At 45 years old, Amber felt like everything had shifted overnight.

After years of balancing a busy family, a physically demanding job, and the chaos of everyday life, perimenopause entered the picture and changed everything. Her energy dropped, weight came on quickly, and for the first time, she felt disconnected from her own body.

“I felt far away from the woman I had become.”

But instead of staying stuck, Amber made a decision to show up for herself in a new way. One year later, she’s down 17 pounds and over 30 inches, has completely transformed her relationship with food, and even crossed the finish line of a HYROX race—something she once thought was impossible.

This is the story of how she did it.

Tell us a little bit about your story. Work? Family?

Amber: My name is Amber. I’m 45 and I am a born and raised Las Vegas local. My husband and I have a big, beautiful blended family, with 3 girls, 2 boys and our fur baby, a mini labradoodle named Holly. We are also a proud military family, with our boys both serving in the Army and Army National Guard. Our life is busy, loud and full in the best way, with your expected bouts of chaos. I have such a fun job and work as a cabana host at the Bellagio, which means long days on my feet taking care of guests in the Vegas heat. It also means I am off four months of the year and feel like I have the best of both worlds, being able to contribute financially, while also having a strong presence at home, where I’m the planner and organizer trying my best to keep our family feeling loved, cared for and moving forward together.

How did you find Stay Fit Mom and what made you decide to take the leap?

Amber: I found Stay Fit Mom through my cousin who has been so successful with the program. 2024 was a really rough year for me. Perimenopause entered the chat and humbled me really quickly. Walking 10-13 miles at work, combined with a treat yo’ self mentality with food, used to sustain a physique that didn’t make me happy, but it also didn’t make me cringe. Bloodwork had come back that my hormones had betrayed me, and things drastically shifted overnight. My energy levels tanked, I rapidly put on weight, and I started to feel like my body wasn’t my own anymore. I felt disconnected and far away from the woman I had become, mentally, emotionally and physically. After an unsuccessful try with a testosterone pellet, I decided that I had to prioritize myself and actually put in the work to give this new season of life a chance to be better and not take me down.

We just celebrated your ONE YEAR MACROversary with SFM and you’ve drastically changed your body composition! Tell us how much weight/inches you’ve lost.

Amber: Over the past year I’ve lost over 17 pounds and over 30 inches!

What diets/things have you tried before and how does it compare to macro counting?

Amber: Before macros, my relationship with food was all or nothing; a chore or an indulgence. I was the queen of no water, living off coffee, grazing on whatever was around during the day, and then eating one big meal at night. I’ve always loved structure, and while it was a little overwhelming at first, once I started understanding macros, the planning and spreadsheets helped my over thinking brain create and work my plans. Macro counting completely changed the way I see food. I’ve learned that food is fuel, but there’s also room for flexibility and enjoyment. I can eat in a way that supports my body and still have meals that still make me do little happy dances while eating them.

How are you able to fit macro counting with your lifestyle? Have you had to make major changes?

Amber: My lifestyle feels like one big balancing act and macro counting has actually simplified things for me. I’m a planner and totally fine with food on repeat, so I prep all my meals and snacks for my work week and then again for my three days off. It has been a big change because I’m now consistently fueling my body throughout the day…and hello hydration! Who knew drinking water could make you feel so different.

I don’t want to paint the picture that this was easy though. Ask Mariesha, it’s been a journey that required a lot of grace and learning to let go of my old all-or-nothing habits. I love my green boxes and at one point it definitely became a little obsessive. What I’ve learned along the way is that balance matters more than perfection. It’s ok to not track a day sometimes, celebrate your people, and enjoy the big moments and the small wins. The real goal isn’t perfect macros, it’s building a life that feels healthy, sustainable, and joyful. I still aim for green days, but am not feeling like a failure when I’m red.

How has macro counting shifted your thinking about dieting?

Amber: I cringe at the word diet because I now see it as a lifestyle choice. It hurts my heart when I hear my girlfriends talking about cutting out carbs, or trying some new thing that I know isn’t sustainable for most. 

What non-scale victories have you experienced? Tell us about HYROX!

Amber: I had my first baby when I was 20 and honestly have never had anything that I’ve done for myself. These kids have been my priority and I have always been on the back burner. In November, my in laws pulled me aside at family party and told me we should compete in HYROX doubles. After watching a video, I told them they were out of their minds. HYROX is a fitness race that combines running with functional workouts. Over the course of the race you complete a total of around 8 kilometers of running, broken up between workout stations. The stations include a 1,000 meter SkiErg, a heavy sled push (about 225 lbs) and sled pull (about 170 lbs), 80 meters of burpee broad jumps, a 1,000 meter row, a 200 meter farmer’s carry with two 35 lb kettlebells, 100 meters of sandbag lunges with a 22 lb sandbag, and it all finishes with 100 wall balls using a 9 lb ball. You get to divide the stations in half, but complete the runs together. 

Never in a million years did I think I could do this. A crazy idea turned into training. Training turned into signing up. Signing up turned into simulations, outfit coordination, running, laughing, a little complaining and finally… race day. My partner and I completed it in an 1hour and 40 minutes. I’ve never pushed myself that hard physically or mentally, and crossing that finish line was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done and the perfect end cap to my one year MACROversary with Stay Fit Mom.

What made it even more meaningful was having my kids and my husband there watching me chase something that truly scared me. For a long time I believed that taking time for myself meant I was somehow taking something away from my family. What I’ve realized is the exact opposite. Letting them see me set a goal, work for it, struggle, and eventually accomplish it showed them that it’s okay to make yourself a priority sometimes. If anything, I hope it showed them that even when something feels intimidating or impossible, you can still show up and do the work; that it’s ok to be uncomfortable and that if you choose to grow in those moments and show up for yourself,  that’s where the true magic happens.

What is your most used, favorite SFM recipe?

Amber: Up until this month, my favorite recipe for prep is the tried and true chicken pesto bake, but the banana bread baked oats has become such a highlight to my days! I add dark chocolate chips and a tablespoon of peanut butter to them as soon as they get out of the oven, and love to eat them  cold straight from the fridge! 

My family loves the lasagna soup as well.

Tell us about your experience working with Coach Mariesha specifically.

Amber: Working with Coach Mariesha has been such a gift! She is the best hype person, a true girl’s girl. Her encouragement, guidance, support and positivity has paved the way for me to succeed. On more than one occasion, she has reminded me to be gentle and gracious to myself, which has turned out to be just as valuable as learning the numbers and the process. She has helped piece me back together, affirmed my perimenopausal struggles, and stood by my side as I slowly found my spark again. 

What Coach Mariesha says about working with Amber:

Mariesha: Working with Amber has been a dream…she has had such consistency and determination throughout the entire year. She would take her scale on trips so that she could stay accountable and still hit her macros. She was meticulous in planning out her week, re-orienting her priorities so that she could still go to events and do things, while also still getting in a green day. But what has stood out the most has been her joyful attitude and self awareness. In every check in, she has self-evaluated where she is at and she has been eager to follow any direction or changes that I give. She has been a delight to coach and I’m so proud of her! 

Amber’s story is such a powerful reminder that no matter what season you’re in—whether it’s perimenopause, a busy family life, or just feeling a little off—you are not stuck. With the right support, simple systems, and a willingness to keep showing up, real change is possible. If you’re ready to feel like yourself again, build habits that actually last, and have someone in your corner guiding you along the way, our Stay Fit Mom 1:1 coaching program is here for you. We’d love to help you write your own story next.