Body Transformation: Gym Phobia Smack Down!

AGE 26 HEIGHT 5'6" WEIGHT 157 lbs BODY FAT 25%	AGE 27 HEIGHT 5'6" WEIGHT 130 lbs BODY FAT 15%

I was never an overweight child or teenager and didn't step foot into a gym until my mid-20s. I married my high school sweetheart and we gained 20 pounds during our first year of marriage. We belonged to a gym but never used the membership. When I first took advantage of the membership, I could only do about 10 minutes on the elliptical until I was completely exhausted and lost my motivation to continue.

Even though I lost my motivation, my husband continued to follow a strict routine and absorbed as much fitness and nutrition information as he could. I was too shy to go to the gym, so instead of going with him I did Jillian Michaels workout videos at home. It was around this time that I finally realized counting calories helped me lose weight, but it didn't help me become healthy.

Fitness changed my life. I now wake up each morning with energy. I have enough energy to get through my long workday and still go to the gym. I'm healthy enough to do all the activities that my husband and I enjoy. Last year, we went on three hiking trips. We went to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and hiked 24.45 miles with an elevation gain of more than 5,300 feet, Zion National Park in Utah and hiked more than 14 miles, and Bryce Canyon National Park and hiked more than 16 miles. The trips were amazing and we wouldn't have accomplished them if we were out of shape.

We also help run and co-own a clean eating blog called HeandSheEatClean.com, which helps and inspires thousands of other couples and individuals achieve a healthy lifestyle. My transformation changed my life and the lives of countless others. I also have a personal fitness blog, WhitneyCarlson.com, where I talk about personal fitness and health-related items. I'm an online coach and plan to become a personal trainer.

At first, I was too shy to go to the gym, so I did workout videos at home while my husband was at the gym. When I was ready to go to the gym, my husband created a workout plan for me. I followed his plan for about six weeks until Jamie Eason released her 12-Week LiveFit Trainer. I completed Jamie's trainer and was hooked.

There were days when I felt like quitting, but wouldn't let myself. I made the gym part of my day and something I had to do—like going to work. When you stick with it long enough, fitness becomes a habit. Now I don't even think twice about it—my bags are packed and I change clothes at work and head straight to the gym.

My inspiration came from my husband who completed a transformation which served as motivation for me. I wanted to be able to do all outdoor activities without holding him back.

All of it was overwhelming at times, but since my husband was already working out and eating clean, he helped me along the way. I also read as much information as I could on the subject. The more I read the more I wanted to know. That doesn't mean it was easy.

The biggest challenge that I faced was working full time. I work a high-stress full-time job and have a 45-minute commute each way to work. I'm also an online coach, work on two blogs, and am about to take the final exam to be a personal trainer.

I became an online coach in December through TLS. I help others who need extra support and accountability to achieve their fitness goals. HeandSheEatClean and WhitneyCarlson.com continue to grow and reach more people. The more people we can reach and help the better because those people will do the same.

You are on Bodybuilding.com for a reason and you have two choices right now. You can either change your life and live how you've always wanted, or you can continue down the same path. Once you decide to transform and change your life, you need to change the way you think about yourself. You must start thinking about yourself positively.

This journey is mental. You must believe in yourself and know you can do it. It will be hard and you will want to give up, but you don't have that option. You must continue to move forward. It's simple: eat clean and exercise.

Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals by providing Jamie Eason's LiveFit trainer. I never wanted to be skinny, I wanted to be fit, and that's exactly what her trainer is there to accomplish. One of the best moments was meeting her in person at the Bodybuilding.com booth at the Olympia Expo last fall and she recognized my husband and me. The articles and the exercise database are also very informative.