From 35 Years of Struggle to Strength (WarriorBabe Interview w/ Kris)

00:00I lost 20 pounds. I'm in a pant size that I haven't been in since I was, I don't know, 16, 17. I remind myself it's not about the scale. The scale is a bitch and it lies all the time. Amen. Hey, so today's story I'm really excited for you guys to hear because for 35 years, Chris struggled with failed diets.

00:30She struggled with weight fluctuation. She struggled with chronic stress. She's tried everything from keto to calorie count and even some miracle pills, but nothing stuck. Then at 54, she decided it was time for a real lasting change. Now she's 20 pounds down, stronger than ever, and more confident in her body and in her mindset. Today, she's here to tell that story. Chris, what's up? Hey, what's up? It's good to be here. Well, thank you for being here, one. And two, I just want to kind of dive right into it.

01:04I want you to share with us before joining Warrior Babe, like what was, what was your story like? Like what was not only what we were going through, but also internal dialogue. Like what were your thoughts running through your mind when it came to your body, your health and your fitness? Yeah. So I'll go back, back, back, back. Right. Um, I was, I grew up in a relatively small high school. And so I was a three sport athlete all through high school.

01:34I was busy from August, the middle of August to the end of May with volleyball, basketball, softball, all the things. Right. And I was also that kid that loved PE. So I was always doing something for nine months out of the year. I graduated from high school and all of that stopped. I went to college and instead of the freshman 15, I gained the freshman 40. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Exactly. The freshman 40. Um, and I came home and my mom, God lover,

02:12uh, was just beside herself. She wasn't sure what to do. Right. Tried to help me every way she could. Um, did the Jenny Craig thing. Um, lost some weight, but honestly I was like, nah, pass. I mean, I did it because she paid for it and I did it because she wanted me to, but. How old were you at that time? So you were. 19, 20. Wow. Wow. And that was, and was that like something your mom wanted you to do or was that something?

02:47Yeah. Well, I mean, yes, yes and no. I mean, it was her idea. Right. She's like, if you want to, she's like, I'm concerned about how much weight you've put on. Sure. If you are willing to do this, I'll pay for it. Kind of a thing. Gotcha. And I think you need to try and get this under control. Now I, I was, I am, I like to consider myself as like a, like my body, but my body style was not my mother's. I am built after my dad. So my body was never in the mold of my mom's.

03:19Okay. Um, and I can remember comments that not, and never done intentionally to hurt me. Sure. But, um, like I can remember in high school where my mom said at one point, you're on a, you're in a size 14 pant. If you don't stop, I'm going to, you're going to have to start buying your own clothes. Kind of a thing. Now I was in a size 14 pant because my thighs were like tree trunks. Right. Like sports.

03:50Right. Exactly. And you know, I'd have to buy pants that fit my thighs, not pants that fit my waist. So, cause that, well, let me just like unpack that really quick. Cause that, cause sometimes that is where all of the subconscious thoughts, actions, behaviors start from comments of our parents and they're just doing their best. I totally know that those weren't comments, anything that was meant or geared towards intentionally to hurting you. But how did that make you feel when you heard those comments? Oh God. I, I mean, clearly, clearly it had a significant emotional impact on me because I still remember it here. It's almost 40 years

04:26later and I still remember it. So you did Jenny Craig, you did, there was that same time. Jenny Craig. I, um, tried doing work. I like one, I remember one fall, I, I lost a bunch of weight in the summer. Um, and it might've been after Jenny Craig and I went back to class or went back to school and then I would work out stair master, um, treadmill, all the things, but being a child of the eighties, sorry, being a female of the eighties, I got my senior year in high school. I was, I took a physical

05:03fitness, a fitness class, which was a weight, which was supposed to be a weight training class. What'd that look like in the eighties? Well, it, it was, you guys go ahead and do the, you guys go ahead and lift weights. I didn't have a, I didn't have a clue. What you're doing. Yeah. I didn't know what I was doing. I mean, had I seen people bench press? Sure. I'd never done a back squat. I didn't know what, I didn't know how to do a back squat properly. I'm doing some cardio on the stair master and the, you know, the, the treadmill trying to keep the

05:37weight off. Anybody that's been to college knows that 90% of what they feed you is carbs. Yeah. Carbs and fat. Right. And I wasn't, and I wasn't even a drinker. That's the other part. I like, I gained three pounds without drinking alcohol. Wow. That's the other thing. So, um, so fast forward another, you know, another year or so. And I got into, I decided to take a weight training class in college first day. They did some one rep maxes.

