124: 7 Secrets of Losing Weight And Actually Keeping It Off (It’s Not What You Think) with Melissa Porter

Introduction 

You're listening to Biceps after Babies radio episode number 124

Hello and welcome to Biceps after Babies radio. A podcast for ladies who know that fitness is about so much more than pounds lost or PRs. It's about feeling confident in your skin and empowered in your life. I'm your host, Amber Brueseke, a registered nurse, personal trainer, wife, and mom of four.  Each week, my guests and I will excite and motivate you to take action in your own personal fitness as we talk about nutrition, exercise mindset, personal development, and executing life with conscious intention. If your goal is to look, feel, and be strong and experience transformation from the inside out, you, my friend are in the right place. Thank you for tuning in, now let’s jump into today’s episode.

Amber B  0:47  

Hey, hey, hey, welcome back to another episode of biceps after babies radio. I am your host, Amber Brueseke, and today, I have a very special guest, one who was requested to come back onto the podcast. Some of you may know back all the way back almost two years ago back episode number 35, I interviewed Melissa Porter. And Melissa told her story of joining Macros 101,  of losing 29 pounds and doing it without working out and while nursing a baby. And that's been a really popular episode, especially for women who are kind of maybe in that same stage of life wondering if they can be successful without working out and while nursing their baby. Fast forward two years and Melissa has continued to transform, continue to uplevel herself, and continues to be in a different place than she was two years ago, which aren't we all? Are we all in a different place than we were two years ago? I think that's the hope right that we continue to uplevel and continue to grow. And so some members and our Beyond Macros 101 group, we're requesting that Melissa record an update to the podcast so that we could kind of hear what's happened in the last two years. What happened after that podcast episode, where she is today that's different from where she was two years ago. And when I heard that I was done, that is a fabulous idea to be able to give you an update, because, as I said, Melissa has just continued to transform. And it's been so exciting to be able to have a front-row seat to that and I want to be able to share that with you.

Amber B  2:19  

So in today's episode, Melissa is going to talk about the physical transformation that she's created (PS: She's lost 55 pounds), how she's been able to keep that off, (PS: She's been able to keep it off for two years),  and what are the actual secrets that allowed her to do that. And it may not be the things that you think would actually create that transformation. And so that's what we're going to talk about today on the podcast, and I'm so excited to invite Melissa to be able to share more of her story. So let's jump into the episode with Melissa Porter.

Amber B  2:25 

I am so excited to welcome Melissa Porter to the podcast for the second time actually, more like a third time, fourth time. I don't know how many times you've been on the podcast. Whatever it is, big freakin welcome, Melissa. I'm so excited to have you back on.

Melissa  3:16

I am excited. I happened on the podcast a few times but this is the second like interview for the follow-up interview from the first one. And so it's fun. We don't normally bring on people for a second time for a follow-up interview. So I feel special.

Amber B  3:35 

Yeah, heck yeah. And this was actually requested like it was requested by people in our Beyond Macros 101 group to have you come back on to the podcast and do a follow-up episode. Because the last time that we did, I interviewed you was all the way back in Episode Number 35. And that was two years ago, almost two years ago. And a lot has changed since then. And so listeners actually wanted to hear a follow-up of where you're at now and your journey and what's changed since that episode was recorded. And when they said that I was like, duh, that sounds like an amazing podcast episode. And I'm so excited for people to be able to hear more complete, you know, that was like in the middle of your journey and not that you're at the end of your journey, but a more complete understanding of what has transpired since then. So for people who maybe didn't go back and listen to Episode 35 back in the archives, can you give us a quick rundown of where you were before you joined Macros 101.

Melissa  4:39

Yes, so before I started Macros 101 in March of 2019, I was in a very dark place mentally. I was eight months postpartum from having my third child, exclusively breastfeeding, recovering from postpartum depression and anxiety. I was 200 pounds and completely didn't recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. And I essentially had like, hit rock bottom, like the lowest of lows. And I was really struggling with the mom and the wife that I was and that I wasn't like, living up to the dream that I had pictured in my mind of like how I would be when I was at this point in my life. And I was living in complete victim mode and totally believe that life was happening to me, everyone, and everything was against me. I was angry all of the time and I had a super short fuse that was triggered, a lot. Every single day, I was just like this ticking time bomb every day. And I just knew I needed a change. And that's when I found Macros 101.

