Interview 21: "The journey is never over"
/Sammantha has made massive changes in her life! I stumbled across a transformation picture on Instagram and was so excited for her success. You could tell she put in a lot of work and she was dedicated to achieving her goals. What I like about her page is she shows that the journey is never done. She is real about the mindset, the set back and the continued effort necessary to maintain your results. More on that in a bit!
Sammantha lives in Los Angeles as a full time nanny. When she started, she was 60 pounds over weight. It was hard for her to keep up with the kids running around and as a result she started limiting their daily activities. “It was a very clear moment when I realized I was being selfish” when it came to what they were doing, she shared. It was a big ah-ha moment for her. It made her think about her future and her future family. She didn’t want to be a sick parent who couldn’t keep up with her own kids. Right around that time she saw a candid photo of her on Halloween. She writes on Instagram that she “spit her juice out in horror” when she saw the picture. That kickstarted her journey and since she’s had laser focus towards her goal. Through the process she’s become incredibly passionate about health and fitness and in fact she is getting her personal training certificate! She’s made a complete life transformation and she’s not looking back!
Her weight was always on her mind through high school and beyond. However, she was able to justify it by thinking “well I’m 5’10” of course I’m bigger.” She assumed she was supposed to be bigger because she was taller. It wasn’t until she saw 205 on the scale that she decided she needed a change. “I was tired of feeling bad about my body” she shared. I remember that moment for myself. I was at my first doctors appointment after recovering from Anorexia and I saw a number on the scale I thought I would never see. I thought it might be the “doctor’s scale” but when I weighed myself at home later I was shocked into action. Sometimes it takes that shock before we can even begin to take action.
She shared that she was never comfortable in her own body. “I wanted to be skinny so badly in high school” she said. When I told her about my battle with Anorexia she said it had crossed her mind and thought that it might have been easier but she could never get herself to do it. She shared that some of her family members are morbidly obese and she’s learned how important structure and a plan are for success. She hated that she didn’t know how to get skinny. One of the biggest struggles was the self-limiting belief that she couldn’t do it. She watched others on social media crush their goals and she would say “there’s no way in hell I can do that.” I convinced myself that I couldn’t do it and wouldn’t have the drive or commitment to do that.”
But she took the first step by eating healthier. And it wasn’t always easy. When your boyfriend and friends are eating junk food right in front of you it makes things very difficult! But Sammantha was committed. She didn’t give into those food temptations! After a while it got easier and easier and when the scale started to move the motivation ramped up! Sammantha has lost 55 pounds and continues to work hard on her goals.
What I appreciate is she shows that it’s not always easy physically, mentally or emotionally. “I struggle with being happy with my results. I always want more” she shared. Even with all she’s accomplished and the messages she receives from people who stumble across her page it’s hard for her to see what they see. I was glad that Sammantha talked about this. She has completely transformed her life, she’s down 55 pounds and healthier than ever before. But it is still complicated. Sometimes it takes our minds and hearts a little bit longer to catch up to where our bodies. There is a fine line that we walk after losing a great deal of weight. We want to continue to fine tune and tweak a body we’ve been dedicated to sculpting and on the other hand we want to loosen the reigns a bit and have some fun. It’s a delicate balance and one that will absolutely be a part of everyone’s journey. The key is to treat your body with respect and grace. You’ve gone through a lot on this journey and it’s really important to lead with praise. Before you begin to tear yourself down and view yourself as the “old heavier you” look at your accomplishments. Give yourself praise and take the actions necessary to
Every now and then I find myself looking at my cellulite going “ehh, this is so gross!!” And I have to catch myself before I head down the shame spiral. I stop and look at all I HAVE accomplished. I give my body compliments and the praise it deserves. I even tell that cellulite how good it’s looking today ;). When I do that, my mood shifts and all those flaws I was pointing out seem to be less severe.
As Sammantha continues down her fitness journey she will help many reach their goals. Her dream is to one day own her own gym where people can go and be affordably trained. “The people who need the most help are the people who can’t afford it” she shared. Her mission is to create an environment where people feel comfortable and safe in a gym environment. But for now she’s still working and sharing her journey.
She shared her top tips with you and how she got started.
- Eat clean and don’t give into diet fad foods! That is what held me back in my fitness journey for so long.
- Diet is the most important part of weight loss. You can’t out exercise a bad diet. Nutrition is the #1 thing.
Thank you for taking the time to engage in my 21st interview of inspiring women! Please feel free to share your comments, feelings and send this to a friend you think would benefit from reading this! If you want me to interview someone you find incredibly inspiring, I would be truly honored to meet them! This is a journey that has no parameters or rules! Let’s have fun with it and continue to spread the message of empowerment, love and kindness - to ourselves and others!
You can follow Sammantha on Instagram @sammanthafitness
xo
Becky