06:07And at one point they made me stop with my leg press because I had done so many reps at so much weight. They didn't want me to get hurt. They're like, you know what? I'm going to have to stop right now. And I was like, okay, that's fine. Cool. Whatever. Uh, long story short, they asked me to join the power club or the power lifting club, um, which I did for a short period of time until I got hurt. And then, um, and then I stopped. So graduated from college. And then I,

06:38in the time since then, I have done keto. I have done the miracle pill thing that you see on Instagram and Facebook and all of the places. Right. I've tried other fitness approaches like, um, V shred and those kinds of like similar, like in, in theory, similar to. I'm going to make a joke about this. Cause somebody said that on the last interview that I did with them last week and I was like, but warrior baby was way better than V shred. Right.

07:09Oh yeah. For sure. And in that time I, at 29, I was also diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. So I have struggled with weight because of steroids, because of medications, because of, and then losing a bunch of weight because I would be, I would, I would come out of remission and have a full blown attack. And so I've struggled both ends. You know what I mean? Right. So that you, that was, that, that was, that wreaked havoc for sure. Yeah.

07:44My metabolism, like at 29, all of a sudden I started losing weight and I couldn't figure out why. Oh, wow. Well, what autoimmune disease were you diagnosed with? Crohn's disease. Oh, wow. Right. And I would be fine for a little while. And then all of a sudden I start losing weight again. And my, and it didn't matter what I ate. I could eat 3000, 4,000, I could eat 3000 calories a day of nothing but crap. And I wouldn't get any weight. Wow. You know what I mean? So, um, it was,

08:22it was tough. It was, uh, so it was just uphill up and down, up and down, up and down 25 years. Yeah. Um, and. Until when? So you were 50. 54. So, so I joined warrior babe in May. Now I will tell you that. During this time, during that time of the 25 years, like up and down, like trying to get these medications underway and figuring out that autoimmune disease, were you doing any programs during that time to help support? Were you doing strength training? Like, what did that look like during that

08:52time? In my, uh, mid twenties, I quit college when I was a senior and I decided that I was going to do something else. And I was working at a factory and I started working out with a buddy and my partner at the time did not like, did not appreciate how big, how much muscle I put on. Now, part of the reason I got so big was because I had a lot of weight, right? Yeah. I had a lot of fat there, but then I was building the muscle

09:23under the fat. Right. And so I got, you know, so I got the big linebacker traps, linebacker neck. And I, like, I got, I got bigger in my early days. I ate a lot of fast food. Would that flare up your Crohn's too during that time? You know, I think part of the problem, it was hard to determine what was causing the Crohn's and what wasn't. I was smoking. My, uh, gastroenterologist said, avoid nuts, avoid seeds, avoid tomatoes, avoid

09:56anything, anything that could cause like a diverticulitis kind of a thing. Right. Yeah. When you look back at all of these years of understanding Crohn's and trying to figure that out for yourself, but also like the dieting and the struggling with your weight, what was the most frustrating part to you? I think the most frustrating part to me was the fact that I knew that the person that I was seeing in the mirror wasn't who I was. You know, like, what were the feelings that you were, what, what, can you unpack that a little bit? Like what,

10:28how did that affect your mindset and how did that affect? Like there was a consistent dialogue in my head about how I, well, clearly nobody wants to be, like, you're not good enough. Like you're not finding that person that wants to be with you forever. Cause you're not better. Or you are, you are failing at figuring out how to fix that, how to fix this. Or like the, and the, and the pride and half of the problem was that I felt like

11:05there was a time when the medical community failed me. Not necessarily my doctor specifically, but just the lack of knowledge and the lack of guidance that you really got. And again, young and dumb, you don't know what you don't know. In my thirties, my mom did a lot more research on my disease than I did. Right. And so, and I think that was probably because in my early thirties,

11:35I had an expectation that the medical community would tell me what I needed to know. Right. And that's just not how it works anymore or maybe how it ever worked. Right. What would you, what were you hoping they were going to tell you? Like how to handle Crohn's and like what? I think I would have, I would have liked to have had somebody say, here are the things that you should or should not do. And some of that they did. And some of it was my own stubbornness. Like one of the first things my doctor told me to stop doing was smoking cigarettes. And I didn't,