Amber B  5:55

Yeah, so kind of, you know, you felt like you'd hit this rock bottom, kind of talk to us about how you came like, how did you come across me? How did you even find out about the program and make that decision to change, make that decision to come and join?

Melissa  6:11  

So I discovered macro counting through a friend on Instagram and kind of did some research on my own. And, like, figured out that there are three different body types and that there's a way, a successful way to like, eat with your body type, and all of that. So it was super intriguing to me. And so that was at the end of 2018. And so I kind of started on that journey by myself. And through all of the research that I had done, I just had got to a point that I needed more help like I had gotten to a point that I couldn't do anything else on my own.

Melissa  7:01

And so I had reached out to my sister-in-law, and just in conversation with her, she's like, Melissa, you need to follow Amber. She totally does this. And so I followed you on Instagram. And I think like within a couple of days, you were holding the macro master class. And so I signed up for the master's class. And then you opened up doors to Macros 101, and I didn't want to do it. It was, in my mind, a lot of money, which in hindsight really wasn't a lot of money. So I waited to sign up for Macros 101 until like the 11th hour, literally, I think there were like 30 minutes left before doors closed and I signed up for the program and had complete buyer's remorse for a whole week. Like I didn't open the program at all for an entire week. And finally, just kind of snapped out of it and realized that money was already spent. And I knew that I needed a change. And continuing on the path that I was on, I wasn't going to get the change that I needed. And so at that point, I committed to myself to just see what the program was like and see if I could make the changes that I was wanting to make.

Amber B  8:28 

Yeah. And then when we interviewed you back in Episode 35, at that point, you had lost 29 pounds. And we talked a lot about how you did that without working out like that without any working out and how you did it while you were still breastfeeding your baby. And we focus a lot on that on that episode. So if those are things that ring true to you that sound like things that you're dealing with, go back and listen to Episode 35 because we kind of dive into that deeply. But that's not the end of your story. Right? That's 29 pounds. We're just the beginning for you. So can you kind of pick us up where that episode left off, what happened after that episode aired?

Melissa  9:10 

Yeah, so in the last two years, I've successfully completed three rounds of a cut reverse and a maintenance period. And so the first cut I did was 20 weeks with a seven-week reverse and then a 20 week maintenance period. And during that entire time of that cycle, I had lost 51 pounds and 25 plus inches and maintained it and I dropped from a size 14-16 to a size 6-8. And like you mentioned I didn't work out at all during that cut. I began working out in July of 2019 and began weightlifting in October of 2019 with an emphasis on muscle growth, and I experienced some really good body recomposition during that time and put on a few pounds of muscle…

Amber B  10:10

and did that, I'm gonna interrupt you, and did that at home with dumbbells. So what I think is really important for everybody who's listening to this is to understand is that Melissa had all of that weight loss without doing any workouts. And then she decided that she wanted to start working out. And so she did what a lot of people do just starting at home and starting out working out with dumbbells and was able to make that progress like doing it at home and working out with dumbbells. Okay, sorry, I interrupted, you keep going.

Melissa  10:38 

No, you're good. And then my second cut was about seven weeks, and I lost another six pounds and a little over three inches, I did a five-week reverse. And then I spent six-plus months at maintenance, where I actually went into a slight bulk at that time and really focused on muscle growth. So during that maintenance and bulking period, I put on eight pounds, which was a mixture of fat but also a lot of muscle because #newbiegains are amazing.

Amber B  11:15

Newbie gains are amazing.

Melissa  11:18

And then my third cut was five weeks, and I lost a little over three pounds and four and a half inches. And I've been back at maintenance since this last December. So December of 2020. So in the two years, I spent 32 weeks in a cut about 16 weeks in a reverse, and the rest of the time I've spent at maintenance, or bulking.

