Lily's Journey, PART 2

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In my last post I talked about how I finally changed my lifestyle from binging and over-exercising to one that was healthy and balanced. Today I'm going to discuss how I got into bodybuilding and made fitness my career! 
Read Part I Here

FROM INSECURITY TO BODYBUILDING 
Within six weeks of tracking my food intake and keeping up with my homemade weight lifting routine my body fat was dropping and I was getting stronger than ever. My waistline was shrinking, my shoulders were getting sculpted and my legs were getting tighter. I started to look into bodybuilding competitions as a way to celebrate my new found confidence and abilities. I chose the bikini division because it seemed to be the best route to compete within my time frame. Bikini competitors aren't just beach bunnies- they train hard and lift heavy for their curves and I wanted to emulate that look! After picking a show I continued with the workouts I designed and I transformed how I viewed food, my health and my body. I saw food as fuel but I still loved to eat, and luckily enough I knew better than to think I had to deprive myself to reach my goals! I ate ice cream almost every day as I leaned out and when I stepped on stage six months later I was ready to rock. I ended up winning first place in the three classes I competed in and almost won my professional bodybuilding card as well! To say that I was surprised would be a huge understatement but it felt great to have all my hard work validated in such a fabulous way. 

LEARNING TO LEAD
After my spectacular first bodybuilding experience I started to think about how I could capture this amazing feeling beyond show day. The trophies were one thing, but the connection that I had formed with the people in my life and fellow competitors inspired me and drove me each and every day. Friends and family who had seen my transformation asked me what my "secret" was. Would I help them finally lose that last 15 pounds? Bounce back after baby? Develop a healthy relationship with food and their body? Get started in the weight room to grow sexy curves and muscle? I wanted to help in any way that I could so I started brainstorming and writing down what I had learned. I had struggled for so long with low self-esteem, destructive behaviors and lost time that a fire started to grow within me. I needed to help others who were in the same spot that I was, I wanted to save them the trouble of the crash diets and endless hours of cardio. The abuse we had all suffered at our own hands hadn't resulted in a magical change, it had instead made us weary and near the point of giving up! This is where Le Fit Plan was born. From the honest confessions I heard from women trying but failing, to the extreme measures that were promoted by coaches who followed a one size fits all approach to all their clients. I knew that each and every person I talked to had the ability to reach their goals and Le Fit Plan would be tailored to their bodies, lifestyles and habits. 

GET SMART, GET RESULTS
I already held a masters degree from Boston University in Teaching and Curriculum so I knew that I had the expertise to build plans that would nurture my clients and respond to their needs. You don't survive long in the classroom if you don't pay attention to each and every unique student and I was committed to doing everything I could to make sure that Le Fit Plan worked for everyone. I view myself as a lifelong learner ready to change and update my approaches to fit each and every client. The women I work with are my number one priority and they are successful because I'm a hands-on trainer who truly cares about you and your goals. With each  I'm proud to celebrate with each client and help push through the challenges with them as a team. I started Le Fit Plan because I want to help other women become happy, healthy and confident! There is nothing more rewarding than that and I'm privileged and humbled to work with so many amazing people. 

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