I am stoked to introduce you to this incredible woman I discovered on Instagram a couple of years ago. Tobi Ditmore from Texas, has (in her words!) made the physical, mental and emotional transformation from lazy to active. Read on to hear her inspirational story in her own words. And remember - YOU can do anything you want ladies - never forget that!
Follow Tobi on Instagram @transforming_tobi
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My fitness journey (which I like to call my transformation from being lazy to being active) began when my father passed way in April of 2016. As a person who compartmentalizes their feelings, I knew that the only way to not let my grief consume me was a distraction, to do something where I had to put it away. For months I had been passing a boutique fitness studio whose sign said ‘PILATES + CYCLING’. One day I said out loud to myself as I drove past “I should try a spin class”. That was the first big defining moment in what would be the beginning of my transformation.
I signed up for the cycling class online and decided that I would document the whole experience. I weighed myself and took pictures the morning before the class. I was the heaviest I’d ever been, had low energy and did not feel good in general. I was nervous going into that first class, but I told myself that I just needed to survive it and never stop pedaling. Trying to keep up with the instructor and the rest of the class totally occupied my mind.
When I left that class, I had a physical high! Even though I was exhausted and breathless and my legs felt like jelly, more importantly I felt a tiny bit of release from my grief. I was nowhere close to healing, but I could feel that it was possible. The physical high became a feeling that I would chase. By going to 3-4 classes per week I felt that high and I loved it.
After about two months, I had lost 16lbs, but It was also starting to feel burned out. A couple of weeks later, I had stopped losing weight, so I stopped being motivated and I stopped going to classes.
Sound familiar?
An instructor that I had made a connection with at this studio, Dalia, reached out to me with a lot of encouraging words and I went back to classes, although I did everything with half-effort.
It wasn’t until the studio’s owner created a program in November of that year that I would *finally* make the changes that have lasted all this time.
The program was called a ‘Transformation Program’, but it wasn’t just about a physical transformation, it was about nutrition and mental health work as well. During this 12-week program, I got physically stronger but I also learned which foods are fuel for me and that it was more important to be strong than it was to look a certain way or be a certain size. That was when I had another big defining moment: the number on the scale is for informational purposes only. *mic drop*
I walked away from that program with an additional 24lb weight loss, and a different person. I felt so proud of myself - I felt strong, energized, and my resting heart decreased by 20 and I was proud of the muscle I had gained.
That strength has given me the confidence to try new types of workouts, run two half marathons and post videos of myself doing Peloton Dance Cardio classes on Instagram. This is something I NEVER would have done before! I realized that I didn’t need to fear being active in a bigger body, and I started appreciating what my body could actually do, instead of what it couldn’t do.
This was the *defining moment* that really changed me, and has enabled me to sustain leading an active lifestyle for the past 4 years.
It is not what I cannot do, but what I CAN do which is important.
Of course there are days that I feel lazy and unmotivated, but I always remember that my transformation from being lazy is ongoing, it is a journey. And on those days that I don’t want to workout, I I think about my defining moments, and I get it done anyway. And I always, always feel better after being active.
** 3 things that keep me motivated in my journey from lazy to active **
Exercising is my escape
The number on the scale is just an image, not a complete picture
I appreciate my strong body
I hope to come back and read this blog post in four or five years and see what new defining moments I can add to this list!
