Gained Weight at 40 Despite Working Out? What Worked

Krista: I turned 40. I gained 40 pounds just kind of out of nowhere. I was still working out. I was still trying to eat healthy. Nothing was coming off and nothing was working. I almost feel like I'm wearing a bodysuit, but it's not mine. Really, I was like, I need help.

Nikkiey: You're down how many pounds now?

Krista: Somewhere in the 17, 18 range, somewhere in there, with WarriorBabe. Feeling better, eating better, working out better. I'm a better mom, a better wife, and I'm able to be there more emotionally and physically for them, which is invaluable, right?

Nikkiey: It's very invaluable.

Hey, everyone. What's going on? Welcome back to another WarriorBabe interview. Today I'm really excited because I have Krista here with me. Despite what she did prior to finding WarriorBabe, she was working out. She was trying to get healthy. She was exhausted, overtraining, stuck in the mindset that the scale was the only thing that mattered. She gained 40 pounds, but she knew deep down that she needed a change. She needed the right direction, and she found us.

Today what we're going to dive into is how she's now down 17 pounds, has more energy than ever, and has completely rewired her relationship with fitness and food. I'm really excited to dive into her story. So Krista, welcome.

Krista: Hello. Thank you.

Nikkiey: I'm really excited to get into you sharing with us what your situation with health and fitness was before you found WarriorBabe.

Krista: With health and fitness, after I had my second child, I was like, okay, I need to really start being active because I need to have more energy. I've got one kid and then a toddler, a baby. So I was like, I need to start getting back into fitness. That's when I started really pushing myself to work out regularly. It took a few months to really get into a good habit of it. I started doing those at-home workouts. It's been 10 years now that I've really been working out and doing my thing. Since then, I also had another child. That's kind of where I was really restricting calories, more like 1200 calories, to try to really cut weight.

I had no idea. Growing up, I didn't really have a good example of how to eat well. We just ate whatever. And of course it was a situation where I could eat whatever I wanted and I didn't gain any weight, which made it hard as an adult to know how to fuel my body properly.

Nikkiey: You were saying that you were working out and you weren't eating horribly. What made it frustrating to see your body changing in the opposite direction, because you started to gain weight?

Krista: I guess what happened is I turned 40 and my check engine light came on. All the things were happening. I gained like 40 pounds just kind of out of nowhere. I was still working out. I wasn't eating really badly. It wasn't like I went on some crazy food bender. I was doing all of the same things I had been doing. I just gained all this weight really fast and it freaked me out. But I was also dealing with brain fog and I was tired and I wasn't really sure what to do. So I did go to my doctor and have my hormones checked, because I was like, well, I'm 40, so I should probably get the hormone things checked out.

So I did that and my testosterone was really low. Once I started those treatments, that brain fog lifted, I had more energy. I felt more like a person again. Once I got to that point, it was like, okay, now that I feel a little bit better, I need to do something else, because what I've been doing is just not working.

Nikkiey: Was that a wake-up call for you, when you mentioned the check engine light was on? Was that like, I've got to figure this out, this ain't right?

Krista: Yeah. Well, it was crazy because my first is 14. I lost the weight after having him. Then my second one came along and I lost most of the weight. But then number three came along and I lost none. Not one pound came off. Her body weight came out of my body and that was it. She's eight now. At that point I was over 200 pounds, and I am 5'3", so that was a lot of weight for my little body. I'd never in my life been that big. And so I did lose that weight and I got back down.

I actually ended up getting back into the 140s over time. It took a good year of that. Then I had been hanging out in the 140s, 150s area for a while, and I was comfortable with that. I was still doing my thing. And then really, I don't know what happened. I turned 40 and my body said, just kidding, we're done. So I was like, okay, let's figure this out. I was still working out. I was still trying to eat healthy, whatever.

But nothing was coming off and nothing was working.

Nikkiey: That's frustrating.

Krista: That's really when I was like, I need help. I need help, clearly.

Nikkiey: That can feel really frustrating when you think you're doing all the right things, but you're not seeing the results that you want. Being a mom of three and trying to navigate this, you're a go-getter, you're determined to figure out how to get the results that you want, but it was more so getting the help that you needed, that you didn't know you needed until you found us. Where did you first discover us?

