I always laugh when someone says to me “you just don’t understand what it’s like to struggle with your weight.” That’s when I whip out the photo on the left – me at 17 years old and 50 pounds heavier. I have been hesitant to post my personal before and after because I never wanted Fitness Fifty-One to be about me (exactly why I didn’t name it something like “body by Stephanie” or “Stephanie Paige Fitness”). I started my company because I believe in fitness. I believe in fitness because it creates confidence by turning a shy, self-conscious girl into a vibrant, self-assured woman. I believe in fitness because it can take the new mom who is uncomfortable in her post-pregnancy body and remind her how strong and beautiful she is. I believe in fitness because it can give the woman in her 50s her sexy back and create a spark in her marriage. I see fitness change my clients lives every day and that’s why I believe in what I do and LOVE what I do. Below is a little bit about my personal weight loss story and how I got where I am today.
My weight became an issue after I quit gymnastics at 16 years old. As a gymnast, I had been exercising for 4-5 hours a day, and after quitting, it didn’t occur to me that I would need to adjust my diet to match my new lifestyle. I quickly packed on pounds until I reached my peak of 158 pounds. I remember seeing that number and refusing to go out with my friends that night because I felt too fat. This was a new feeling for me. Weight had never been a concern, but now it was my top priority. I began walking on a treadmill for 8 (yes EIGHT) miles a day and tried to avoid junk food. Cakes, cookies and other processed foods were staples in my house. My dad and two teenage brothers would have massive bowls of ice cream every night, leaving me feeling very left out that I couldn’t do the same. I was incredibly frustrated that I couldn’t eat like the rest of my family. I hated shopping for clothes, especially bathing suits. I hated WEARING a bathing suit in front of friends even more than I hated shopping for one.
No matter how much I exercised, my weight didn’t budge until I turned 19. That’s when I started to get a good grasp on basic nutrition concepts, and started developing the nutrition plan that is included with all of Fitness Fifty-One’s training packages. The weight began to fall off, and I quickly dropped 50 pounds. I was so thrilled, but still felt trapped. I was on a treadmill for 2 hours a day, and had a lot of anxiety associated with food at this point. I knew I needed to find a way to stay fit while enjoying life rather than living it glued to a cardio machine. I started trying different types of workouts. I lifted weights, but felt bulky. I did yoga, but found yoga to be incredibly boring. I wanted a workout that was fast paced, torched calories and built lean muscle for that perfect toned look.
This led me to developing Formula Fifty-One, a style of exercise that combines intense intervals with Pilates inspired exercises to melt fat while building lean, sexy muscle. The Fifty-One stands for the workout duration. I never wanted working out to take over my life so I created workouts that varied from 10-51 minutes in length–all under an hour! The best part is, they’re fun and challenging! Enjoying exercise is vital to achieving lifelong results. I’m now healthy, happy and don’t worry about my weight. Being free from exercise and food anxiety led me to creating Fitness Fifty-One.
I love helping clients reach this freedom and feel confident about their bodies. Removing that anxiety allows you to enjoy life. Imagine your life free from worrying about your weight. What would it look like? Would you live in the moment more often? Would you enjoy spending time with your kids on the beach rather than obsessing over how you look in a bikini? Would you be more likely to try new things like rock climbing or paddle boarding? Discovering your own strength is an awesome thing, and life is more fulfilling once you lose the burden of carrying around extra weight. Stop living with that burden.
It’s time for a change. Invest in yourself. Start my program today and let’s make that life change together.