My wife’s amazing bikini transformation (30 pounds, size 2, lots of pics)

Guest blog post written by Transformation Tuesday success story and co-owner of LiveFit, Michelle Kuryliw

I’ve never wanted to be a Transformation Tuesday, but I guess now is time to share my story.

I guess to know me, is to know that I can be stubburn.

So even after I met Derek, I didn’t  necessarily jump on the “fitness lifestyle”. He would try to give me advice on nutrition, working out etc, and I would have NO part of it. I smoked, ate horribly and enjoyed my cocktails when I wanted.

I have always been a “bigger boned” person. Btw what the fuck does that mean? In all actuality my “bone structure” is more on the petitie side, but that’s what I grew up hearing.

My weight has always fluctionated, skinny, skinny fat, fat, chubby, you get the idea… and I always had a booty, way before they were in style!!

So fast forward  to 2012 when Derek started bootcamp behind his father’s chiropractor office…

At the time I was the office manager of the chiropractic office and spent a lot of time sitting. I was happily married and happily “chubby”. My husband loved me for all my curves and had since given up on trying to give me “health advice”.

Throughout his first year of operation of bootcamp, I would try to attend a few workouts a couple times a week, but really no commitment.

By the 2nd year I turned 30 and decided it was time to make a lifestyle change.

I left my full time job and took a leap of faith to work full time on our new thriving business. I also wanted to become more healthy and be a better representation of what Derek had worked so hard to promote.

By the end of spring/beginning of summer of 2014 I felt like I was on the right track of my fitness journey.

At the time Sara Crosswhite and Jen Kloj were training for their first bikini competitions. Even though I was not training for a competition I used them as my motivation and tried keeping up with their many daily workouts. We really clicked and it was great always getting that extra push.

The summer got even better with finding out that I was pregnant and we were expecting our first baby!

Unfortunetly at our first ultra sound appointment we found out there was no heart beat. It truly was devastating. I had already put on a few pounds and needless to say put on a few more “eating my feelings” after everything.

By the fall I was overweight, uncomfortable with my body and really looking for a change. I still hadn’t gotten my motivation back and needed something.

Sara and Jen had just finished competing and looked amazing. They were my motivation to make a change. So October 4th, 2014 I decided to compete in my first bikini competition in the spring of 2015.

What better than to make a decision to get out of my comfort zone, really prove to MYSELF that I can set a goal and achieve it.

And the best part is that I really fucking did it!

I competed in 2 bikini competitions.

I dropped from 158 pounds down to 125 pounds.

I went from a size 11 to a size 2.

My body fat percentage when I started bootcamp 2 years ago was almost 30% and I’m now down to 11% body fat.

This was truly the hardest 8 months of my life. I had to diet through every major holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo), countless family birthday parties, family reunions bbq’s, our wedding anniversary, etc…

I pushed my body even when I was sore, tired, and mentally exhausted.

I worked. I stuck to the plan and worked my ass off, literally.

I want to say thank you to everyone for all their support and kind words. This has been a journey that I wouldn’t of even been able to get through it with out my LiveFit family!

Thank you Rich Berrian for training me, you pushed me and never gave up on me. You have taught me so much!

Thank you to my training group, Kim M, Jen Hall and Sara C. Without all the laughs we have, I would not of gotten through have the workouts!

A special thank you to Sara and Jen K for being my personal motivation, You keep me going when I was “grumpy cat” and always listened!

Thank you to my family for being so understanding through all of my training and dieting!

A special thank you to my incredible husband, you talked me off the ledge so many times and remained so patient with me. I love you!

This is only the beginning!

Lastly I just want to say to everyone who wants to make a change:

Its YOUR journey, and you cannot compare your journey to anyone else’s!!! Keep your eyes forward, keep your eyes on the prize. There is no secret other than working your ass off and eating correctly. TRUST THE PROCESS!!!

If I can do this shit,  so can you!!!!!

Michelle