Amber B  11:47

Yeah, and I think that's so important for people to understand because we look at a lot of times we look at things in these very short-term perspectives of like, this cut, right, this cut that I'm in. And so I think it's so helpful for Melissa to share that journey, because she shares how it was not all about just being a cut and continuing to cut and continuing to try and lose weight. Like there were cycles in that. And I talk about that a lot, if you haven't listened to Episode 76, I talked about those cycles of weight loss where we go through a fat loss period, and then maintaining period, which is just as important as your fat loss period, if not more so. And that is a piece that people forget, they feel like maintenance is like a waste of time, like maintenance is you wasting time, it's not you doing anything. And what I really want to put a pin in what Melissa said is like that maintenance period of time is what is foundational to her being able to be successful during those cuts. And the next thing that I want to talk about keeping the weight off, because so many women don't have, losing weight is not necessarily the hard part for a lot of women. A lot of you listening have been able to lose weight in the past, it is the keeping it off that is really hard. And that's where a lot of women struggle. And so one of the reasons I bought most on the podcast is not only because she had an amazing transformation, and was able to lose so much weight. But even more importantly, and what I think you should be more proud of, and I am proud of is that you've been able to keep it off. So will you talk to that a little bit of like, how have you been able to maintain this weight loss? What has been the secret for the long-term maintenance that you've been able to experience?

Melissa  13:27

Yeah, so I came up with seven things. And I'm sure there's more that has helped my success with this part. But, I would say the first thing is, when I started this journey, I committed to making it a lifestyle. So this wasn't a diet that I was just going to lose weight and go back to what I was doing before because obviously what I was doing before didn't work. So I committed to making this a lifestyle and made sure that it was enjoyable. So I didn't ever feel like I needed to go “off-plan”. So my plan was sustainable and enjoyable, and it fit the lifestyle that I wanted.

Melissa  14:16

And the second thing is, but I'm really present in my thoughts and through time and consistent effort because this doesn't happen overnight. I was able to learn how to immediately shift any negative thoughts that I have to a thought that is not in line with what my goals are.

Melissa  14:41

The third thing is I've remained coachable. And I reach out for coaching when I'm struggling with something and Amber still coaches me and it's amazing.

Melissa  14:55

The fourth thing, and I think one of the greatest successes in the journey that I've had, is I've gone from hearing Amber in my head to hearing my own voice in my head asking the questions that Amber would ask me. So there are plenty of times where I'm able to coach myself through a hurdle and not have to reach out for help. But there are those times where I do need the outside perspective of having someone help me zoom out so I can see the bigger picture. And that's where it's really important to remain coachable.

Melissa  15:34 

And the fifth thing is I've really accepted the maintenance mindset. This is talked about in another podcast episode, and I can't remember the number,

Amber B  15:47

I'm going to find it, it's with Heather Robertson.

Melissa  15:49 

Yes. But that podcast episode really spoke to me because the maintenance mindset is completely different than the mindset that you have when you're cutting. So it's really important to make sure when you're in this phase of maintaining that your goals are aligned with what can actually be accomplished during that phase. So your goals will transition when you go from cutting into maintenance.

Amber B  16:24

Yes, it's so important. So I'm going to give you the podcast episode is Episode 72. It's called losing half your body weight with Heather Robertson, we'll link that in the show notes as well. But Heather talks about maintenance as a mindset. And she'd like to hear her describe it as so powerful. So definitely, if this is something that resonated with you and you've struggled with maintenance, or struggled with wrapping your head around the idea of maintenance, go give that episode a listen because it's so good the way she talks about it.

Melissa  16:53  

Yeah. And I think this actually might be in that same podcast episode, but focusing on what is maintainable versus what is attainable. So I, on paper, haven't reached the goals that I've set in the very beginning. Like there are still some goals that I'm working towards. But I think one of the greatest lessons I've learned through this process is some of the goals that I had, although I know I could attain those goals. I don't know if I'd be able to maintain it. And so at that point, when I realized it, I had to ask myself the question was it still important to me to reach that goal, even if I couldn't maintain it long term? And I will admit, there are several of those goals that are no longer important to me because I don't want to be able to just check off a box and say that I attained something. For me being able to maintain is more important.

