My name is Elena Green (@elenagreen_fitness), and I’m 34. I live in South Carolina, and I’m a mom and personal trainer. After my doctor knew I was considered medically obese, I examined calorie counting, adopted the 80-20 rule for weight loss, started doing HIIT workouts, and shed the weight that kept me going.
Before I started my journey with weight loss, I had two pregnancies back to back. I also hadn’t quite returned to my pre-pregnancy weight before I became pregnant again. I am now a mother of four, so as you can imagine, balancing mom and finding the time to take care of me healthy was very challenging. Over time, the weight just kept going. I did not make the best feed exercises and did not really take time to exercise.
I had tried many methods to lose weight, but nothing seemed to work. I had a very hard time finding something that was durable and that would work well with my lifestyle. I would end up stopping various diet plans because they were unrealistic. At my highest I was 258 pounds. I was 32 then.
Eventually I learned that I had high cholesterol, and my doctor informed me that I was now in the medical obesity category. I also experienced bouts of depression and anxiety, which is why I sought comfort in food. I knew it was directly related to the fact that I was not happy with the state I was in health. Finding comfort in food gave me a temporary escape from my reality.
On May 28, 2018, I decided that I would take back my health and my life.
I remember looking in the mirror and asking myself, what happened I shed some tears, had moments of honesty and promised myself that I would change my life forever. I knew I could do so much more.
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I wanted to regain my confidence. I wanted to have the energy to play with my babies. I just wanted to be free. I wanted to be happy with myself. I wanted to look in the mirror and be able to really smile at myself and net say mean things. I committed to the process at the age of 33, even though I knew it would not be easy.
First, I converted back to what I already knew was the key to weight loss at a basic level: eating less and exercising more.
But I didn’t want to be hungry all the time because of less food, so I started doing research like crazy.
I came across calorie counting and learned more about the concept of eating in a calorie deficit. So I processed the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of my food consisted of very nutritious food, and the other 20 percent was my grace. Not only did this mindset allow me to lose weight, it could still add me foods I really enjoyed, such as cookies and ice cream, in moderation.
This approach was perfect for me because there are always snacks in the basket that I have children. It worked well because I did not have to eliminate feed groups high, and it could get me out of the diet. At the end of the day, it’s about making one lifestyle that works best for you.
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Here is what I typically eat in a day.
- Breakfast: Egg white and turkey omelet with a bagel
- Lunch: Turkey burger as great salad
- Snacks: Protein shake
- Food: Chicken breast and vegetables
- Dessert: Chocolate fudge bar
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I started working out a few days after I decided to improve my health.
The form of exercise that worked best for me was HIIT, as interval training with high intensity. It was heel challenging at first, but I did my best and built up over time. I started working out for 20 to 30 minutes, three days a week. I gradually increased it to five days a week and took the weekend as rest days.
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HIIT worked really well for my busy lifestyle. It was unrealistic for me to work out hours. HIIT workouts are pretty short, but they let you have a pretty intense workout in a short period of time.
I discovered HIIT by researching short, effective workouts. From that point on, HIIT was my preferred method of training, along with incorporating weight training.
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These three changes have had the biggest impact on my overall weight loss.
- One change: I have given myself grace. I made sure I would not be too hard on myself. It is important to remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. I created a new lifestyle, and change takes time. I knew I was going to have good days and not-so-great days, and that was fine. Always remember to take a few deep breaths, and give yourself permission to be human.
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- Change two: I kept it simple. Simplicity wins every time. When you start, do not be so focused on perfection and change a million things at once. You will soon find yourself overwhelmed. Keep your vital choices and food simple. Create a simple routine that you can keep with long term, and make progress and make changes as you go.
- Change three: I did not stop … even when I liked it. You will have times where you feel like stopping, or feeling like things are not working out or going according to plan. It does not matter how things look, just keep going. Stay consistent, and focus on good daily habits, not the end result.
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In the span of two years I have lost 120 pounds.
I have since shifted my focus from weight loss to muscle gain.
My trip was not easy, but it was definitely worth it. Making the decision to put my health first has drastically changed my life. I reconnected. I restored my confidence and energy. Being healthy and strong has improved every area of my life.
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One of the greatest things that has blossomed from my journey is being able to share the gift of health with other women through a community I created for women (EGFIT). I have moved on to help other amazing women reconnect with themselves through active life, mind and body transformations.
I believe one of the greatest gifts you can give someone is the gift of hope. By sharing my story with other women who have found them where I once was, I want them to know that they can too. You deserve to run in confidence and love the skin in which you are. You deserve to be happy with who you are.
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