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Vicki's Transformation
 

By Dianne Cumberland

"I am sick and tired of being sick and tired and I am tired of being fat!" That's what the grandmother of four expressed to me when we first met in November of 2004.

Vicki was 53 years old and very unhappy about how she felt and looked for the last 10 years. "Since menopause, nothing I tried has worked," she said, "and I need help." Her goal was to get in shape and feel young again. She felt comfotable with the maturity of our training team knowing that we could relate to the challenges that face us as we continue to age and decided to get started.

Vicki's Transformation

January 2005

November 2005


After completing her fitness evluation I knew it would be a long, tough road to get her ready for competition. She was 189 lbs. on a 5'5" frame, her body fat was 40.9%, which is extremely high and put her at added risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The ideal range of body fat for women is between 15% and 23%, for competition, much lower. Her step test showed she had very little endurance and her heart recovery rate was poor. She was also very weak in her upper body. I explained what kind of time commitment and disciplie that was required to get both body and mind ready for competition. Vicki decided she was up for the task and made a commitment to follow the program that I would design for her.

Vicki had never lifted weights before so we started very slowly with the basics and focused on technique. We needed to get her weight and body fat down significantly and it had to include not only the workouts but a drastic change in her eating habits, so a whole new mind set was required. For years she had not been doing any kind of cardiovascular workout, not even walking. Gradually we added one or two minutes per week to the cardio sessions. She now does 60 - 90 minutes six to seven days a week.

We eliminated breads and other refined wheat products, dairy, sugar and salt and increased her intake of vegetables and whole grains along with better choices of protein. We cut out the unnecessary empty calorie foods and replaced them with nutrient dense foods -- some of which she is still learning to like.

There was some complaining at first but now she says, "I am amazed at how much better food tastes when you're not weighing it down with salt and sugar! I've learned that in order to lose weight and inches you need to eat better food, smaller portions and eat every three hours. I look at food differently now. My husband started following the same eating plan, at the suggestion of his doctor and in 6 weeks he had lost 12 lbs. and 6 inches around his waist just by making those changes!"

When Vicki began her program 11 months ago, she could barely do three pushups, now she does 40 and is quick to point out, "I am so much stronger now and have quit looking like the Pillsbury Doughboy! I feel better than I ever have, the clothing sizes are melting away and best of all, my confidence is ZOOMING! It hasn't been easy but I am continually encouraged when exercises I struggled with at the beginning get easier each week -- dumbbell flies started at 8 lbs. now a 15 lb. dumbbell seems like a baby weight for me!"

Vicki says, "I am doing this for me and boy is it fun! A breakthrough for me was buying size Medium exercise clothes for the first time because the size Large was too baggy. Going from Queen-size to Size B pantyhose was a big shot in the arm too. Looking at my old photos I can't believe I let myself go like that!"

During some of the tougher workouts Vicki says to herself with determination, "I can do this, I can do this!"

Thank you Vicki, you are an inspiration!


Vicki posing
Vicki posing

And for the latest on Vicki, please read on!

"Let's hear it for the old chicks!" These were Vicki's jubilant words as she celebrated a well deserved trophy at the recent Evergreen State Bodybuilding Championships in Wenatchee.

 

Vicki Harris
Vicki celebrating her trophy

Vicki's goal wasn't just to lose the weight that had "crept" up on her over the last two decades, but to try something she had never done before. Over the past 22 months Vicki has lost 57 lbs, 45 inches, is down four sizes and competed in her first bodybuilding competition.
 

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