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From Couch to Coach
Posted in:
Articles by ProSource,
Featured Content,
Transformation Stories
By Jill Schildhouse
| Nov 24, 2010
This formerly obese wife and mother is now a certified trainer competing on stage
As anyone who has made the life-changing decision to do something about their obesity knows, it usually takes an eye-opening experience to enact change. For some, it's receiving test results from a physician that serves as a wake-up call, and for others, an upcoming event, such as a wedding or reunion, is enough to motivate a transformation.
For
Elizabeth Hronek Atkins, now 28, it was the combination of the inability to keep up with her young daughter and a desire to look better. "I couldn't participate in all the activities that I wanted to, I was struggling to keep up with my daughter and do all the things she wanted to, and I didn't like the way I looked," she reveals.
It seems Elizabeth had taken the slogan of her birthplace--Everything's bigger in Texas--to heart. And stomach. And hips. And thighs. She had been overweight since age 8, when her pediatrician told her mother to take her to Weight Watchers. So when Elizabeth's eye-opening moment hit, around age 25, when she'd reached her all-time high of
265 pounds, she had her work cut out for her: a lifetime of bad habits to break.
"Initially, I just changed my diet," she says. "I cut out carbs and focused on lean proteins and veggies."
Though she remembers the first week--cutting out sugars and carbs--as the toughest, her will remained strong. Within a few weeks, Elizabeth noticed she had more energy, and wasn't as hungry or craving bad foods. And this success was all she needed to jump-start a chain reaction of positive changes.
"Then, I started cardio, and eventually added in resistance training," she explains of her multi-phase approach to taking control of her health. "At one point, I hit a plateau and got really frustrated. So I decided to join a gym so I'd have access to more equipment.
At first, I was my own trainer. But eventually, I enlisted the help of a trainer."
Now, however, Elizabeth has taken back the reigns on her
workout regimen. "I've obtained my certification for personal training," she says. "So I do my own research now and like to experiment with all type of exercises." Her husband has been a personal trainer for five years as well.
Elizabeth discovered that once she got started down the path toward a fitter figure, and had lost her first 100 pounds, her goals shifted. In fact, her passion for working out has become much more than a hobby--it's well on its way toward becoming a profession. While currently working as a personal trainer and for a well-known soda manufacturer, she's also competing in bodybuilding.
"I plan to continue competing in the figure division of the NPC, and plan on becoming pro as soon as possible," Elizabeth says. "I will continue to improve my physique along the way.
Editor's
Note: Do you have an inspiring success story
related to bodybuilding, fitness, sports performance or an amazing
physical transformation? Tell us about it and send some pictures here. You
could be the next
ProSource.net Transformation of
the Month!
Of course, she isn't just relying on diet and exercise to help make this dream come true--Elizabeth credits her now competition-worthy physique to the use of supplements.
"I didn't use any supplements initially, until I started my pre-competition diet," she says. "I use ProSource BCAAs, L-glutamine, and L-carnitine, plus Supreme Protein premium protein powder and protein bars. I use all of them daily with the exception of L-carnitine. They have helped me recover quicker and give me more energy. The
protein shakes and
protein bars were really helpful after workouts for me to feed my muscles before my next meal. I absolutely love the Supreme Protein powder--I use it to with other meals, not just shakes. My favorite flavor of the Supreme Protein bars is the Chocolate Caramel Cookie Crunch!"
This five-foot-seven wife and mother, who resides in Winston-Salem, N.C., now weighs 127 pounds. And her diet has shifted a bit since she first cut out carbs. "As I started to prepare for competitions, I added in more healthy carbs," Elizabeth says. "I usually eat six meals a day and now measure out all of my proteins as I prepare for my next competition. The foods I rely most on are oat bran and sweet potatoes ... they keep me going."
For Elizabeth, her weight-loss journey has truly been a life-changing transformation. She can now do all the things with her family she never could have before and has even discovered a passion for a career in an industry she never thought possible.
"I love cooking, health and fitness, bodybuilding, soccer, swimming, and doing things with my family," she says. "I hope to be a huge name in the health and fitness industry with training and figure competing."
Elizabeth Atkins' Training RegimenConnect with Elizabeth on
 |
|
Day 1 |
Legs
Barbell Step Ups
Single Leg- Leg presses
Barbell Squats
Abductors
Adductors
Shoulders
Barbell Shoulder presses (to the front)
Db lateral Raises
Db bent over raises
Db shoulder presses |
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
|
|
Day 2 |
Back
Db underhand bent over rows
Rope cable rows
Lat Pulldowns
Underhand grip pulldowns
Hyperextensions (in the free weights room)
Ball hyperextensions
Arms
Rope Cable bicep curls
Rope cable pressdowns
Db Hammer curls
Db Lying tricep extensions
Abs
Ab Machine
Knees to chest |
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
4 x 25
4 x 25
|
|
Day 3 |
Lunges around the track with pushups at each lap
Calf raises
|
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4 x 25 |
|
Day 4 |
Delts
Db Alternating Raises
Db Shoulder Presses
Db Lateral Raises on bench
Db bent over raises
Abs
Weighted Ab machine |
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
3 x 12
8 x 25
|
|
Day 5 |
Legs
Squats
Leg extension
Cable bicep curls
Cable tricep extensions
Abs
Ab Machine
Knees to chest
|
3x 12
3x 12
3x 12
3x 12
4 x 25
4 x 25
|
|
Day 6 |
Off |
-- |
|
Day 7 |
Off |
-- |
|
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Disclaimer: All rights reserved. Healthy weight management and substantial weight loss are best achieved by making lifestyle changes, such as lowering caloric intake and increasing exercise activity. Clinical evidence indicates that when used in combination with a sensible diet and exercise, the key ingredients in this product can support your weight loss program. Consult a health care professional before beginning any weight-loss program. Read and follow all label instructions before using. Endorsers used this product in conjunction with diet and exercise and were remunerated for their appearance. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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