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Before: 127 lbs |
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After: 110 lbs |
Vital Stats
Name: Rachael Franklin
Age: 30
Height: 5'2"
BodySpace Profile: WallStCutie
Before: May 15, 2007
Weight: 127 lbs
Body Fat: 30%
Chest: 34"
Waist: 28"
Hips: 41"
Dress Size: 6-8
After: October 6, 2007
Weight: 110 lbs
Body Fat: 11%
Chest: 33.5"
Waist: 25.5"
Hips: 35.5"
Dress Size: 0-2
Why I Got Started
Growing up, I was moderately active, but gained a lot of weight in high school (got up to around 140 pounds) due to a sedentary lifestyle and working at a fast food restaurant. In college, I took up snowboarding, even becoming a snowboard instructor, and the weight naturally came off. So, I've been at around 120 pounds (give or take five pounds) for the past ten years or so ...
Click Image To Enlarge. Rachael Franklin's Progress.
I've never had what I would consider to be a "bikini body" since I had a large body fat percentage, and my genetics built a pear-shaped body, as you can see from the before pictures; heavy on the hips.
Click Image To Enlarge. Rachael Franklin Before And After
It started going downhill when my husband and I moved to New York, where my regular stops to the bagel cart on the way to my Wall Street job began to take a toll. I gained 7 pounds in 7 months, which doesn't SEEM too bad, except for the fact that I had not only gained fat but LOST a LOT of muscle tone.
I didn't step into the gym for months. My suits all started to get really SNUG and I started buying a couple of new ones and started to retire the "tight" ones. The way things were going; gaining a pound a month, in 30 months; this was going to be a scary picture!
How I Did It
After going to the doctor for a routine checkup and weighing in at 127, with a resting heart rate over 70, I decided to make a change. I hired a trainer who started me on the right path with boot-camp type training. Doing a lot of research on my own, I read articles written by Jamie Eason and Tom Venuto, who both talked about the importance of proper nutrition to get results.
Click Image To Enlarge. Fitness America Pagent October '07.
Reading what these two had to say was really inspiring! After I incorporated the nutrition plan of 5-6 small meals per day; cutting out starchy carbs in the last few meals and incorporating 1-1.5 g of protein per lb body weight; the fat really started melting off.
I really started enjoying this and even got inspired to train for a competition. I met with competition coach Sheri Newton of face4fitness.com. She not only reinforced what Tom Venuto had to say about nutrition, but she told me I had to start hitting the weights HARD and told me the importance of supplementation.
Click Image To Enlarge. FAP Sportswear October '07.
The circuit type training I had been doing with my trainer had taken me to a point, but I was not pushing my muscle to grow. So, by adopting a proper nutrition plan, plus hitting the weights HARD, I began to see sweeping changes - I have much more energy than I used to and my resting heart rate is now below 50.
Suggestions For Others
Setting goals, writing them down, and sharing them with others will definitely put you closer to achieving them. Of course there will always be people who will try to sabotage or belittle your efforts, but you will be surprised how they will come around if they see that you are persevering.
Once they see the changes in you, they will be asking for your advice - believe me, I know from experience! Also, surrounding yourself with a network of positive like-minded individuals (like those on Bodybuilding.com) is essential for motivation and staying on track!
Click Image To Enlarge. Surround Yourself With Positive Minded People.