Mariah Loses her Freshman 15!

I started coming to FH towards the end of May 2018 after coming home from graduating college and needing a gym. After finding the 5 week deal on the website, my sister and I decided to "give it a shot". We later found out it was one of the best decisions we had made!I gained the freshman 15+ in college, but worked hard to lose it all during my remaining years. During my junior and senior year, which included turning 21, I hit a plateau. I was tracking macros, eating clean, and combining both lifting and cardio. I truly thought my body was at "it's best" and nothing else would change in my favor. I decided to do the 6 week challenge to hopefully give my body that push it needed! I thought I had my nutrition and training down, which worked for a bit, but later found out that's why I hit the plateau. After meeting with Baylie, I found out I needed to eat A LOT more carbs I had previously been tracking. Who doesn't love more carbs?I fell in love with FH because of how the classes taught me something new and pushed me beyond my limits every single day. There hasn't been one day that I walk out of the door feeling like I didn't get as much accomplished or meet as many goals as I had hoped. Everyone is on different fitness levels, making the atmosphere comfortable for anyone from beginners who have never done a burpee, to an experienced bodybuilder.Throughout the 6 weeks, I had many highs, but still experienced a lot of lows too. There would be days where I would go out to eat or go over on my carbs and get so down on myself. The family at FH is not perfect. That's why I love it. Everyone would have days where they indulged just a little too much, but at the end of the day, we still root each other on.The most notable highs for me were seeing my stomach and arms shrink. These were my biggest problem areas that I didn't see any progress on for about 2 years. I would turn down invitations to go to the lake or the pool with friends because I feared being seen in a swimsuit with people who were smaller than me. I can now wear fitted shirts, tank tops, and a swimsuit, without feeling like I need to hide anything.My biggest takeaway from this challenge is the courage to go on and keep pushing myself during the classes. I have finally reached the point in my journey where I know that some days will show more progress than others, but at the end of the day my body is getting stronger with every workout. I can't wait to continue my journey at FH and motivate a friend who is struggling like I was, to join me!