Kelsey Byers Had Wakeup Call Of Her Life And Made A Change

Kelsey’s wake-up call was seeing “175” staring back at her from the scale. First, she cleaned up her diet. Then, she lost the weight.  

Why I got started

I was very active in high school – being from a small town, I was able to play all sports and eat like a pig and still be a “string bean.” Once I got to college, my activity level decreased significantly. I also adopted some “bad habits” like drinking alcohol, staying out late, and eating really bad food. The weight “snuck up” on me. I am a tall woman, 5-foot-10 to be exact. I graduated high school weighing 132-134 pounds. At my heaviest weight in college I weighed 174-176 pounds! I could not believe I had put on 40-45 pounds in college (in a matter of just 2 1/2 years).

That day was a HUGE reality check for me! I was not happy with my body. I actually went shopping all the time always looking for that “PERFECT” outfit to make my body look better. I finally realized that when you have a great body, everything looks great on you! Once I was honest with myself and mapped out my goals, I started making small changes here and there.

How I did it

I started going out to eat less and committed to working out 2-3 days per week. It took five years to get rid of the weight that only took two years to put on. I am now back to my high school weight (135 pounds), only with more muscle. The reason it took me five years is because I did not understand proper portion control. I went from a size 12-14 down to a size 8, just by going out to eat less and limiting alcohol. “Every decision you make takes you in a different direction… closer or farther away from your goals. Life’s a journey, the choice is yours.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me

Bodybuilding.com’s exercise database has helped me countless times! I use it to create my workouts, view proper form through videos and it allows me to help others as well. BodySpace is awesome because it holds me accountable with my results and connects me with like-minded individuals. I will be a Bodybuilding.com fan for life.

My six top tips

1. I would advise taking small steps toward your goals. I certainly didn’t go from ordering dessert every meal at restaurants to eating clean and competing overnight.

2. Big changes can take time, so just be patient. I would advise getting your clean meal plan in check for about a month, then ease into lifting weights.

3. Lifting has proven to give me the best results! The more muscle you have, the leaner you are! Lifting weights burns calories long after your workouts.

4. For the ladies, I used to be a cardio junkie, but never saw any changes until I started eating clean and lifting. You won’t get bulky, you will get definition!

5. So, ease up on the cardio, eat clean and lift HEAVY! You should have trouble finishing your last set. If not, lift heavier. I keep a notebook of my workouts so I can make sure I increase my weights.

6.  I like to start my mornings off with cardio because it makes me feel productive before I even go to work.

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