g lean protein and a fruit and/or veg at consistent meal times.

5. Found Moment Exercise: Don’t let the excuse of not having enough time stop you from doing something! A solid session of resistance training is great. But if time is limited a set of push ups or bodyweight squats sprinkled throughout the day really add up!

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out the Online Fitness Coaching page on my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

Fitness Tips

Fitness Transformation update and simple tips to make the most of your reverse diet.

I’m currently 5 weeks into my 5th reverse diet. Through my journey of losing and keeping off over 140 pounds since 2016 using both diet break and reverse dieting strategies have been instrumental in my success.

Being in a calorie deficit for long periods of time is hard. It has gotten more challenging the leaner I have gotten.

The process of dieting is as easy as it’s ever been because I have gotten more skilled at the process with time and practice. However my body and mind in a deficit does not function and recover nearly as well as when I am well fed. The food I have gained over the last few weeks has given me so much energy for life and I am able to really go for it in my training sessions to continue to develop my strength.

Progress does not end because the diet has ended. Fat loss has only been one facet and not the entire story of my transformation. Eating, building muscle, and getting stronger has been my primary focus and where I have devoted most of my time and focus. Not on dieting.

Here are 3 tips for those of you to help make the most of a reverse dieting phase:

1. Focus on how you feel each day. Not on how much you weigh. Before you weigh yourself, write down on a scale of 1-10 how your energy is that day. 10 being fantastic. This alternate scale number is an amazing indicator of your progress.

2. Create a performance goal for yourself and create a plan to work towards it. Use your added calories to help you get better at something you find enjoyable.

3. Remember that when it comes down to it, in life, our goals are to feel good, and to feel good, longterm. We want to be able to live a life we love and be there for the people who need us. I also plan to be a jacked and badass grandma one day. That will only happen if I keep working to make it happen NOW.

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.

http://www.instagram.com/melaniewales.sustainableliving

To guide you along your own fitness journey if you are interested in coaching yourself check out the resources listed below.

I highly recommend the programs, challenges and educational content by Coach Mark Carroll. Been using since 2019.

And for nutritional guidance: Carbon Diet Coach. Been using since 2020.

Fitness Tips

Simple and practical weight loss advice. The things I did and still do to lose weight and keep it off.

Over the course of losing and keeping off over 145lbs I have learned quite a bit about what it takes to make weight loss not only possible, but also sustainable.

Here are a few practical things I did to lose weight and what I still do to maintain my results.

1. Meet a daily step goal to ensure regular activity.

2. Resistance train with a focus on progressive overload to build muscle and strength.

3. Keep track of my total calories and prioritize protein and fruits or veggies with each meal to align my nutrition with my goals while still including some fun foods in moderation.

4. Do the above consistently.

5. Believe it is possible and that my efforts are worth it!

There is nothing quick or special about what I have done to lose weight or keep it off. At the end of the day, it comes down to diet and exercise, but our mindset is also so important. The process is slow. Some weeks we can feel like no progress is happening at all. Sometimes we need to make an adjustment to our plan while resisting the temptation to do something drastic. Knowing how and when to focus on fat loss, diet breaks, a reverse diet, or gaining muscle can seem overwhelming and confusing. Coaching ourselves while remaining objective to make the best choices for our unique circumstances and long term goals is easier said than done. Which is why I love helping others on their journeys!

If you have thought about having me as your coach to support you along your own fitness journey check out my website for more info and how to inquire about my online fitness coaching service. Receive customized activity and nutrition plans, monthly virtual calls, and weekly email check in’s.

www.melaniewales-sustainableliving.com

Follow me on Instagram for more tips, free recipes, and full days of eating.