Heather Lost 30 Pounds in 1 Year Doing This at the Gym (Nope, It Wasn't Cardio)

"Spending years advocating for a child with extra needs who at times was in crisis while working full-time in a demanding job left me with nothing for myself," Heather shared. "I was spent and exhausted and weak in all ways. I felt like I had nothing left within. I was at the lowest of lows in my life."

In February 2014, between her son's two hospitalizations, Heather realized she needed help finding strength. She was already going to therapy, but knew she needed more.

She said, "I inherently knew I needed to move my body. I knew when I did that through dance in my younger years, my mind was more centered and strong." She needed to build a mental and physical foundation for herself, and she reached out to a gym called Bodies by Burgoon in Minneapolis.

At the first appointment with her personal trainer, Jason Burgoon, he asked what her goal was and asked why she was there. "I told him my goal was to become strong from the inside out. Because I knew that if I focused on building strength from the inside out (mind first), my body would follow. I knew that I needed to focus on more than just a number on the scale for me to be successful at this."

After she'd been training for several months, she said, "My goals then became about being able to do at least one pull-up, and to be able to do mountain climbers and burpees without feeling like I would throw up."

"My focus was always on gaining strength from the inside out, knowing that if that was my focus, my body would become more lean and fit." She took baby steps, initially only going to the gym once a week. After a couple months, she went twice a week, then three times, and eventually upped it to five times per week. Heather was able to lose 30 pounds in one year.

"Powerlifting is my passion. Three days a week, I specifically train for that — one day for bench press and accessory work; one day for deadlifts and accessory work; one day for squats and accessory work." She also adds in one to two days of total-body workouts that incorporate strength and cardio exercises such as "battle ropes, burpees, running stairs, mountain climbers, hitting bags, frog jumps, etc."

After training at this gym for about 10 months, one of her trainers suggested she sign up for a powerlifting competition that many other women at the gym were participating in — at first, she blew him off, thinking she was a dancer, not a weightlifter.

One of her goals was to push herself outside her comfort zone, so she did it! "I fell in LOVE with powerlifting. It was such a confidence builder, a way to channel any hardship, an avenue to turn my pain into power. It fed me, fueled me, and challenged me. Three years later, I'm competing once or twice per year and consider myself an athlete, something I NEVER thought I was capable of. My strength story has been a transformation story. One that has incorporated mind, body, heart and soul. One that has changed my life, completely, for the better. It has made me a better mother, daughter, and friend."

Heather focused on workouts first — it was too overwhelming to think about changing her diet at the same time. Once she was hitting the gym three to four times a week, she focused more on nutrition, and the weight came off faster. Heather said, "I eat for two reasons: to fuel my body and to enjoy it. I. LOVE. FOOD. And changing my habits was one of the hardest things to do."

As a busy working mom, she ate out often, grabbing things on the go that weren't the healthiest. So her first step was to begin eating out less, and then she began watching her portion sizes. Then she focused on incorporating more lean proteins and ate less bread (but didn't cut it out completely). She chose more healthy snacks like berries and almonds instead of chips or sugary treats.

Heather shared, "Eventually, I ended up focusing on an 80/20 ratio. Eighty percent of the time I eat clean, 20 percent I enjoy life and indulge, if I want to. I love chips and french fries, chips and guac, doughnuts, and cupcakes. And I knew
if I cut out indulgences completely, I'd not only be unhappy, but I'd eventually binge." Allowing some meals where the focus wasn't on calories or carbs helped her stay on track the rest of the time.

Here's an example of what Heather eats in a day:

Breakfast: "Once a week, I make a large batch of egg whites with chicken apple sausage, spinach, and tomato to have on hand for multiple meals."
Snack: protein shake made with two scoops Isopure Dutch Chocolate Whey Protein Powder with eight ounces of water
Lunch and Dinner: "I eat a lot of chicken and turkey. I put it in a slow cooker with low-sodium, organic chicken broth or with salsa; shred it; and have multiple meals to carry me through the week. I'll pair the lean proteins with quinoa or brown rice and a steamed vegetable like green beans, broccoli, or asparagus."
Snack: almonds and berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries), an occasional protein bar, or Greek yogurt. "Sometimes I will eat a snack-size portion of Justin's almond or peanut butter. It helps curb that sweet tooth."

If she's training for a powerlifting competition, she'll eat what's mentioned above, but more of it, dispelling the myth that eating less is better. Heather believes, "If you're eating things that are GOOD for your body and fuel for it, it is so important to ensure you're providing enough nourishment for your body to sustain what you're putting it through."

When I asked Heather what her non-scale victories were, she answered, "A strong sense of self. Fierceness and boldness. Self-confidence. Grit and perseverance. Belief that my body can do more than I think it can. PRs (personal records) in lifting. Becoming the strongest version of myself, inside and out. Inspiring others. And a willingness to own and be me."

As her body transformed, she received some negative feedback, especially when she started competing in powerlifting. "Some people made comments about me becoming too masculine or bulky, about me losing femininity. I am the MOST comfortable in my body that I've ever been. The most confident in my mind. The most self-assured."

If there is one thing Heather wants women to learn from her journey, it's that "you'll be the happiest and most fulfilled when you stop listening to other people's opinions on how you should live your life. If you want to be bulky, be bulky. If you want to lift weights, play hockey, be the lead singer in a heavy metal garage band — whatever it is — don't let others discourage you from living your best life, from living your own story. You do you."