Hi, I’m Layla! Here is a little insight into my weight loss journey! ☺️
So I've always carried a little extra fat on me, however being an ex gymnast, I was always so active and managed to burn enough calories to keep the weight at a decent level.
However, come 2020, lockdown hit us. During that time I did absolutely nothing - no more than 1500 steps a day if that! There was no sleep schedule, no real food, nothing. I just ate everything and anything, and the weight just piled on rapidly.
Fast forward to August 2020 when lockdown lifted, it was my first outing since March, I chose my dress, popped it on, did my hair and makeup and was excited to finally get out the house. I asked my sister to take pictures of me and that’s when it hit, I looked back at them and just thought wow something NEEDS to be done. That was the first time that I noticed that I didn’t feel comfortable in my body anymore. The next day, I got myself together and used that feeling to fuel my motivation to make a change.
At first, I was way too scared to go near a gym, so I just started off with educating myself on caloric intake and high protein diets as well as going for daily walks aiming to hit 10K+ steps a day. I did this for the first 2 months and managed to lose a stone and a half.
Early October 2020, one of my friends introduced me to a local gym and I started to go every now and then. On my 3rd visit, a PT approached me and I got started with him. This was a game-changer for me as he taught me almost everything I needed to know - from cardio to HIIT to resistance training.
With the aid of a PT, by January 2021 I had lost my 3 stone goal and a new goal of being strong began. I really got into running and lifting heavy weights, I kept up my 10K+ steps a day, started to eat a little bit more and kept a high protein diet, and here I am today, 2 years deep into my journey.. strong and confident as ever! 💪🏼🤍
There was no specific diet I followed nor do I recommend following “fad” diets. I simply ate clean, high protein and ensured I kept myself in a calorie deficit! A calorie deficit is the winner always, this is truly the only way to lose weight. You can follow things like “intermittent fasting” but essentially, that’s just a fancy term for skipping a meal, I.e consuming less calories, therefore putting yourself in a calorie deficit.
With that being said, that’s just one of the many things I learnt across my journey. The gym is really trial and error. You learn so much along the way and that is what makes it so exciting. You’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t. NOBODY is the same, what worked for one person may not work for you, so always focus on you!
A huge mistake along my way, was eating way too little at the beginning. I lost weight rapidly but trying to sustain an 800 calorie diet everyday is ridiculous. You won’t be able to build any real muscle mass, especially if you’re just doing cardio on top of an extreme calorie deficit.
If I kept going like that I’d be skin and bone. You learn that eating more isn’t at all bad, it’s the best way to get the body goals you want. I never wanted to lose my bum, in fact wanted it even bigger, so I knew getting myself in that gym and lifting heavy while eating a rich protein and higher calorie diet was needed! Goal achieved ✅
IG: @_laylafit
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