VIP Spotlight: Cora’s Fitness Journey

Cora’s Fitness Journey: Four Month Progress

Starting Out
I was motivated to start my fitness journey with Angie because I was feeling stuck in a rut and ready for change. As a high school track athlete, I was introduced to the weight room. At the time, I did not realize how much I enjoyed lifting, but as time went on, I realized how happy it made me. I tried to workout and meal plan/track macros on my own but was unsuccessful in getting visible results.

Over the last few years, I have tried a combination of just doing what I felt like doing in the gym, bodybuilding.com workout plans, online coaching, and a personal trainer. Through these things, I was able to get stronger, but still was not seeing visible results. I also attempted to meal plan and track macros but did not really know exactly what to eat or how much I was supposed to be eating per day. I believe that my diet was really hindering any progress I could have been making.

True Progress
About two weeks before starting with Angie, I had just gotten out of a long-term relationship. I found myself realizing that I had not put my health and interests first for quite some time. I reached out to Angie and told her I was ready to become the best version of myself. Something just clicked in my head this time and I was determined to prove to myself that I could achieve my goals and become a stronger person inside and out.

Overcoming Obstacles
The first few weeks were a huge adjustment for me. Learning how to become disciplined in my meal regime and workout routine was definitely a challenge. Another thing that made getting started difficult was being disciplined around friends and family. I got a lot of comments like “its just one piece of pizza,” or “you are already skinny enough, you can eat this food.”These comments were uncomfortable to respond to at first but the more I did it, the easier it became and I found that my friends and family were very understanding and supportive. I found that each week I stuck to my plan, the temptations got smaller, and the process became more natural.

Keys To Success
When I am feeling down, I think about how far I have come and where I want to be in the future. Knowing how great it feels to see progress keeps me motivated and ready to do what it takes to see even more progress. I also think about how I felt before I started this process and remember that it was not where I wanted to be.

Advice & Fitness Wisdom
If you are just getting started and are new to the process, just start. Find whatever it is that lights your flame and fuel it every day! It can be intimidating to start but waiting until tomorrow will not make it any easier. Everyone starts somewhere. The best part about starting fresh is looking back down the road and thinking, “wow, look at how far I have come!”

Mottos To Follow
Whenever I am feeling unmotivated or lazy, I just tell myself “the only way to do it is to do it” and I get up and do it. It’s not always as easy as that, but if you just get up and push through it, eventually, you will be done and you will never ever regret getting up, pushing through it, and finishing it.

For example, I was doing cardio the other day and I just was not feeling it at all, so I just told myself that the only way to finish was to keep going and just get it done.Minute by minute, I just kept going and next thing I knew, I was done. I think this mentality came from being in track, most workouts were sprint workouts, where, for example, the workout for the day is to do 10 100 meter sprints, something that sounded impossible before you start. The only way to finish the workout is to just do it and one by one, next thing you know, you did all 10 and it felt great.

Looking Forward
My future health and fitness goals are going to help make me happy and proud of who I am. I am working with Angie to prep for a photo-shoot and a show this year. Both of these things are definitely forcing me to step out of my comfort zone, but I cannot wait to push myself and see what I am capable of. Challenging myself physically and mentally has made me such a confident person in life and I could not be more happy and excited for the future.