Krista: I was trying to remember exactly. It was either Facebook or Instagram, but it was one of the ads. It was you talking about helping women over 40, and women in menopause and all this kind of stuff. And I was like, okay, I know that women's bodies are crazy anyway, but in menopause and going through changes like that... I'm not in menopause, but I'm heading that direction, and obviously there was something going on with my body. So maybe these people have it figured out. Maybe they can help me get this part of my life, this season of my life, figured out.

Nikkiey: Oh, awesome. I love that that stood out to you the most. Was it brought to your attention that I'm not in my forties, but I'm helping women in their forties and fifties?

Krista: I did think that was really interesting. I was like, okay, well, she definitely doesn't look like she's in her forties. If she is, she looks amazing. But I was seeing all the pictures, because there were some pictures of other women, before and afters.

And I was like, okay, these women are doing it. Maybe they can help me get this figured out too. That was really funny to me. I was like, she doesn't look that old. But I've seen all these pictures of women's before and afters that definitely look like they're older than me. So I was like, okay, maybe they've got this figured out.

Nikkiey: So was that the deciding factor that made you feel like this was worth trying, seeing that other people had the results you wanted?

Krista: Yeah. I was like, okay, these older women are seeing results. Maybe it's never too late to start fitness. It's never too late to start really changing your body. And I was really nervous about it. I was like, okay, I'll just schedule the call. And I do remember being really nervous leading up to that phone call, because you get nervous about the unknown, right? I don't know what this is going to be. I don't know if this is just a gimmick or what.

Nikkiey: Sure, absolutely. I was talking to a friend yesterday and you'll probably resonate. She said, I just feel like everything out there is a scam.

Krista: Yeah, exactly.

Nikkiey: That's totally valid, that you're like, I don't know what this is, and you have nervous feelings beforehand, because it's definitely uncertain. You don't know what you're going to talk about on the phone or what's going to follow afterwards. So let's talk about that. How did you feel when you talked to a team member, and what were your feelings and thoughts when you decided to join?

Krista: I can't remember the name of the girl I talked to, but she was really nice. It was really fun to talk to her. We talked a lot about the things that I had done, what I struggle with, and if I was really willing to put in the work and the time to make the changes. Because I do know that you can buy any program in the world or any product in the world, but if you don't use it consistently, if you're not actually doing the work, making the effort, making the changes, then it's not going to work no matter how amazing it is.

She was really just trying to find out, is this lady really going to put in the work, and does she really want to do this? And I got really excited the more I talked to her. I was excited to get a coach for nutrition and for workouts, because I had worked with somebody on macros a little bit and it wasn't a good fit for me with that particular person. I didn't get a lot of good direction. They were just kind of there.

So I was like, well, I'll do nutrition and workouts this time. Even though I work out regularly anyway, I'll see if we can do something different. Maybe they have some insights into some workouts that I can do. By the end of the call, I was pumped and ready. I was like, okay, let's go.

Nikkiey: Love that. Did you sign up right on the spot?

Krista: I did. Yes. I signed up right on the spot.

Nikkiey: I ask this of all the WarriorBabes: how did you feel about the cost of the program?

Krista: It was sticker shock for a minute. And then I was like, well, you've got to invest in yourself some way. If I do this and it ends up being a waste of time and a waste of money, I've probably wasted more money on other things. And the other thing is, my husband had done a men's program somewhere that he had spent a ridiculous amount of money on, and it was good for him. He enjoyed it. So I was like, you know what? I'll invest in me a little bit as well and see how this works.

Nikkiey: I was going to say, did we deliver on our value?

Krista: Yes. Yes, absolutely.

Nikkiey: I'm happy to hear that.

Quick break. If you're finding this episode helpful so far, it would mean a lot if you could hit pause for just a second, leave a quick rating or a review, or share it with someone who could benefit from it. Your support helps more women discover these tools to build muscle, lose fat and feel confident. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with me.