Melissa  18:01

Then that brings me to the seventh thing, which is super, super important. And I'm sure we'll talk a little bit more about this. But I really took to heart the be-do-have model that is talked so much about in the Macros 101 program. So at the beginning of my journey, I thought about all the qualities that the individual would have that achieved the goals that I was striving for, then I created daily affirmations around those qualities. And still, to this day, I will stand in front of the mirror one to two times a day. And I verbally say my affirmations out loud. And those affirmations are still on repeat in my mind all day long. And I think that helps me just stay grounded and helps me stay present in my thoughts. So I am able to catch thoughts that aren't helping me and then I can shift them.

Amber B  19:07 

Yeah, we talk a lot in Macros 101 about how you are where your attention is. And that's kind of what Melissa is talking about is when you place your attention on things that aren't serving you that aren't helping you in the long run, that's what you end up creating. And so when you can get control of that and you can understand the power of that and recognize that the person who has control over your attention is you then you can start to very quickly catch when your attention is on things that aren't serving you and shift them to attention to where it can be serving you.

Amber B  19:37 

And then I do want to speak to this the be-do-have model that Melissa talked about and the be-do-have model is the end result of the be-do-have model is really that this idea that there is a version of you that you need to step into who already has the results that you want, that that version of you is able to create those results by who she is and the identity that she holds. And when you can start to get clear of who she is, who's that version of you that has the results that you want? How does she act? How does she show up? How does she, you know, step into her day, and start to emulate those things? Now, that is what drives you to the result.

Amber B  20:20

So we talk a lot about stepping into that version that you need to be to achieve the results that you want. So I'm curious for you, Melissa, can you describe the woman that you are today and in contrast to the woman that you used to be and before you do this, I think it's really important to point out that neither is better. Like the woman that you used to be is not good or bad. It just is who you used to be and it created the results that you had at that time. And you realize that if you wanted to create new results, you had to step into a new version of yourself. So this is not a matter of good versus bad. It's not a matter of like the before picture is not good. It's just that that's who you were that had created those results, and you realize you weren't happy with those results. And so you stepped into a different version of yourself to create those new results. Can you contrast those for us a little bit so people can kind of ground what you're talking about in an actual example?

Melissa  21:12 

Yeah, so I actually really love this question, because we don't notice the change, right? Like, I had to really think about this question. So I think that's probably why I like it. Um, so I think one of the biggest changes is just my overall mood, like, my fuse is longer, I'm not a ticking time bomb. And I just am happy. And I guess, unless I'm hungry, then I might have a shorter fuse. But as long as I'm not hungry, my overall mood is drastically different than what it was before I started.

Amber B  21:54  

I'm also going to interrupt you just, just a minute because I think like I know people's wheels are already starting to turn. And I want to make sure we catch it because it's very easy to think that Melissa is happier because she lost 55 pounds, it's very easy to make that leap. And to be like, Well, of course, you're happier, Melissa, you lost all this weight, of course, that made you happy. And if that's where you're thinking right now, what I'm going to bring you back to is the be-do-have model, which maybe I should take a moment just to kind of describe so we have some context for what we're talking about. If you haven't heard me explain that be-do-have modeled before, most people go through life, thinking that if they do certain things, they will have certain results, which will cause them to be something different. So an example, if I lose weight, or if I say, look, if I count macros, then that will cause me to have the result of losing weight, which will then cause me to be happy, or be confident. So we go through life thinking that life works,  do-have-be.

Amber B  23:00  

And in actuality, the being comes first. So in actuality, who you are being, who you present to the world, how you show up is what make a difference in the actions that you take. Who your being creates your actions, which then creates the result. So we often think that the being, the being happy, that being confident comes last because of the results when in actuality that must come first. The -being happy, the being confident must come first because that version of you will then take the actions you need to take to then get the result that you want. And so when we can focus on the being, and we can focus on who you are being in this moment, and the version of you that you need to be to get the results that you want, everything else falls into place. So what I don't want you to do is to listen to Melissa talk and say, Well, of course, she's happy because she lost weight. No, no, no, it's backward. She got happy first, she managed her mind first, she got confident first, she used affirmations first and that allowed her to take the actions that then created the results that she wanted. And so make sure as she talks about this, of stepping into that version, she had to do that first. That had to occur first, in order for the results to then naturally follow. So I'm sorry, I like kind of took a detour there but I want to make sure that people understand that distinction because I think it's it's so easy to look at somebody else's journey and make that conclusion and I want to make sure that it's really clear that that's not what's going on here.