12:12I kept smoking for 20 years. I kept smoking. Have you stopped now? Yeah. Yeah. When did you stop? Um, I stopped in 2021. Oh, wow. Think about this. 2021. Yeah. That's awesome. How do you feel? It's awesome. But it's also, but also every time I get a little cough, I go, okay, am I going to get, do I have lung cancer? So you start spiraling in your mind. Understandable. You did it for how many years? Um, I started, well, college. So when I started gaining

12:48weight is when I started smoking, right? Cause in my head, increase the metabolism. That's going to go away. Cause that's what my mom did. Yeah. Your story so far has been crazy, but you care, which is super cool up until like what? 54, right. Is when you joined us, what was, what was like this, the specific moment or experience that made you like realize that something needed to change?

13:18Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause? It's time to take control. If you're between 45 and 65 years old and tired of struggling with body fat and muscle loss, warrior babe is here for you at warrior B we've helped over 18,000 women, just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle and understand their bodies better with personalized

13:49plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results and results that last. Look, don't wait anymore. Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit warrior babe.com forward slash apply today to start your transformation. That's warrior babe.com forward slash apply. All right, let's get back to the show. Um, so I lost my wife. Oh, I'm so sorry. Well, thank you. Um, six years ago, six years ago

14:30today, actually. Um, and, uh, we never had kids and I have one brother and he and his wife never had kids. I have basically been, been a mama to thousands of children as they've, I've either taught them or had them in my building. Cause tell, let's share with the people what you do. I'm an assistant principal in a middle school. That's so bad ass. So bad ass. Yeah. How, uh, so middle school is what? Six to eight. Yeah. So they're 11 when they get here and they're 14 when they leave.

15:05That's yeah. It's this, you know, uh, scientifically it is the most growth emotionally, physically, and psychologically that they will do in their life next to birth to age two. And you have a direct positive impact on that. Yes. Ooh. Yeah. Thank you for the work that you do. Yeah. Oh, thank you. I, I, I tell people all the time, you gotta be half crazy and people, people reply with, we know you are. So think about that and

15:40think about the things you have to deal with on a daily basis. And like, you know, yeah, yeah. It's truly, it is truly different every single day. Yeah. I never have the same time. But okay. So going back to that, the one, the one experience that no, no, you're good. I'd love to hear that. But the one experience that made you realize that like, yeah. So my, um, friend of mine, um, had her second daughter and she was born, um, about four months before I lost my wife. And she asked me to be her godmother.

16:15And from the time that child was born, she has been a, the light of my life, but be fearless. And she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, completely different than mine, but basically caused her pain from the, for probably since the time she was born and until she was able to verbalize it, they didn't know what it was. Um, and so I decided that in order, and, and Carrie

16:49has told me numerous times that when Bridget is a middle schooler, she's sending her to my house because she won't be able to, cause she'll be too much for, I'll be the only one that will be able to handle her. But I, and I think that's, and that's done jokingly, but, um, that just kind of speaks to the kind of kid she is like her strength and her resilience. I watch her. She enjoys everything she does, whether it's softball or gymnastics or basketball. The kid rode a two wheel bike by the

17:26time she was two and a half. Oh, wow. So she is just fearless. And I thought, you know, I don't have kids of my own, but if I want to see this child come to become the adult that she clearly is meant to become, I need to do something to change my life so that I make sure I'm physically able to be there. Oh, so that's really the reason. And it's, it's interesting. I told, um, when I decided to join warrior babe, I, I told my onboarding,

18:03I don't remember who, I don't remember who it was, but I told the onboarding rep that I thought about that. I thought about warrior babe a year and a half or two years earlier. Wait, how did you find, how did you find warrior babe? Like where, where, well, I found it on, I found, I think initially I found it on Facebook. I think the first time it was on Facebook, but you know, being a middle school administrator, I have Facebook, I have Instagram, I have Tik TOK. The only thing I don't do is Snapchat. Okay. Oh, I feel like all the middle schoolers are on snap. Well, maybe high schoolers.

