Now Meet Stephanie...

 Stephanie is addicted to almonds. Yes, almonds are one the healthiest foods on the planet containing protective nutrients like calcium and magnesium for strong bones, Vitamin E and phytochemicals that aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer, they lower cholesterol and are protein powerhouses. A 1oz. serving, which is about 20-25 almonds, contain around 120 calories from fat. Though it's a good, essential, healthy fat, she was eating them by the bagful. The BIG bagful! That's 16 servings people, and by her own admission, there was nothing physical in her life. And there's one more caveat - Stephanie works the infamous 'graveyard shift' which means her internal clock is totally off. What to eat? When to eat? Do I eat at all being that it's 3am?

There are many people who can relate to these crazy working hours. I actually used to be one of them. In college, I worked at an in-patient pharmacy during the wonderful hours of 7p - 7a. If you've ever visited a hospital floor then you've seen those med carts next to the nursing station. I'm the chick who filled those little boxes and allowed your nurse to wake you for your 2 AM dose of Naprosyn.  Many of the products we use to get through our days are prepared and delivered while we slumber. For those of you whose waking hours tick away on the lunar clock, Stephanie's movement through this process will help you realize that you are not destined to gain the 'overnight vending machine' weight. You can watch as she posts her video logs on www.facebook.com/NaturalRhythmFitness.
These are her words...  

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When I was growing up, I was always a skinny kid. Even through high school, I ate like a horse and NEVER put on weight. That was partially due to the fact that I played softball and I never sat in the house. I was always out playing with my friends, riding my bike, etc. I ate constantly and my mom would always say, "one of these days, that's going to catch up with you”, but it never did... until my freshman year of college. 

When I got to college and started dorm life, I was in heaven! I was up all night with my friends talking, laughing, partying and EATING. I stopped playing sports and had never been to a gym to do a workout outside of what I did on the softball field. Heck, I didn't need to... or so I thought. I'm from a small town in the South and health and fitness wasn't really a hot topic there. 

Anyhow, back to college. By Christmas break of my freshman year I had gained almost 20 pounds!

WHAT?!? How was this possible??? I had always eaten like this and never gained weight BUT, I hadn't always been inhaling cheeseburgers and pizza and passing out at 3am. So, I took my butt to the gym! I learned how to work out properly and my weight has always been exactly where I wanted, give or take 5-10 pounds every now and then... that is, until I discovered an addiction to raw almonds. 

Okay yes, it sounds crazy but, I lived in New York from 2005-2010 and I spent my last two years there in an acting program where I snacked on raw almonds. I would just sit there eating them while I observed class. I went from snacking on small packs in class to the big bags while I watched Whoopi on The View.

Not to mention, I had grown tired of living in New York and the cold weather so in the winter time, I refused to leave the house unless I had to. Now, I know what you're thinking, "but almonds are good for you!" Yes, they are but not the way I ate them. I have an all or nothing mentality so after I’d stuffed myself with tons of calories from almonds, I would feel like, ‘well, no need in working out’, or think, ‘I may as well go to Chipotle’. Horrible.  

Fast forward and I now live in LA but by the time I got here, I had packed on an extra 20 pounds from my self-sabotaging, endless almond inhaling, non-workout habit. I felt miserable and discouraged because I had packed on more weight than I ever had in my life and I knew it was going to be a struggle to get it off. I eventually started working out once I got here but not like I used to and ummm… I'm still addicted to almonds. 

When I found out about Candace, (thank you Simone Cook-Missick!), I instantly jumped at the chance to join her program for two reasons:

1.       Because I knew that if I was being held accountable, I would straighten up, and

2.       Ummm… have you seen her?!? She's in AMAZING shape!  

What's most important however is, I want to be healthy, inside and out and I think that working with Candace will set me back on the right track. I'm looking forward to the workouts, meeting the other ladies and watching this transformation over the next 12 weeks!