When you signed up, what were your first couple of weeks like? As you transitioned into working with your coach and got your programming, how did you feel? Were there any fears or doubts, or what did those first couple of weeks look like for you?

Krista: It was nice, because when I had my first call with my coach, shout out Shayla, she's awesome. One thing that I really appreciated is that we fill out all the information about ourselves so you get to know us a little bit, and you all really listened to me and paired me with a coach that I really... it's a terrible thing to say... vibed with. She's great and she really listened.

She talked through, okay, what is it that you're wanting out of this, and came back with, okay, let's start with this plan and see how we go. Usually when I start something, I am pretty gung-ho and on top of it. Then later it starts to backslide a little bit when life happens. So I was pretty much just getting with it. It wasn't until I started this program with my coach that I realized I was just overtraining. I was not letting my body rest when it needed to rest.

I was pushing too hard. I did take rest days and things like that, but I was doing too much, too often, and just not letting my body recover enough.

Nikkiey: For more of a tactical look at that, what did your training look like before, and what did it look like when you started working with Shayla?

Ladies, 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, WarriorBabe is here for you. At WarriorBabe, we've helped over 18,000 women just like you lose body fat, build toned muscle and understand their bodies better with personalized plans based on hormone and thyroid testing and more. Imagine knowing exactly what your body needs to see real results, and results that last. Don't wait anymore.

Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit warriorbabe.com/apply today to start your transformation. That's warriorbabe.com/apply. All right, let's get back to the show.

Krista: I was doing cardio every day and weights every day, resting on weekends, but then also one night a week I was doing Irish dance as well.

So I was doing weights every day and cardio every day and then dance once a week at night. Then I would usually rest on the weekends, but I was usually still busy on the weekends. I have three kids, so you're go, go all the time with three kids.

Nikkiey: Always something.

Krista: Yeah. So I was just doing too much. Even though I rested on the weekends, it still wasn't enough rest for my body. It was just too much every day.

Nikkiey: That check engine light was probably getting louder and louder.

Krista: All the other lights started coming on and it was just a bad deal.

Nikkiey: So what made WarriorBabe different from other methods or programs you've tried before?

Krista: Like I said, I did work with another coach on macros, and I don't feel like the coach fit was good. She was just kind of there. Whereas Shayla, who's amazing, shout out to her again because I love her so much, she is awesome. She listens and she gives feedback, and there's a lot more communication and collaboration.

When I'm like, hey, I had a really rough week and I'm going to have to dial back on a couple of these workouts because my body just feels tired, or I stayed up too late and I've really got to rest today, she's like, okay, let's do this and this and this instead. Or I'm traveling and I'm not going to have access to a full gym, and she's like, okay, let me get you these other workouts, let's adjust this. She really helps me make this program part of my life instead of just something I'm doing occasionally or that's on the back burner somewhere. It helps it be ingrained in what I'm doing every day.

Nikkiey: I love to hear that. That's huge. You have a coach that listens to you and adjusts things as you go when you need to. So even though maybe you're taking a little bit of a step back this week because your body needs the rest, you can get back at it next week. And if you need adjustments for a hotel gym or whatever, she's going to be able to support you in that. I think that's freaking awesome. And you renewed for another year, right?

Krista: I did. I was actually really bummed that my year was coming to an end. I was like, no, no, no. But then you guys were offering that deal, and I was like, okay, this would be the time, because I really wanted to continue. I have over 40 years of habits, some bad habits, some not-as-great habits, and some habits that I'm just trying to change. That doesn't happen overnight, and I know that. And life happens and things get in the way.

And that's okay, because it's just a part of life. So I know that one year is not going to fix everything. It's not going to happen, and I know that, which is great. While I'm very happy with the progress I've made so far, I want to continue to make progress and I want to continue to learn and grow. I know that I still have things to work on and mindsets to change. When there's so much ingrained in you for so long, it takes a while to shift those mindsets, because it's easy to shift back into the old ones.

Old habits die hard. So I'm excited to continue working and continue growing. I listened to the call from the other night, and it was really amazing, because as I was listening to it, it felt like another mental shift for me, about feeling stronger and not just about the scale and how my body looks. I noticed recently, which I hadn't even told Shayla yet, that I've been really excited at dance class, because I have been feeling really great at class and performing better and feeling better.

