“I’m a cancer survivor. Can you help me with my nutrition?”
This question shows up in our inbox every so often. The answer is YES. Today, we want to share with you a client spotlight story that will speak so much louder than our own words.
Meet Stay Fit Mom Ninja, Sonia. She’s 53 years old and a breast cancer survivor that is currently working with Coach Laura.
Tell us a little bit about your story and health history prior to starting SFM.
Sonia: In March of 2022, I went in for a mammogram. They found cancer. I was in shock. I asked the doctor what I could have done to prevent this. He told me there was nothing to do to prevent it. 1 in 8 women will have breast cancer. (Ladies, go get your mammograms!) I had surgery and radiation. While I was recovering, I started to research the best things to do for my recovery. I kept seeing the same things over and over: get more sleep, drink plenty of water, eat more nutritious food and exercise. The research said to eat more protein to help with healing and macros kept coming up. I was also going through menopause and seeing all the problems that went with that; weight gain & hot flashes. The cancer medication caused more weight gain and even worse hot flashes! I tried doing macros by myself but after years of dieting and being told by doctors to only eat 1200 calories a day, I struggled.
What made you decide to sign up for SFM macro coaching and how did you find us?
Sonia: In my search for information on macros I came across Stay Fit Mom. I signed up for the emails and followed Krista and Tracy on Instagram. I felt like it was too expensive to do the one on one coaching at first, but one day decided I was tired of putting myself last in priority. I signed up for the March 2022 group.
Many women with various health issues may have doubts about starting macro counting. What would you say to them?
Sonia: When I signed up I was just trying to stop gaining weight. I thought losing weight was impossible being menopausal and taking my medication. My coach, Laura told me that it WAS possible, it would just be a little harder. I told myself I was going to give it my all for 6 weeks and see what happened. I wasn’t going to let a little hard work stop me. I am a fighter and I can do hard things! I decided there are always work arounds for any problem.
If you don’t mind sharing, how many years young are you? What would you say to the women out there who may think macro counting is only for those 35 and under? What challenges (if any) do you believe are unique to women counting macros over 50?
Sonia: I am 53 years old. I think that as we age our bodies change, but I was wrong thinking that menopause just meant giving up. It just means we need to change too.
How has your macro journey impacted other areas of your life besides just needing a new wardrobe?
Sonia: I mentioned to my coach just recently that for years I struggled with hormonal acne. I realized it went away after starting macros! Also, one of the hardest parts of my medication is that it causes fatigue. My energy levels are so much better when my macros are on point.
What are the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome when it comes to sticking to the plan?
Sonia: I think the hardest part of macro tracking in the beginning was figuring out how to track and the time it took. I committed to doing all my tracking the night before. It became a game to get all my macros as close to zero as possible. At first it would take me an hour every night, but then it took me less and less time. I can plan out my whole day in 10 minutes now. I put in my breakfast, lunch and dinner first, then I add in a fun snack. I always leave an after dinner snack that can be modified to fit the macros I have left over, like a cottage cheese bowl with fruit or a protein shake. In the beginning I was overwhelmed by having to do everything. I decided to take each thing and prioritize them. First, I worked on getting more sleep. Then, I worked on getting more water. I used to hate drinking water but now I crave it. I next tackled my macros. Fiber was hard for me in the beginning so I just focused on my macros. After I had been doing macros for a while my coach challenged me to hit my fiber goal. It takes more planning, but it is so worth it. I feel better and it aids in weight loss. My next goal was getting 10,000 steps a day and my current goal is adding in weightlifting.
You’re one of the MOST consistent clients that we have. What advice do you have for those that struggle with consistency?
Sonia: Being consistent is hard work and I feel that for me it is a mental challenge. I decided that I want to be healthy for me. I decided that I wasn’t going to put myself on the back burner anymore. It wasn’t good for me or my family. I want to be here for my family and that means taking care of myself. If you struggle with consistency, try breaking it down into manageable pieces. I am not a morning person. I can’t think about what to make for breakfast so I always prep my breakfasts beforehand. I always have dinner leftovers for lunch the next day.
What keeps you continuing with coaching over and over again with Coach Laura?
Sonia: I love having Coach Laura as my coach! I love the accountability. She is a great cheerleader and keeps me moving forward. I like how she focuses on so many other things than the number on the scale (pictures, measurements, sleep, energy levels) I never thought I’d be eating this much food and still getting smaller. Without her help I would have panicked and started eating less.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Sonia: I love that no foods are off limits. I plan a small treat every day. For so long I would “try to be good” and deny myself anything I thought was bad. I was under eating by so much! Now I can fit in anything because I’ve planned the night before. If something comes up and changes my plan, I can hurry and figure it out and adjust.
Thank you to all the coaches! I love the SOS videos. One of my favorite analogies is the cruise control one. It helps me get back on track after a vacation or a celebration. I used to just throw in the towel after an event and now I just reset the cruise control.
What Coach Laura has to say about working with Sonia.
Laura: Sonia has been a total dream to coach! Beginning with the March 2022 session, she jumped right in and hit her assigned numbers consistently with complete trust. Every week she continued to put in the work and trust the process, and watching her progress has been so inspiring. She came in eating around 1500 calories, and over time we slowly reversed her up to where she is currently at over 2000 calories a day, and the pounds and inches keep dropping! Her consistency is unmatched! Sonia is a busy working mom of six children and a breast cancer survivor, so she knows how to fight for what is important. I don’t think she knows the word quit! Her consistency and persistence in keeping long-term goals in sight have been key and essential elements of her success. She’s amazing!
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