Barb May Took Control Of Her Body And Fell In Love With Fitness

Barb regained control of her body and mind, and shed a fifth of her body fat

TRAIN FOR HER: What was your catalyst for modifying your lifestyle?

In 2012, I found out I have the BRCA2 gene mutation, which gives me an extremely high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer – or both. I opted for a preventative hysterectomy and double mastectomy in August and October 2012. I became discouraged after reading articles that said I was doomed to fatigue and a larger waist size after going through menopause after my hysterectomy, which I had no choice but to go through.

What was the single most influential thing you changed?

I was a big consumer of frozen meals, shopped the inner aisles at the grocery store and felt like I didn’t have time to cook. Then I was told about a documentary that broke down the bad effects of junk food. I began my whole-food, clean-eating lifestyle. Within days, I felt better and started running again. At first, it was challenging for my family to see it was a good thing, but they saw the benefits over time.

How do you stay the course?

There are days when I have moments of weakness, but then I remember the negative effects of addictive food. I get my workout inspiration from Bodybuilding.com and fit people at my local gym or on Facebook. I change my workout routines often to challenge my body and keep from getting bored.

What advice would give you others in a similar situation?

Be careful listening to the public regarding what you’re capable of and what your limits are. Don’t let people say that you look good enough if it’s not what you want. Do what’s right for you and your goals.

Did technology play a role in your transformation?

Definitely – I’d recommend finding what motivates you and keeping using it. I like to post photos of what I want to look like on my phone for extra incentive when I’m tempted to eat doughnuts or cheeseburgers. If it was easy, everyone would do it; the fact that you are doing it makes you exceptional.

Find transformation stories and more in every issue of TRAIN of HER magazine.