Melissa  24:33 

Yeah, totally. Um, and just to add to that, after I had lost, you know, like 51 pounds, I still struggled in other areas of my life with the all or nothing mentality and other negative thoughts that didn't necessarily pertain directly to my health and fitness journey. And it wasn't until I got present with those thoughts and really shifted my mindset, in every area of my life did I really become truly happy. So, yes to everything that Amber just said, I had lost 51 pounds, and I was still a little bit miserable. Because there were parts of my life I kind of buried my head in the sand and didn't want to deal with those things. But once I figured out that I needed to deal with those things, and I faced it head-on, then my whole life at that point changed.

Amber B  25:38

And here's why I love what we do is because we show you that that's possible in one aspect of your life, right. So you were able to see that changing your thoughts, changing your habits, in one area of your life in the fitness realm was able to make drastic changes physically, right, you were able to see that connection between your thought patterns, how you're showing up all or nothing thinking and the results that you were able to create. And once you see that in one area of your life, and you're successful in that area of your life, you start to think to yourself, ha!, if I was successful in doing that, and changing my thoughts and showing up in a different way, in that area of my life, I wonder what would happen if I brought that to other areas of my life. And so by going through that process gave you the confidence to realize that you could do this, and then you can apply it elsewhere. And that's really where things start to change when you start applying that to your mothering. When you started applying it to your relationships when you started applying it to your job. Like when you apply it to other areas, you're able to take the same things that you learned and have that ripple effect that that occurs.

Melissa  26:52

Right, and one thing that's constantly on replay in my mind is the quality of your life is determined by the quality of questions you're asking. And so I got better at asking better questions in every area of my life. So I mean, I, there's a huge contrast between who I was when I started and who I am now. I'm definitely more disciplined. I, one of my major goals coming into the program was to have integrity with myself, to be able to commit to making myself a priority to make and keep those promises to myself, which is a no-brainer for me now. Like it's easy now because I made it such a point to follow through with the things that I said I was going to do when it came to making myself a priority. I am no longer a victim of life happening to me, I'm definitely in control of my life and my choices and I'm empowered by that. And instead of looking at challenges and turning and tucking my tail and running, because it scares me, I'm able to face those head-on and know that there's growth on the other side of what makes me uncomfortable.

Melissa  28:32

And I asked my husband this question last night, kind of preparing for the podcast. And he said that he doesn't really think that I do things much differently than I did before. But what I do is more purposeful. And I definitely would agree with that. Because two years ago, I was just going through the motions of life and doing things without any purpose. And now I am doing things with intention, and there's a purpose behind it. And there's joy there in every part. And I think probably the last thing is part of stepping into the person that you need to be in order to achieve the results that you want is intentionally saying goodbye to the person that you currently are. Knowing that you'll be growing and changing for the better, I think it's pivotal to acknowledge who you are today that got you to this point. Thank that person and then completely let go and embrace becoming someone better in the process.

Amber B  29:52

Yeah, we talk a lot in Macros 101 about letting go to let in and I share the analogy of the monkey who puts his hand in you know, trap, grabs the banana, and then tries to get out of the trap and can't because his hand is closed around the banana. And in order to get free, in order to run away, he has to drop the banana, the banana has to be dropped, you have to let go of the banana and that will allow the monkey to then go and be free and, and have so much more with his life. But a lot of us are sitting there in life holding on to the banana and saying I don't want to let go of this because I'm scared because I'm scared of what's next, I'm scared of what will happen when I let go of this banana. And the irony is that you must let go in order to let in. That requires you to let go of a part of yourself, that requires you to let go of things in order to let in more. And a lot of us are walking around saying I don't want to let go of this banana cuz I'm scared of what's going to happen. And what's going to happen on the other side of you getting over that fear and letting go anyway, is that you're going to be able to have so much more right? The monkeys are able to have so much more when he lets go because now he can like run around and be free. And so it's getting over that fear of what's going to happen when I let go of this and recognizing on the other side of that is so much more than you thought was possible.