18:36Well, middle schoolers are on snap too, but I just, I get, I get too overwhelmed and I'm just, nope, I can't. Um, so I had found warrior babe, I think on Facebook first. And I had actually had a phone call. I actually set up a phone call and had a, had a conversation, an initial conversation with someone about my why and about all of the things. And at the time I just wasn't ready to commit for whatever reason. I don't remember the reason, honestly. I, it was, you know, maybe it was

19:11the timing. It was right around, like it was right after Christmas. It was one of those things. I need to do this, but I wasn't ready to actually commit. And, um, the person that I spoke to said, if you're not ready to commit, I like, this is a significant, like, this is a significant monetary, like investment, investment and buy-in. So you need to be sure this is what you want to do. Yeah. And I was like, that's fair. And I appreciate your honesty. So I'm going to think about it. And if I, if, if I

19:45decide I'm going to go, I'll call back kind of a thing. Okay. So it was like a year and year and a half. You said that was, uh, so that was a year and a half, I think before I actually joined warrior. What happened in that year and a half? Like, what did you do in that year and a half? Um, well, I got through my grief from losing my wife. I started lifting with a trainer, um, like three days a week, one hour a day. He would put me through progressive overload and all

20:19of the things. And, um, I was building muscle. It was great. I felt amazing. Right. But I wasn't losing the fat. I wasn't losing the fat. And part of that was, you know, we, when I started, we talked about my goals and my goals were, was to build muscle. And so he started me on 19, I think it was 1975. I think is where he started me. Okay. My journey of calories and, and just focusing on calories at that point. Yes. So it was like, he was a calorie in calorie out guy.

20:53Oh, how, what, uh, what do you think about it then? And what do you think about it now? Well, then I was like, I mean, I, everything that I knew about losing weight was calorie in calorie out. That was, that was what, that was what I was taught. That's fair. First time I heard about macros was Facebook with Nick Stott. That was the first time I heard about macros. Right. And so I, like, and I should, maybe not the very first time, but in that, in that space, in that effort to improve

21:28fitness and body composition, that was the first time I had heard it. When I wasn't seeing a body shift. I mean, yes, clearly mass moves, mass moves mass. Right. So, yep. I was back squatting 210. I was dead lifting 235. Yep. I was doing those things. And at 50, 52, I was like, hell yes. That's a weight. And I was 52 at the time. And it was like, all right. I like, cool.

22:02Hey, while you're listening, if you're getting value from this episode, take a moment to tap that review button or share this podcast with a friend. It's a small gesture that goes a long way in helping more women find their way to feeling stronger and more confident in their skin. I appreciate you so much for taking the time to support this show. I, we would do weigh-ins every six weeks and I'd step on the scale and I would weigh more and I would weigh more and I would weigh more. And I knew, I know, I knew enough that I knew

22:33that the muscle weighs, the muscle is denser. So therefore that's part of the reason I was putting on the weight. But part of the reason that I wanted to do the weightlifting was to shed some of the fat. Sure. And it just wasn't. And, and his response to me was, then you need to do more cardio. Oh man. And I, I, I have a knee that has been, that has had an ACL reconstruction. I have another knee that the doctor has said will need to be replaced. During my training with him, I tore a, I tore my,

23:07I tore my rotator cuff. So I have a rotator cuff that's, that needs to be fixed that I'm not in any hurry to be, to do. Cause that's four to six months. Jeez man. So I am. Did you do more cardio? Did you listen to him do that? No, I did not do more cardio. I stuck with the way I was, I stuck with what I was doing. Yeah. And I, I tried to pay more attention to my food. Right. So I tried, I got rid of soda.

23:37I got rid of, I tried to get rid of a lot of the, a lot of the sugar that I was consuming or the fast food that I was consuming. Cause like. Great. That was a great conversation with him was okay. I need to change my food. Food is 80% of the problem. Yeah. What is that? I said, I've been, I've heard some things about macro counting. Should I do, should we look at that? And he looked at me and he goes, nah, that's garbage. That doesn't mean anything. I was like, okay. Like you're like, dude, you are like, I trusted him

24:16things because he went to school to do the right. To be a, to be a trainer. So fitness, so health and like all of that stuff. And, and he was a, and he was a college football player. So I knew he had experience in the athletic space. Yeah. Like that kind of athletic space. So I probably gave him a little bit more. How long did you stick with him? Do you stick with him for the year and a half or how long? No, I left, I, I lifted with him for three years. So I was almost three years to,

24:49one, it would have been three years in August. So I was with him for two and a half. Okay. Got it. And then what initially drew you back to warrior baby year and a half after, or your first call that my, my drawback was, um, after that second call that I made, my drawback was a Bridget and, um, deciding that I needed to do something different and be listening to, I started listening to your podcast. I started listening to The WarriorBabe Show because I was like,

25:22okay, this interested me before I need to get, I need to do some more research. I need to get some more information, figure out what this is about. Maybe, maybe, honestly, maybe I can do this without doing the actual program. Maybe I can learn enough through the webs, through the, through the podcast to do this on myself. Do you think the podcast with all the things that you're listening on that, is it pretty fair that you totally probably could? Right. Well, so here's what, so I, and so I did. So I started listening to The WarriorBabe Show in January and I would listen and I started at the beginning.

