Six weeks after giving birth to her first child, Brooke Strait weighed approximately 207 pounds—the heaviest she had ever been in her life—and she decided to make the goal to lose her excess weight. According to Popsugar, Strait has an inspirational story to share with the world, including her journey of how she lost 75 pounds with techniques from Renaissance Periodization. Although there are plenty of other transformation stories out there, we have to say, Strait's personal story is certainly motivating.
Say hello to Renaissance Periodization, a company that uses comprehensive diet templates and workout plans that are designed to help clients achieve their goals—-and to keep people accountable. The company has a number of PhDs and Registered Dietitians on staff to help create effective programming for clients of all backgrounds. Their mission is to help everyone make healthy lifestyle changes that are beyond a simple quick-fix, but rather a permanent way of living. Clients can choose from detailed diet templates to work out plans to achieve sound results. According to their website, the diet templates include sample serving sizes for meals, measurement information, and tips on how to stay on track.
After first purchasing the cutting templates from RP, Brooke Strait lost seventeen pounds and slashed her body fat percentage from 32 to 24. "Now, about three years later and a second baby, I weigh 130 pounds and have hit 18 percent body fat. The templates that Renaissance Periodization provide has been the key to my success body-image-wise, and the success in the gym." Strait told Popsugar.
For her personal journey, Brooke followed a series of macro-based templates, which were in spreadsheet form. For example, Brooke eats about six meals a day, spaced out between three hours or so, and consumes more food as it nears her workout time. For Strait, a typical breakfast might be egg whites and cauliflower, fruit, and peanut butter, while other meals during the day include chicken and rice, avocado, and veggies. To help save time and keep herself accountable, Brooke often does meal prep on Sunday for the rest of the week. In addition to her diet changes, Brooke has kept up with her CrossFit program. Although she started off with just two or three days a week, now she works out about five or six times a week, and plans to enter CrossFit competitions in the future. By using the RP Strength templates, Brooke accomplished something she never imagined—her first pull-up and even her first 150-pound snatch!
"Don't compare your chapter one to someone else's chapter 20," she said to Popsugar. "Don't be intimidated by what other people are doing in the gym. Believe in yourself. Be consistent. Show up to the gym and eat right. I know you hear that all the time, but its the truth!"
When it comes to tips on nutrition and exercise plans, unfortunately, there’s a lot of false information available online. It’s always important to remember to check the credentials of who is offering you advice, and as a general reminder, if you have a history of cardiovascular disease, check with your primary care physician for detailed guidelines regarding starting a new workout plan.
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