Melissa  31:18

Totally. So good.

Amber B  31:21

Okay, so in this process, we've had you on the podcast a couple of times, you are also part of Team Biceps After Babies and you focus on your customer experience manager. And you've also become a coach. So you coach now inside of Macros 101. And I'm curious, in that process of becoming a coach, how long have you been a coach now?

Melissa  31:43 

A year, like officially a year, I started as a community moderator in the summertime of 2019. And I did that for a few months. And then you opened up applications for the coaching position in December of 2019. So I officially was hired on as a coach in December and then, yeah, so it's been about a year.

Amber B  32:18

Awesome. So how has that experience changed your perspective? What impact has that had on your life?

Melissa  32:27  

It's actually really fun. It's challenging, and it's scary. I remember when I first started telling Amber like, I am nervous to coach because I don't want to lead someone down the wrong path. Like I don't want to be the reason why someone's journey took them longer than it would have had I not coached them. But again, it was challenging, and it was scary. And so I knew that I needed to do it. And without doing that, I wouldn't have gotten lessons and experiences that have helped me grow even more. And so it's been a part of someone else's journey has really made me grateful for my own journey. And being able to look at how far I've come and how far I've grown. And it really has also helped me realize how much of the mindset work we do inside a Macros 101 truly applies to all areas of your life and not just in health and fitness.

Amber B  33:42

So good. Yeah. Okay, the last thing that I want to talk to you about because I think this is a perfect way to end the episode. We mentioned at the very beginning of the episode that you lost the initial weight without working out. You then started lifting at your home with dumbbells, you used to build your workouts to be able to build your own workout program at home that worked for you. And you're able to get a lot of really great newbie gains. And for those of you who are like what the heck is newbie gains, she said that not twice, newbie gains just is the fact of the matter that when you start lifting, no matter what you do those first couple of months, you're going to see progress. Like I don't care what you can purchase the worst program in the world and touch a dumbbell and you are going to see progress. And it's awesome and totally sucks up those newbie gains. And then after that period of time, your training needs to become more specific. It needs to become optimized for actual muscle growth. And that's a plateau that a lot of women hit where they're like the program was working, I was seeing muscle change, and then it suddenly stopped. And that is because yes, you experienced newbie gains, whatever you are going to do is going to give you newbie gains, and now you're moving into a more trained individual who actually has to have a program that's optimized for muscle growth. So that's a very side tangent, but I think it's to describe what newbie gains are because we talked about it a couple of times. So love those newbie gains, you had those newbie gains. And yet, until a couple of weeks ago, you had never stepped foot in a gym. So will you take us to what you're doing now with your lifting?

Melissa  35:19  

Yeah. So back in probably October of 2020, maybe a little bit earlier than that. I knew that I was reaching the limit of what I could accomplish at home with the equipment that we had. And not that I couldn't do more from home, it was mainly just the equipment that we had was limited. And before we invested in getting a barbell, and a rack and building out our home gym, I knew that I really wanted to work with a coach face to face to help me get comfortable with the barbell, since I've never used one, and made sure my form was correct. And just all the things because the last thing I want to do is just jump into doing lifts that I've never done with a barbell and hurt myself. I don't need that, my family doesn't need that. So I knew it was the next step. For me, it was scary, and I kind of used COVID-19 as an excuse for several months as to why I hadn't really done anything with that, like the nagging feeling I had that I needed to do it. So I finally did a little bit of research, reached out to a couple of gyms and coaches, and never really felt comfortable, didn't feel like it was the right fit for me.

Melissa  36:49  

And then, just a few weeks ago, on January 15, I saw an ad on Instagram for a gym called Forge gym that's here locally in Utah. It's a powerlifting gym, a World's Strongest Man gym, and kind of the vibe that I had pictured in my mind of where I would want to work out. So I reached out to them and set up an appointment to go toward the gym and meet the coach. And so I met Cole and with cold-blooded fitness, and just immediately like, felt this connection and knew that like this was the right coach, this was the right gym. And I started, we started movement coaching and I touched the barbell for the first time. And surprisingly, but not surprisingly, it is somewhat natural for me. And Amber teaches us that we need to be proud of our natural abilities and our superpowers. And I have to say that that lifting is natural for me, and it feels really good. Stepping into that gym for the first time was so scary. I walked in and there's like a man in there that's 60 and like 450 pounds, and it's just huge. Like he competes in the World's Strongest Man competitions. And of course, my brain goes to, you don't belong here, like, what are you doing here. And I immediately replace that thought with I can do hard things. I belong here, I am a weightlifter. And I just, I gave it my all and with, then like probably half of that first session I fell in love with the whole atmosphere with just everything that we were doing. And so I guess now I can say I go to the gym.

