Good morning world, I truly hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving feast! I am back again with another amazing Transformation Tuesday testimonial and I know, I know...it's not Tuesday. Well, let me explain...
With Thanksgiving approaching in what seemed like an instant, I did indeed have this interview completed on Tuesday buuttttttt, I lost track of some things that needed to get done. Thus, this has become a Transformation Friday blog :P
This week, I have gym colleague, Emylee Gotsch. I originally met Emylee about 2 year ago when she just started out on her weight loss journey. Being able to see her transformation from the very beginning and see how her mindset has shifted in a positive direction has been so rewarding. With "Em" accomplishing so much in just under 2 years, I cannot wait to see where she is another 2 years from now, especially if she sticks with her Crossfit routines and starts competing in competitions ;) Without dragging this out any more, let's get right into the interview...
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When did you start your fitness journey?
So growing up I’ve always been an athlete. I started gymnastics when I was 4 or 5, stayed with that until I was 13. Started swimming for two years, went on to volleyball and played for the next 9 years of my life. So my “fitness journey” started when I was young. But the real journey began in January of 2017.
What motivated you to start?
I woke up one morning in January and I was absolutely disgusted with myself. I weighed close to 190lbs, that’s about 40 pounds heavier than what I “normally” am. There were no more coaches yelling in my ear for that last rep, or a team mate to compete against. It was just me. And I was clearly a bad self motivator. I needed some sort of date or something to work towards. So I decided to prep for a bodybuilding show. Tracy Simonds has always been a close family friend, and she was planning a show in Deland in September. What a great way to set a date and a goal. I hired Tracy as a nutrition coach, we worked out my macronutrients and I started trying to eat my way back to a healthy weight.
What were some of your goals when you started?
My initial goals were to be confident in myself again. My clothes didn’t fit me any more and I really just didn’t like myself anymore. I wanted to find that part of me that I lost.
Needless to say, I lost 35 pounds. I gained a whole lot of knowledge in the process.
What are your goals now?
My current goals are to just maintain a lifestyle of balance. Balance between working out and eating right but also being able to have a glass of wine with dinner or an extra serving of mashed potatoes. I’m maintaining a healthy relationship with food which is always good thing to keep.
What have been your greatest achievements?
My greatest achievements have been losing my weight and keeping the majority of it off. I am one strong lady and that has been so cool for me. I can RX* almost every workout we do. And I get to help people in the process. *RX: Term used in Crossfit to refer to performing a workout as originally prescribed with full rep range and weight used without modifications.
What were/are your biggest struggles?
My biggest struggle was working at pizza restaurant all throughout my journey. It took a lot of self control. But I made it work.
What advice would you give to people new to working out?
Just get out there and try something. Everyone struggles when they start out, but that’s what keeps us going. Winning those small battles is what keeps you coming back to the gym or the yoga studio or whatever method of movement you choose. One day, that hard movement will become easy and you’ll smile at yourself, and you’ll move on to the next challenge.
What is your favorite thing about your workouts?
My favorite thing about my workouts, which are all CrossFit, is the mind games you can play with yourself to help you finish. And finding the patience and the breath within yourself to keep going.
Nutrition advice for those just starting.
My nutrition advice would be to eat more lean protein, load up on veggies, eat carbs to fuel your body rather than to satisfy your mind. Stick to plant based fats. Eat the foods you like in moderation and don’t ever think of foods as bad or good. Create a healthy, and mindful food relationship.
How can people connect with you?
Email: Emylee.gotsch@yahoo.com
Instagram: @emyleealison