Hello! I’m Rachel Smith, Assistant Manager and Coach at the Fitness Lab. You might know me from the front desk or as your coach in class, but I haven’t always been the person you see today. I’ve lost a lot of weight through transforming my life! Below is a bit more about my story, and the answers to some common questions I get about the weight loss. If you want to chat more about my fitness journey (or your own!), please feel free to email me! rachel@thefitnesslab.biz
How did you find a passion for fitness?
I’ve had a long and winding road to finding a passion for fitness. I struggled with my weight for most of my life, yo-yoing between different degrees of obesity. My highest weight about was about 240 lbs in my early 20’s (the before in my before and after pic). “Getting healthier” was always a distant goal, but then it all came to a head when I was living in NYC and was about to turn 30. At 215 lbs I struggled to get up and down the subway stairs and generally felt exhausted and terrible. I realized that “later” wasn’t going to just happen, and I didn’t want to go into my 30’s with old, unhealthy habits.
I started working with a personal trainer at my gym and she pushed me to do much more than I ever thought possible. That’s what gave me the confidence to start running. Then I guess you could say I caught the running bug big time. NYC has a really vibrant running community with lots of races every weekend. I ran dozens of 5K and 10Ks races in 2011 and 2012, and a half marathon in 2013. Having the goal of a race is what really motivated me to keep running, to keep eating healthy, and to keep losing weight.
How much weight have you lost?
Since my highest weight I have lost nearly 100 lbs!
Why did you decide to become a personal trainer?
I’ve been through a lot physically, from rehabilitating from an injury in 2007 where I had to relearn how to walk, to losing weight, to running! Through my personal journey, health and fitness have become my passion and my life’s work. The body has become my primary personal focus and interest, so I wanted to expand that personal passion into a career. In addition to being a personal trainer, I’m studying to become a Pilates instructor.
Although the weight loss itself is a fantastic accomplishment, the most significant part of my transformation has been realizing that change isn’t magic (as the weight loss industry might have us believe), it’s a choice, or a series of choices. The beauty of this is that anyone can change at any time, all you have to do is to change your choices. I believe that if this transformation is possible for me then it’s possible for anyone. Truly.
My mission is to share this revelation and to help regular people live healthy, active lives!
What’s been most challenging about losing weight?
At first it was consistently making healthy choices (like having fruit for dessert or choosing to go to the gym after work when I’m really tired). But long term it’s been anything that gets in the way of my fitness goals! Once you get into a routine of healthy living, the mindset has its own momentum. So when a small injury, a busy schedule, or a life change takes you out of your groove, you have to learn to readjust. Being flexible and adaptable enough to try a different activity to give overused muscles a break, re-prioritize your day, or find a new routine entirely is how we keep fitness going long term!
What advice do you have for anyone trying to lose weight?
Before I discovered my own strength, I really thought I was a lost cause, that I would be unhealthy and obese for my whole life. Fitness seemed so elusive. But what I learned from personal training is that the body is an amazing machine, and so many of the limitations I thought I had were merely fears. And what I learned from running is that to be a runner, all you have to do is run. That’s it. I learned that fitness is the result of making consistent, healthy choices every day.
Weight loss and lifestyle change can happen quickly, but maintaining change is a long game. Find exercises that add quality to your life and a supportive community to help you stay consistent!
