Lisa Alston

Project Manager, Washington, D.C.

The Trigger:

I saw pictures of myself weighing more than 210 pounds! I had high blood pressure, prediabetes, and I was a smoker.

The Change:

I quit smoking cold turkey in November 2017 and began doing cardio in small increments. In July 2018, I found Fitbod through the Roll Call Crew (the RCC) on Facebook.

The scale moved very slowly, although I could see changes in my body. At the end of July 2019, I switched to OMAD (one meal a day) intermittent fasting in addition to keto with lots of vegetables, high fat, and moderate protein.

In April, I had my first full-body Dexa scan, and later my second in September. As of September, my body fat dropped 3.2% and my lean muscle mass increased 3.1%, with a cumulative 25 pound loss and several dress sizes smaller.

Did you change anything in addition to exercise/fitness?

I quit smoking cold turkey and changed diet to intermittent fasting and keto.

Any specific fitness goals that you have?

I’d like to get back to a women’s size 8.

Results:

I feel so much more confident in myself, my vital statistics are much improved (no more prediabetes)!

Advice for others:

My advice, especially for women; do not be afraid of lifting heavy. The added muscle will help burn body fat – unless you have hormones men have in abundance, you will not bulk up like a man. If the scale isn’t moving much, pay attention to your clothes, take and track your measurements. If the fat isn’t burning fast enough, research approaches to try what may work for your body. Keep going!

Disclaimer: This post has been edited for brevity and clarity.