alyssa2113

I was athletic as a kid and then in high school and college just stopped caring and was all about smoking/drinking/eating. Eventually I got up to 200 pounds and was going through about half a pack of cigarettes in a day.

In 2014 I lost one of my longtime best friends to a heroin overdose. Though I never did hard drugs, I knew I was slowly killing myself with my lifestyle and it just shook me out of it. After her funeral, I decided I was going to change and that the cigarette I had in my hand was the last one I'd ever touch. I haven't smoked since that day.

I joined a gym that focused on circuit training and did that for about a year. One of the coaches who started working there pulled me aside one day and said with my strength and body type I could be a great strongwoman. I went up to a specialized gym with her and fell in love with it. I haven't looked back.

I think between having sports induced asthma and being a heavy smoker for about a decade, my lungs aren't what they could be. I have an inhaler that I keep on me at all times. I don't use it as much as I used to but every now and then I use it. Breathing is something I'm always keeping an eye on while lifting, especially for reps.

I'd suggest she find something that she likes to do that gets her moving. Whether that's running, dancing, swimming, anything that's burning calories that's enjoyable is a great start. Just joining a gym and going to do the treadmill will get old very fast.

For things like strength training or even just using weights, many gyms have trainers that she could work with. They'll help assess her goals. There are also a lot of gyms that are just women, if she feels more comfortable going there. But the key is finding something she likes to do so it doesn't feel like a chore that eventually just goes out the window.

I have a coach that gives me three workouts a week. I'll deadlift on one of the days, do squat and bench on another and then we have a day dedicated to events.

He puts a lot of arm work in my program which has done wonders for my press. I have a day that I'll do cardio on my own, whether going on the treadmill or doing kettlebell circuits at home.

I'll definitely pop over to the strongman page!

I track my macronutrients (carbs, fat, protein) more than counting calories. I'm high protein, medium fat and low carb. I cycle my carbs so I'll have more on training days before and after my workout. On days where I'm not training my carb intake will be lower.

I meal prep and weigh out my foods because a big trap for me was portion control. It's meticulous but it helps me stay on track and saves money in the long run. I'm not at the grocery store as often or getting take-out.