25:59I listened to the very first year, by that time you were already in season, you were already in year two. Oh, wow. But I listened to every single podcast. That's all I did for the first three months was in my car on my way to and from work was to listen to The WarriorBabe Show. That's all I did. Wow. And so in February, I decided to try and do it on my own. So I did. And I lost 20 pounds. You lost 20 pounds? Yeah. Not yet in Warrior Babe? Nope. I lost 20 pounds.

26:36Just by listening to The WarriorBabe Show? Yeah. What specifically did you do different? One of your episodes, you talked about being in menopause and figuring out your fats and your, like I went with the, with the, what's your goal weight? Eat that many, eat that many grams of protein. And then how many grams of fat should you have in menopause? And then kind of went with what, where my calories were with my other trainer

27:11and kind of went, okay, I think I've been eating about 1500 calories is what I think I've been eating. Yeah. So I got the protein figured out. I got the fat figured out. And then I figured out how many carbs that was left. Right. And let's go. So, so I lost 20 pounds from February until probably the beginning of May. So it was about, so two months, probably March, April, well, three months,

27:43maybe three months. Anyway. Um, I lost 20 pounds before I actually joined Warrior Babe. And then I was like, okay, he's, he has brought me as far as he can bring me. Sure. I need somebody to help me with this. I need somebody to help me with these adjustments now. Cause I didn't, cause I, I quit losing weight and I wasn't seeing a change in my body comp. So I was like, okay, I need to, I need to do something with the food. I got to change it. So that's when I, that's when I made my second call to Warrior

28:18Babe. And, um, got my first coach and kept my trainer for about six weeks as a transition just to help me with form and function and all of those things. And after about six weeks, I was like, I said, I said, I think we're good. He's like, yeah, I feel kind of, I said, I know you feel kind of weird just standing here watching me do somebody else's the workout somebody else has given me. So

28:49I'm cool. We're good. And so I stopped with him and I have been only been with Warrior Babe since the end of May. May of 20. Only with Warrior Babe since the end of June. Sorry. So June of 2024. I joined Warrior Babe May of 2024. And I stopped with my other trainer a month later. When you joined us, was there anything that like you were, you had done a lot of the work yourself? What was there anything you were skeptical about when you joined the program? No, no, frankly, because, because I had

29:21lost 20 pounds doing my version of macro counting. And I think honestly, Nikki, because I spent a year and a half between my first call and making that second call, I like, I was very focused on, and because I'd listened to The WarriorBabe Show, there were things that I was very focused on being, paying attention to. Mm-hmm. What were those things that you're paying attention to?

29:52So I think the, um, a lot of that was, okay, surely a hundred. Now I'm a, I am a girl that loves her, that loves her protein. Like I do not have a problem getting my protein in a day. I love that. So when, so when people are like, I can't eat 160 grams of protein, I'm like, really? Because I feel like I could eat, like, I feel like I could eat 200 grams of protein if I wanted to, but I was a meat and potatoes kid growing up. So not a big deal. Um, I think the, I think the one thing that I was the

30:27most skeptical about was the amount of fat that I could eat. That was probably the biggest, the biggest thing. Why? Because I've, I'm a girl of the, I'm a kid of the eighties. All I've heard, I mean, I was born in 1970. All I've heard from 1970 to night to, I don't know, I, for my entire life is how fat is, how fat is bad for you. Yep. Fat will make you fat. That's right. Fat will make you fat. And it doesn't matter if it's avocado or if it's, or, or if it is like beef fat, it doesn't matter. Fat is fat

31:02and it's all bad for you. I love the narratives that have happened in the eighties and all the way women carry throughout now. And I just hope that warrior babe is a part of breaking those narratives. Well, I mean, I will tell you that I, I have conversations with people all the time. The number of people that have stopped me in the hallway and said, what are you doing? You look amazing. And I go, I'm counting macros. And then I, and then I tell them warrior babes, the program,

