Okon VIP Spotlight: Molly Anderson | Okon Fitness

Meet Molly Anderson— College Athlete to Fitness Enthusiast :  How Molly found her why

Meet Okon VIP Athlete Molly Anderson. Molly has been with Okon Fitness since June 2016. As one of Okon’s first clients since launching in May Molly has become an important part of the team. Our journeys are all different, and what we fail to realize is that this process is just as mental as it is physical. Molly has been an outstanding client, she has had her good weeks and bad, but no matter the obstacle she overcomes. Each week she has become stronger, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional. It has been my pleasure to have been able to help her find herwhy. What I love most about Molly is her positive attitude and motivation to be the best version of herself. Since Molly began her Okon Fitness Program she has lost 13 lbs. and in just 4 weeks lowered her body fat 3.5%!! She has gotten down to 23% with goals to continue to see that number drop! So proud of her progress these past few months, her growth is inspiring and she continues to show what hard work, dedication, and believing in herself can do.

What made you want to start your fitness journey?

I started playing sports at a young age and quickly developed a passion for hockey. I decided hockey was my sport, I played it through-out my youth and successfully achieved my goal of playing at the collegiate level. During the glory days aka hockey days, I was in the best shape of my life, I was happy, I was strong, I was confident, I had drive. Looking back, I now realize that HOCKEY was my WHY; hockey was life. When my hockey career came to an end, my life changed in many ways. I wasn’t skating every day, I didn’t go to the weight room on a regular basis, the team-activities were over, but the biggest change for me was mentally. I felt lost, I felt like part of my identity was ripped away. Fast forward through the next few years, I always had a gym membership, but I wasn’t getting the results I wanted. I didn’t have a routine, I didn’t have motivation, and I really missed having a workout buddy or three. Fast forward again to June 2016, I decided it was time to find my passion again, it was time to find my new WHY. I wanted to get in the best shape of my life, I wanted to be happy and confident again, and the only thing holding me back was myself.

“I decided it was time to go back to eating clean, real food and it wasn’t going to be a diet; it was going to be a lifestyle change.”

What were your previous diet attempts?
I’ve been pretty fortunate and was blessed with a high metabolism for a majority of my life. However, when I stopped playing hockey, my metabolism changed as well and I finally realized that I needed to start watching what I was eating. I tried to “eat healthy” based on what I had learned in school and what my mother would classify as healthy. I was never consistent and was quick to get frustrated and give up. Over the past few years I have tried using other products such as Isagenix and Shakeology (meal replacement shakes, protein shakes, protein bars, etc.) but those didn’t work for me either. I became frustrated with myself and knew I was “failing” because I couldn’t stick to a program; I had no consistency or self-discipline. I needed to figure out what worked best for me. I had been following Angie on social media and watching her eat real food which produced stellar results. I decided it was time to go back to eating clean, real food and it wasn’t going to be a diet; it was going to be a lifestyle change.

“The progress you make truly comes from how much self-discipline you have.”

What makes this time different?

Through-out my journey with Angie, my meal plan has changed a few times. It has been such a learning experience and has definitely sparked my overall interest in health, wellness and clean eating in general. I have learned so much in the past 4 months from which foods are actually clean, to portion sizes, carb cycling and what my macros are and why they matter. My meal plan in the beginning was broken down by each specific meal, she had it all laid out for me so there was no room for guessing. The hardest part was making that a routine, which I’ve learned is ultimately “mind over matter.” As my journey progressed and I became more comfortable with that meal plan, she gave me a little more freedom which allowed me to “choose” which type of foods I wanted (for example which type of carbs or protein I desired). Angie’s meal plans are essentially fail-proof in my opinion. The progress you make truly comes from how much self-discipline you have when it comes to following the meal plan and speaking up when you are having difficulties.

What have been the biggest obstacles getting started?

When I first started this journey with Angie, one of my biggest struggles was making it all a routine. It seemed like a lot of changes all at once. I had never eaten that clean in my life and now she was expecting me to do it 30 days straight?! But then I thought about it and I reminded myself that this is what I signed up for, I owed it to myself to trust her and trust the process, to give it my all and wait and see what happens.

Another challenge I faced was meal-prepping. I live by myself, I was only accustomed to cooking for one person, and I realized I just didn’t have the knowledge of how to efficiently go about this process. I knew that if I was going to be successful with this meal plan, I needed to learn the easiest and most efficient way to meal prep.

What kept you motivated when you were down?
On days that I felt down or discouraged I often thought about my coach. Since day one Angie believed in me. That’s what I needed. Living alone, as a single woman, I was searching for someone (outside of family) that would push me, someone that would understand what I was going through and just how hard I was working, and someone that believed in me. Angie is the ultimate motivator for me. I would often think “if she believes in you, you HAVE to believe in yourself.” or “if Angie is putting in work, you better be too.” She has given me tough love when I need it and she has sent me the most supportive and encouraging messages when I earned them. She has been a huge motivating factor during this journey.

“I have taught myself to always find the positive in each situation.”

Overtime, I also learned to give myself some grace. My entire mindset has changed over the course of this journey. I have taught myself to always find the positive in each situation. I have learned to pause. On days I struggle, I’ve learned to take a step back and think about the bigger picture. I’ve learned to stop beating myself up over the little things and to instead celebrate the little victories. I’ve learned to be patient with myself. All of these things are hard to learn and understand but overtime they become easier. This whole health and fitness journey is essentially learning about yourself. Recognizing what you like and don’t like, what your skills are and your weaknesses, what works for you and what doesn’t.

What is some advice you have for someone who is just getting started?
My advice is to schedule your workouts into your day. Treat them like business meetings and don’t miss them. Getting a routine down is key.

My second and most beneficial piece of advice is to teach yourself to be patient and trust the process. Everyone is different and everyone makes progress at different speeds. Follow the meal plan, be consistent with your workouts, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and trust the process. Changes don’t happen over night. It’s the little victories day in and day out, that truly add up over time. With all of these new changes you’re introducing your body to, it needs time to adjust. When your body finally catches up to what you’re doing, change things up and continue to be patient and maintain a positive attitude. Eating clean and exercising consistently will only bring positive results so if you know you’re putting in the work, all you have to do is get your mind right and eventually you will reach your goals.

Do you have any mottos or sayings that you live by everyday?
I just heard this recently, but basically what it boils down to is “Each and every one of us has 24 hours in a day. It is up to YOU to decide what you’re going to do with those 24 hours.”

Click here to continue following Molly on her journey to finding her balance changing her lifestyle to fitness and health.