Amber B  39:08

You are a weightlifter, Melissa.

Melissa  39:11 

I am a weightlifter.

Amber B  39:14  

That's so awesome. And I think it's just like it's such a great thing to end on because it's really this like a full-circle moment of just celebrating the person you've become, the results that you've been able to create in your life, what has transpired because you made one choice. Right, you made a scary choice to invest in a program and you had buyer's remorse and that was okay, and you got to work anyway. And because of that, one choice that you made, the trajectory that it's taken you on and I think sometimes we just don't know how big these seemingly somewhat small choices can make in our life. And it's such a full-circle moment for you know me to have watched your journey and to have seen where you're at and to have be at this place where you've just fallen In love with, feeling strong and looking strong and feel like you can do hard things and get to a place where you can walk yourself through the fact that like, yeah, you do belong there. Of course, you belong there, that comes from the internal work that you've done. And I think it's just such an external example of all the change that's hard on the inside. We talked about that a lot, right? Yes, you've had an external change, if anybody knows you like you've lost 55 pounds, there is an external change, you see a change in pictures. And yet that was created from an internal change. And that's what people don't get to see. And so I'm so grateful for you coming on the podcast to be able to show us a little bit of that internal change that creates the external change that people see and that people notice. But it's that internal work that has driven you there. Anything else you want to wrap up? Like, are there any last thoughts that have been kind of floating around that you want to make sure, anybody who's listening, here's before we wrap up?

Melissa  40:58  

Um, do what scares you. Yeah, probably, if it scares you, it means that you need to do it. And initially, when I started, like a couple of weeks ago, coaching with Cole, and just doing the movement coaching with the barbell, my initial thought was, I'm just going to get comfortable with it. And then we're going to buy the equipment and like, I'm just going to lift at home and continue doing hypertrophy work and building muscle because that's what was comfortable for me, like, that's what I had been doing for a year, I just needed more equipment to continue to do it. But now that I have gotten the bug, and I know how awesome it is, I am continuing coaching with Cole and we are moving into powerlifting. And I am putting building muscle to the side and I'm going to focus on strength. And I don't think that I would have made that decision if I would have stayed in my comfort zone of working out at home. So my last thought is to do whatever scares you the most.

Amber B  42:12

Such a good place to end on. Thank you so much, Melissa, for coming and sharing your journey. I know that people are going to listen to this and feel inspired and feel motivated to do what scares them. Start their journey wherever it is, and be able to continue taking that step and really taking the long-term perspective. That's one of the things that I'm hoping that those of you listening are taking away is this long-term perspective on where you want to be in relationship to your goals, and doing it in a way that allows you to create long-term results. So thank you so much, Melissa, for coming on the podcast.

Melissa  42:47

Thank you for having me.

Amber B  42:49

Wasn't that so good? My hope is that by listening, that you are just feeling all sorts of excitement and motivation to continue in whatever your journey is bringing up for you right now. And as you do that, continuing to have that long term perspective, that long term vision of where you could be in two years from now, there's a quote that says “we overestimate what we can accomplish in a day and we underestimate what we can accomplish in a year or two years”. And the little changes that Melissa has made, the little decisions that she's made along the way have compounded over time to create the result that she's been able to enjoy today.

Amber B  43:32

I'm super curious of what your takeaway was from the episode. What did you hear in the episode that was just for you that completely applied to where you are at right now in your journey? Take a screenshot, post it to your Instagram or your Facebook tag me and let me know what specifically spoke to you. I would love to hear it. That wraps up this episode of biceps after babies radio. I'm Amber now go out and be strong because remember my friend, you can do anything

Outro

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