31:38check it out online. Like I, I, I am an actual, I am an actual advertisement for you. Like I just like right there. There it is. Listen to The WarriorBabe Show. You're going to get really good ideas, all these things. And I have, and I have like, I have a custodian who's, who I'm actually strangely writing, writing her, her. That is beautiful since joining. And you said June, right? Where are you

32:08now in your journey? I was with, I, I wasn't part of warrior babe more than a month and a half. And I got in on the, on the July 4th sale. And so I extended my, so I've already extended for a year. Um, I have, I've lost an additional 20 pounds since joining, but the best part, the best part, honestly, the best part is the fact that I have gone, I'm in a, I'm in a pant size that I haven't

32:42been, that I haven't been in since I was, I don't know, 16, 17. What size? Well, okay. So here's the deal. I wear men's, I wear men's men's size clothes. I don't wear, I mean, when's men's clothes, I don't wear women pants because they don't have enough pockets for me. Okay. So I started this journey, uh, in, when I first started counting my own macros, I was in a size 42 waist

33:13pant. I am now in a size 32 waist pant. It's down 10 pant sizes. And I am, um, I went from a unisex large sweat, extra large sweatshirt. Now I'm either in a small or a medium, small or a medium, depending on the, depending on the cut. Oh my goodness. I just got full body chills. Yeah. It's, I, it is, it's incredible. I, I look at, I look at myself in the mirror and I go, who are you?

33:44Because I still can't believe, I mean, I've basically been looking and I like my coach, Lindsay will tell you that like my weight has not moved. And there are times where I get a little annoyed and, and bummed and Lindsay has to go, okay, here we go. Here's where I see it. I see it here on your ab definition. I see it here on your back. I like, she has to help me see it because I don't, because I don't see the change, but it's, but it's there. Yeah. Right. I clearly

34:19it's there because people keep saying things to me. And so, you know, I, I, I remind myself, it's not about the scale. The scale is a bitch and it lies all the time. Amen. Like I got on the scale this morning and I was. Especially because of your, like your, you have muscle, you know? So like you're. Yeah. Look at that flex. Let's go. So, but to see body composition changes, despite the number on the scale, like that is a huge testament to the success that you're making. Yeah. It's

34:54amazing. It really is. I, I mean, and I have, I have to tell a quick story because you know, nothing is funnier than watching 13 year old, 13 year olds get you and go, I was walking down the hallway one day and I had a, I was going to the, I was going to the fitness room and I had a, I had like a muscle shirt on. Right. Yeah. And I was walking down the hallway and there were some kids here after school and they're like, Ms. Weiss, where are you going? I said, I'm going down to

35:26the fitness room. And they're like, are you going to go pump iron? And I went, yes, I am. And they like mouths just dropped. Like I said, yep. They gotta be looking at you. Like if my, if my assistant principal can be go and lifting some weights and like, you know, well, I mean, yeah, that's the other thing. Like if I can, I retire in three years and honestly, if I can make an impact on some of these kids to recognize that

35:59it's okay to go into the, to go lift weight because it's only going to make you stronger. Yeah. Do it now. Like don't wait until, don't wait until you're old like me to do that stuff. You're still, you're still, you to, to think about where majority of 56 year olds are at and where you're at now. Yeah. You're way ahead of the game in terms of you've added years to your life with what you've been doing over the last couple of years. Yeah.

36:34Yeah. That's awesome. How are you now with like, okay, so you had those type of physical changes, also mental changes too as well. I love what you wrote in your application. You wrote that you, the confidence in your daily life, like what does that look like for you? Yeah. I, you know, I was, um, you know, there's a, I don't know that people necessarily realize this. There is a significant opportunity for you to have bad spinal issues. If you don't stand up straight,

37:13right? And it's not just about standing up straight. It's also about looking up. I spend, I have spent as a, at, at 55, I can admit this, but I have spent a good portion of my lifetime looking down. When I walk, I don't look straight forward. I tend, my eyes tend to look at the ground, not forward. And now, and that's impact. And now I'm kidding. I am, I am, I am standing up straight and

