RACHEL BENFIELD
Rachel Benfield had gained baby weight two times over.
“I wasn’t at an ideal weight when I got pregnant the first time with our oldest daughter,” said Benfield, 26. “Then I gained too much weight and never lost it when I had our second daughter. Then I gained too much weight with her.”
Benfield struggled to find a way to lose the weight, hitting the gym here or there, until she found out about a Biggest Loser contest.
“I did it with a friend for a 10-week competition,” said Benfield, a stay-at-home mother from Lakeland.
On March 18, she attended her first boot- camp class offered by the contest sponsor and fitness business LIVEFit with Adina, which offers bootcamp classes, personal training, running coaching and TRX classes.
On May 25, Benfield found out she won the grand prize, a free trip to Gulf Shores, Ala. “I lost 40 pounds,” she said. Benfield attended up to six boot- camp classes a week but says “the kicker” was the change she made in her eating habits.
“That’s when I saw the changes,” she said.
She cut back most of her carbs, sugar and dairy, stuck to entering her calories on the My Fitness Pal app, and adjusted her attitude toward food.
“I will always struggle with food, but now I know to look at it as something to fuel your body,” she said.
That includes having a healthy relationship to her cravings.
“They told me to choose healthy eating 80 percent of the time, so that it’s OK to treat myself 20 percent of the time,” she said. “And to plan for it.”
Benfield also learned to plan her meals for the week, rather than grab something quickly and make poor food choices, and tried to give herself 12 hours between dinner and breakfast.
Since taking home the victory crown, Benfield has been attending three boot- camp classes and one TRX class per week with hopes of losing the first round of baby weight.
“I lost the (younger daughter) Lacey weight,” she said. “Now I have to lose the (older daughter) Lola weight.”
While losing the “Lacey Rachel Benfield signed up for a 10-week Biggest Loser contest in March to shed the baby weight she gained after having two girls. Not only did she lose 40 pounds, one round of baby weight, but she also won the contest, including a paid vacation to Gulf Shores. Age: 26. Home: Lakeland. What she did: She signed up for a 10-week Biggest Loser contest and attended six boot- camp classes per week while reducing her carbs, sugar and dairy. She lost 40 pounds and won the contest. Boot camp info: LIVEFit With Adina, livefitwithadina.com Advice: “Take it one step at a time, whether it’s one meal at a time or one exercise at a time. If you’re scared, you won’t regret making healthy changes to your diet and exercise.” weight,” Benfield gained a new perspective.
“Yes, I’m stronger and thinner, but I’ve also changed the way I see myself,” she said.
She, her husband and her two girls aren’t running off to the beach any time soon though.
“We had already booked a vacation to Disney World this year,” she said, “so we’re just going to go to Gulf Shores next year.” Have you lost weight and kept it off, adopted better eating habits, started exercising or had success living a more healthful lifestyle? E-mail your story to sunyata00@gmail.com.