My RIPPED! Success Story

By: Leigh Chmilar

I've always been very physically active, participating in running (10K and ½ Marathons), cycling, downhill skiing, and women's competitive basketball. I've always been of the mind that if you are fit, strong and healthy, that it shouldn't matter what you weigh, as long as you feel good. So I always ate what I wanted and drank what I wanted. The only things I completely avoided were fast foods and deep-fried foods. I still enjoyed beer and wine (sometimes in excess), ice cream, chocolate and anything sweet.

 I found that although I loved my body, I could never get it really "toned" and trim. I was working out 5 - 6 days per week and these were intense workouts (including three days of RIPPED!). Despite all this exercise, I thought: "how is it that I can't remember the last time I weighed less than 133 pounds?”  In fact, at 5'4" and 25 years old, I had been fluctuating between 135 – 140 pounds for the last 8 years. I decided I wanted to see what I could do for my body - there had to be a way to get that "toned" look if I was putting in all this time exercising.

Knowing that the missing equation what proper nutrition, I went to Jari for help. I told her my inspiration was Kirsten (the "ripped girl" from the latest videos). What motivated me about Kirsten's physique was that she looks very strong and healthy, without looking artificial, or too extreme, like many fitness models that I see in magazines.  I thought that she must have very good control and discipline to have the ab and leg muscle definition that she has! I also admire the amount of energy and stamina she has during her workouts.  I set up an appointment to see Jari who told me exactly what I had to do, which would take self-discipline.

Here is what I did:

• Cut out alcohol almost completely (I drank on three occasions in the past two months).
• Cut out all "added sugars", which is any food that doesn't naturally contain sugars in it already. This includes all "junk food", sugary drinks (including juice) and most sauces and dips.
• Limited the foods that are naturally high in sugars (using strict portion control).  This includes bananas, mangos, pineapples, grapes, etc.
• Cut out high-fat foods, such as oils, cheese (unless low-fat), red/dark meat, butter, margarine, etc.
• Limited high-fat "healthy oils" to only one serving per day. This included nuts, avocado, egg yolks, etc.
• Started eating only lean meats such as chicken breast, shrimp, fish and pork tenderloin.
• Started eating higher-fibre foods to increase my fibre intake from 15 g/day to 33 g/day.
• Ate starchy foods only once per day (one serving) and usually not at dinner time. This includes whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, starchy vegetables, etc.
• Kept my daily calorie intake to 1300-1500 calories per day. There were a few days that were above this (mostly the days I drank alcohol).

The first 2-3 weeks were the hardest for avoiding all the sweet and sugary treats that I love (unfortunately, I started this meal-plan in December). It soon became easier and easier to avoid those foods and I craved them less. I also stopped “bingeing” on them when I did allow myself a treat. Soon, I started shedding inches and then the weight. Now I am almost down to a size 4, which I never would have imagined. People who didn’t know I was doing this are saying things like “Did you lose weight? You look so good!” When I told my mom that I weighed less than 130 pounds, she said “you were never less than 130 pounds! Well, not never, but you know what I mean!”

The amazing thing is that this has shown me how important nutrition is in all aspects of my life. I am finding that I am much less moody. I have a lot more energy in all of my workouts (I felt fatigued and lethargic once in the past two months of exercising).  So thanks to Jari and some self-discipline, in less than two months, I am two pounds from my goal of 125 pounds and I feel the best I ever have!