37:45I almost worry that people might think I'm trying to look, trying to look at that. Right. Like, you know what I mean? Like I used to get, look that I walk with that statue, like that confidence. Yeah. And I, and there was a time I did, there was a time when I did, like, I can remember when I was 12, I walked like that. I was 12 years old. I walked like a badass and then I got picked on for it. So also part of the mental, right? Like I had, I was, you know,

38:18it's not unusual for kids to get picked on when they're, when they're younger. Right. Totally. I got picked on. Me too. I got called a man and I still do on my ads. Yep. I get called a man all the time, but I got called Amazon. The kids would call me Amazon lady because I grew faster than everybody else. Oh, wow. I've been the same size since I was 12. I've been the same height since I was 12. Wow. And so I was the tallest until I wasn't, I was the tallest in my class until I wasn't. I resonate so hard with that.

38:49Right. So now you stand, now you stand taller. Now you talk more confidently. I do. I stand taller. I talk more confidently. I, I, um, I used to have an issue. I, I can, you put me in front of a thousand kids and I can talk all day long, but you put me in front of more than 10 or 15 adults and I am a, I am a bumbling fool. That's changed. Even I can even get that better now. Strangely. Let's go. Yeah. How does that, like, how does that,

39:21how does it feel to be in control like that way? Like to be in control of your mindset, being in control of your fitness, being in control of your health. I haven't like, I, this has been good for me in lots of different, in so many ways, truly. It's not just about the physical. It really is about the mental and the mind. I now have the mindset that if I like think about what I've done in the last, even, even in the last three years, but in the last six, eight months, what I've done has, and the impact that it has had on me has been nothing

39:59short of miraculous as far as I'm concerned. Cause you, most women get to this age and I'm, you know, I'm in menopause, post-menopausal probably, but I, people get to my age and they, they, like, they automatically assume that they can't do things. They're like, said that like the best years are behind them. I mean, yeah, sure. It takes me longer to, it took me longer to build this bicep than it does a 20 year old to build this bicep. I mean, I'll be honest with you. My goal is to have

40:31Nikki Stott arms and arms and shoulders. So let's go. You're well on your way there, Chris. You're looking good. I told Lindsay the other day, I said, this next phase, I want to work on my shoulder cut. Come on, let's go. And she was like, okay, I've been doing a lot of raises, baby. How much food are you eating now? I'm actually at just short of 2100, I think. We just did a bump last week. I'm at 215 carbs,

41:0370 fat, 70 fats and 115 protein. You know, if it's a six year old that would be hearing that right now, probably be shitting herself. Well, it's funny. I, so my mom's 75. I have, she's, I love my mother, but when she saw me for the first time after I joined warrior babe, she was blown away. And every time I see her, her grin is just bigger and bigger and bigger because

41:35I think she sees the difference in who I am, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally. And all of the things that she wished for me when I gained the freshman 40 have finally happened. Right. And I keep telling her, you could do this. I just interviewed a 75 year old last week. Right. And I said to her, I was out, they, they winter in Arizona. So I was out there for Christmas and I took my bands with me. Lindsay gave me a band workout and I was out on the porch doing my band

42:07workout and she comes out and she's like, really? That's all you're doing right now? And I said, well, this isn't what I do every day. I actually lift weights every day, but yes, there are people that this is all they do, mom. This is how they lift because they don't have access to a gym or all of these things. I said, that's, they meet you where you are. What kind of what that's, that's the plan. That's our motto. You can do this if you want. And she's like, no, I can't. Why not? Because I need someone there to tell me what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong. Okay.

42:42Well, why you can go even deeper, but why? I'm sure you do that with your kiddos, but why? Oh, of course. But why? But at 75, I'm like, okay, I'm not going to, I know. I'm not arguing with my mother. Like that's a, that's a, that's a path down to lost time. I feel you. Maybe she'll be inspired if you share that podcast with her, she can hear it from another 75 year old. Maybe I should. I didn't even, I actually did think about that the other day. I don't know if she'd listen to it, but I can always send it to her. Yeah. I should do that.

