Mary Jane Turned Her Trauma Into Training

After depression and a suicide attempt, working out became the therapy that helped Mary Jane find herself again.

TRAIN FOR HER: Tell us what first started your downward spiral

I was sexually assaulted and stalked. While that was going on, my lifestyle really declined. I turned to food and alcohol to forget what had happened. I partied at every chance, fell behind in school and lost all of my passion and drive. I was dealing with so much. I just fell apart.

What inspired you to get back to the gym?

I realized the gym was a place I could go to take out all my anger and frustrations. Lifting made me feel so much better – losing weight was just an added bonus. The gym was therapy. It gave me a way to take back control after so many things that I’d had no control over happened.

Where did you find support and inspiration?

My family has always been healthy, athletic and fit. They were all very supportive. My therapist also encouraged me to keep working out, because it was helping just as much as medications and counseling were. I found a lot of motivation on Instagram and Bodybuilding.com.

How soon did working out start to help you feel better?

I felt better within the first couple of weeks. As I got in better shape and saw my body getting leaner and more muscular, I could go harder. Everything just got better from there.

What was the hardest part of your transformation?

When I was in high school, I lost a bunch of weight on a binge-eating cycle. I’d eat a lot and then deprive myself. Overeating was always an issue for me, and I’d struggle to eat in moderation. Instead of having one cookie, I’d eat 10. The hardest thing for me was finding the right balance to break that habit.

How did you find that balance in the end?

Protein dessert recipes on Bodybuilding.com were really helpful. My favorites are the protein bites – oatmeal, peanut butter, protein powder, and honey, mixed together and frozen. Those help satisfy my cravings in a healthier way. I also used the LoseIt! app to track when and what I ate. Keeping myself accountable that way gave me a lot more control over my diet.

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