Mindy Ellison: Mom of 3 Reaches Competitive Athlete Status

"When I started training with Kristy last summer, I was so excited to get started and get the help I needed to lose the extra weight I had put on. I used to be able to lose weight pretty easily and get to the point I wanted to be until I turned 30. Then nothing worked like it used to! I couldn’t eat the normal foods or amounts I was used to eating. The weight kept creeping on. I quickly learned that just like it took a while to put the weight on, it was going to take some time to take it off (even if I wanted it off now!). ;) I learned that by eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times, I would get the results I wanted. I also learned that I feel so much better when I eat healthy and I don’t need to eat as much food as I thought I needed! When I felt like I was about to slip up, Kristy was there to give me the moral support I needed to hang in there. She has helped me achieve the body that I always thought was unattainable or that I would have to starve myself to achieve.

I learned that when I set my mind on something, I can achieve it. I had my goal in sight and nothing was going to get in my way. There were definitely moments when I watched family members and loved ones eat food that I normally enjoy eating and caught myself wishing I could have some. I found that as long as I had my own food to eat at the same time as everyone else, it helped me to not feel so left out. I also came to realize that it’s JUST FOOD! If I have my mind set on eating healthy, I can look at that old food and I honestly think, “Yuck.” I am able to picture the crap that’s in that food and it just turns that craving off.

I have definitely learned that planning is key. My husband has often said to me, “When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” When I stopped actively training, I stopped actively planning meals and preparing them. I thought that I could make it work with whatever was on hand…I was failing. I found myself eating things I shouldn’t have been eating and in amounts I shouldn’t be. I was slipping back in to my old comfort zone. The problem is that I don’t like that zone anymore! I don’t like being fluffy! I don’t like being subject to whatever was around. If I want my body to be as healthy as possible and be as confident in myself as possible, I need to do the work. I love having the control of what I put in. I love having all my food prepped so I can grab what I need for the day when I need it, or I can put it in a cooler if I will be out for a while (my friends have come to recognize my cooler). Yes, it takes a little bit more time to prep, but it makes things so much easier in the long run. The biggest thing I have learned from all this is to have faith in myself. Being a mom of three beautiful, wonderful kids and a wife to my wonderful husband, I had lost sight of myself. I didn’t know who I was outside of that. I came to realize that I am an important person who is loved by my husband, my kids, and by my Heavenly Father. I can accomplish anything I want with faith in Him and in myself. Everything else will fall in to place. I’ve got this, and you’ve got this! Good luck on your journey to finding a healthier, happier you! Commit yourself and you will reap the rewards."

#powerfoodslifestyle #bikinicompetition #competitionprep