When Kiki Mc and Scarlett Ramalar signed up for BodySpace, they were seeking what everyone wants when chasing the shreds: guidance, programming, recipes, and accountability. Little did they know it would also set the stage for an unexpected, yet meaningful friendship.
Ramalar was hitting her weight-loss goals hard in California, her sights set on reversing an array of threatening health issues. A fibromyalgia diagnosis, off-the-charts cholesterol levels, and depression rocked her world after her second pregnancy. On her 40th birthday, her doctor labeled her a "walking time bomb." But the real shocker came when she saw a photo on Facebook of a very large women she didn't recognize—herself at 220 pounds. That year, Ramalar gave herself the gift of health and bought a gym membership. The initial results she experienced left her driven to get even more from her workouts.
"I didn't have the money to hire a personal trainer or coach," recalls Ramalar, "but a friend of mine mentioned the BodySpace app, and downloading it changed my life. I began using the programs and learning about different exercises and various diets. It was easy to use and did not cost me an arm and a leg. What's more, there were so many great people who were on the same mission as me."
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, Scotland, a naturally skinny Mc was taking fitness seriously for the first time in her life. She found BodySpace as far back as 2007, after falling on ice and breaking numerous bones in her left arm. The repair work included 13 pins and two metal plates. But Mc managed to regain full use of the arm. She dabbled in HIIT workouts, running races, and some resistance work, but her motivation spiked when she experienced her first real weight fluctuation after the birth of her first child in 2014.
"I respected the hell out of my body and what it had recovered from," she says. "But at the same time, it was a bit alien to me having never had a child or any massive weight fluctuation before. In an attempt to get my body back, I researched plans on BodySpace. I started off with Ashley Horner's Charlie Mike plan and loved it so much that I did it twice. I loved the way I could note my progress and really see the changes using the site."
Lost and Found
The two women happened to find each other's BodySpace feeds and began encouraging each other's progress. This led to the accountability of daily check-in messages. It wasn't long before they united in pursuit of a major goal: to be shredded, kick-ass moms.
As they tackled their BodyFit Elite programs together, Ramalar and Mc deepened their connection beyond swapping meal ideas and fat-loss progress. In 2018, after three years of electronic friendship, the duo finally made plans to meet each other at the Olympia Expo in Las Vegas. Leading up to the event, the two women followed Kris Gethin's 4Weeks2Shred program together, and they showed up in the best shape of their lives.
After spending the entire weekend joined at the hip at the Olympia Expo in Las Vegas, Ramalar and Mc took their friendship one step further than either of them ever expected by building a business to serve women just like them.
"We spent a lot of time talking about how so many people were in our position, only grinding away at their goals in isolation," Ramalar says. "Our goal is to reach those who have 9-to-5 jobs and a family, and still want to be fit."
So, Adapt and Overcome Fitness was born. They've kicked it into high gear, launching a YouTube channel and Instagram page, building a strong community of moms with hardbody goals, and sharing their own stories for inspiration.
"We will forever be grateful to Bodybuilding.com and for BodySpace," says Ramalar. "If it wasn't for the great community they have created for people to share their passion for fitness, we would have never met."