43:15Yeah. So yeah, but to eat, hear you eating 215 grams of carbs and 2100 calories. I never in a million years thought I was going to eat 215 grams of carbs. That's crazy. Well, what's your relationship like now, because you didn't know what macros were now, how do you feel about macros? Oh, are you kidding? I talk about macros to anybody that'll listen. Like, how did you, how did Chris, I don't understand. How did you do this? You really want to know? Well, yeah. Okay. Here it is. And they're like, wait, what? Yeah. It's like,

43:50it's a thing I said, but here's the thing you got to figure out what you're eating now. Like the first step is to figure out what you're eating now. And like, I've got a friend who I've been trying to help do macros on her own. She's been listening to The WarriorBabe Show, all of the things. And I'm like, Sarah, you have to do this. Like you got it. You can't do it halfway. Yeah. You either commit to the macros or you don't commit to the macros. And we had a conversation a week ago where I said,

44:22look, nobody says you can't have pizza, have the pizza. But if you know that your Friday night night, your Friday night is pizza night, then put it in Friday morning, Thursday night, whatever. And then you eat the rest of the day around what you were going to have for dinner. Let's go, Chris. And she's like, wait, I can do that. Of course you can do that. Yes. I mean, when I started warrior, babe, I did the Nikki Stott four pieces of dark chocolate every

44:55night. Let's go. I love that. That was the first thing I put in. That was the first thing I put in my fitness pal every single day because I couldn't give up my chocolate. Thank you for sharing the, the message and spreading the message. Like I, there is nothing wrong with, you know, you're going to have something, you know, you're going to have fettuccine Alfredo tonight. Fine. Put it in there. Yeah. Eat the rest of the day around it. It's only as hard as you make it. Like it does. That's right. Yeah. I mean, that's the other thing I am that I am not the recipe girl.

45:29Like I am not the five course meal girl. I bulk, I bulk make all of my protein on Sunday. That is literally been the most consistent statement that I've been hearing in the interviews is that you'll eat the same thing almost every day. And you don't want to have to, you're not a cook. Like I'm the same way, you know, that in the body, I don't want to cook, but make it this silly, stupid, simple and eat the same thing every day. And it's prime pathway for success.

46:03Yep. I have two different breakfasts that I'll have, and then I will, I have the same second meal, same third meal, same fourth meal. And then dinner will be based on what I had for what I have left after the, after the rest of the day. Right. But I figure it out. Heck yeah. Sometimes I need an extra tablespoon of peanut butter. Isn't that the best? It's the best. You can just scoop it up. Are you kidding me? I need some more peanut butter. I love that. It's amazing. I love it.

46:35Well, Chris, I mean, it's been so cool to hear your story and to be able to chat with you one-on-one. It's definitely very inspiring. And I thank you for putting in the work and the effort. And then you're just being a ripple effect for those that are around you and, and in your ecosystem and bubble. Yeah. I hope that I can, am I able to continue to do that for people? I think, I mean, that's kind of who I am as a person is a, is a helper and a fixer, I guess, but like, this has been, thank you for not only, I'm not necessarily figuring it out, but taking the

47:08knowledge that you have and you got from your fitness journey and turning it into something that everybody can use. I think that's anybody that asks me, that's what I tell them to do. Thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah. What would you tell somebody right now that's watching and they're thinking, they're thinking about taking the next step, but they're unsure. What would you tell them about worry, baby, and the impact that it could have on their life? I think the thing that there would be so many things that I would tell them, but we have

47:39so much, we don't, we only have so much time. So I think the, I think the biggest message that I would send is that you will never regret the work that you put into yourself and improving how you feel about yourself and Warrior Babe can help you do that. I love that. Thank you, Chris. Thank you. Your story has been incredible and I know it's going to inspire so many women that are listening to this. I always say like, you could change one person's life by you just being here and

48:13having this conversation with me and, and you're already doing it in your life as well. So I just, thank you for sharing your journey. Thank you for proving that it's never too late to take control of your body, build strength and create, you're creating, like I said earlier, you're adding more years to your life. You're creating lasting change, which is super cool. Yeah. So in any way that's listening, if you guys are resonating with Chris's story, you can do this too. The answer is yes. Check out worrybabe.com. We've got you, but Chris, thank you so much for your time and you're hilarious. And thank you for the work that you do. Like keep at it. Keep,

48:45keep at the lives that you're inspiring and keep at the journey that you're on for yourself. Thanks Nikki. I appreciate that. Real quick. If this episode resonated with you or gave you the push that you needed, I'd love for you to pay it forward. Drop a quick rating and review, share the podcast with someone who might need it and help me keep spreading the word. Your feedback not only helps the show grow, but it might just be the nudge someone else needs to kickstart their transformation. Thank you so, so, so much for your support.

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