Transformation Tuesday blogs by Usilia Emilione and Catie Mansfield
Usilia: I have struggled with weight fluctuation my whole life…I call it “the accordion effect”…the constant weight gain and loss, along with lovely genetics, gave me stretch marks and beautiful cellulite that has haunts me since I was like 9 years old.
So even when I lost weight, I was always burdened with dimples and ripples all over my butt and thighs. I was made fun of it when I was kid which caused me to wear pants for most of my life throughout my early 20s.
However I didn’t care about the weight gain until I was in the police academy in 2005 and then I finally cared about my physical abilities because of the inherent dangers of the job. I lost the weight in the academy but during my first year gained more back.
After that, enough was enough for me and by 2009, I lost the weight…it was my best ever shape to that point.
I still fluctuated with weight after that but never went back to that size again. I got better and better but still added 15lbs here and there then lose 10, and so on…
I got bored of all the home workouts I did and needed something different so I joined LiveFit in Jan 2016. I had ups and downs the whole year but still built muscle during that time, little by little. I then saw muscle growing and Rich was pushing the idea to compete and to really reached levels I never did before.
I always considered lipo for the cellulite but Rich said to give this a chance and really dedicate myself to it, so I did. I thought maybe I can actually do this, and so I worked hard and dieted.
When I went to go get fitted for my competition suit, I had a complete breakdown and said I can’t do this, Rich!!! I just can’t!!!
He assured me I can get there and to not give up. Between Cris, Ryan, Rich, Rolo, Shelly and Derek they were backing me telling me to “trust the process” even though I saw that ?? in the mirror everyday.
I said I can’t stop now, I’ve come too far to quit now. I have to prove to myself that I can try to do the best I can, I owe this to myself. I continued to diet and doubted the process but I didn’t stop. I ended up working out 7 days a week and put my everything into it for 15 weeks and…
It all changed!!!
I didn’t even recognize myself anymore!!! This was my transformation!!! Lipo can kiss my a$$!!!
There’s always more work to be done, I can always improve each time, but now I KNOW it can be done!!!
My advice to everyone is, don’t give up!!!
No matter how impossible it seems, no matter how many steps back you take, it doesn’t matter!!! Get back up and don’t stop!!!
My brother once told me, don’t “try” because trying automatically implies failure, “do” it because doing implies an action that it will get done.
So “do” it everyday and don’t give up on yourself!! There’s always hope until your last breath!!
Usilia
Catie: I decided to compete right after my grandma died. I was worried I would gain a lot of weight like I did when my mom passed. This was one way I could control the urge to”depression eat”.
My biggest fear was that I was going to embarrass myself. That I wouldn’t be in good enough shape.
The hardest thing was actually trusting the process and not drinking water. I probably would have killed a man for some water on Friday and Saturday. Not joking.
Once I was done with the show I was proud of myself but felt as though I could do better. I can push myself harder and look even better.
I definitely need to put more muscle on and that’s the next goal!
DerekKuryliw.com/when-life-happens-do-you-fight-back-transformation-tuesday/
^^To read Catie’s original Transformation Tuesday posts, click here^^