I was really excited about it, because I was 39 when I started Irish dance. It was a new hobby and I love it. It's so much fun.

Nikkiey: So much jumping, though. I bet your abs get a solid burn from that.

Krista: Oof, yes. Legs are on fire. Every night I came home from dance, and it was just once a week, I was taking ibuprofen. I had to stretch.

My calves were cramped up. It was just pain, so much pain all the time. Now that I've been with WarriorBabe for over a year, eating better and training better, I go to dance and I'm performing better. My calves aren't cramped up when I get home, and I have a 40-minute drive from dance to home. So I'm working out, then sitting for 45 minutes, and then I get out of the car and it's not cramped up anymore. I'm not feeling this horrible pain in my body like I was. It's so amazing.

Nikkiey: That's awesome.

Krista: I just feel better. Sorry, I was going on about that. I just get very excited, because I don't have the pain and the cramping in my legs like I had before. It's just nice to feel better.

Nikkiey: It's really cool that you know how to interpret that. Beforehand you were low on energy going to this dance class, and now you can feel the difference. That's you giving your body the fuel and the nutrition it needs to perform at your best when you're dancing, which is everything to feel excited about.

And I love what you said too, that you're excited for the next year. You were sad that your year was up because you know this isn't a short-term thing. You have an awesome mindset and awareness that this is 40 years of habits that need to be rewired, and you're excited to continue to grow. Honestly, I just have to give you praise, because it's a beautiful mindset to have. It means you're going to continue to crush it with us in your journey as a WarriorBabe and beyond.

With that, I'd love to talk about where you're at in your journey now. What have your results been within this first year, physically, mentally, emotionally?

Krista: It was funny, because for the first couple of months the scale actually didn't move much at all. It was just hanging out, but my pictures tell a very different story. I had gotten to a point that was almost like rock bottom for me, because my belly was just huge. It was hanging out. I almost felt like I was wearing a bodysuit, but it's not mine. This is not me. So in those first couple of months, I could see my stomach getting smaller, even though the scale wasn't moving. Seeing that physical change was a lot of motivation for me to keep going and keep pushing and be like, okay, this is working.

It may not look like what I think it's supposed to look like, but it's working. Then we got into the holidays, so I just maintained through the holidays a little bit, but after the new year I really dialed in and focused, and that's when the weight started dropping. So I was really excited about that.

Nikkiey: You're down how many pounds now?

Krista: Somewhere in the 17, 18 range, somewhere in there. And I was excited the other day because I ran into somebody and they said, oh, it looks like you've lost more weight. And I was like, well, thank you.

Nikkiey: Compliments, right?

Krista: I'm not mad about that. And because I have been in the cut for a while, Shayla was planning to roll me into maintenance for a little while. At first I told her, that freaks me out.

Nikkiey: Yeah, of course.

Krista: It freaks me out because that means more calories. I have this deep-seated fear that you eat too much and you just gain weight. So that's something I have to work through.

I know, and I'm going to trust, that she knows what she's doing. So we're getting ready to get into that season, and I'm like, okay, we can do this. I can do this. We can work through this. I did ask, can we still do some body recomp in maintenance? And she said, absolutely, we still can. So I'm like, okay, we can do this.

Nikkiey: Maintenance is where the magic happens, Krista. I'm excited for you to experience that magic. But all the feelings you feel are totally valid, of being like, oh my gosh, I'm going to gain weight, I'm nervous, all my progress is going to be out the door. Totally normal. I can't wait to see you crush that season.

Krista: I'm excited about that. This last year has been really good, because it's not only been physical changes, it's been emotional and mental. Maybe I'll have a bad day, or maybe I'll have some extra treats because my whole family's getting ice cream and I don't want to be the only one not eating ice cream. Or we go somewhere and I'm like, well, this place has my favorite cookie ever, and then I have too many of those cookies.

I don't let those days spiral. I don't spiral into, well, I've already eaten this, so I might as well do this or this or this. It's okay. I ate a little too much there, but you know what? That's okay, because at my next meal, I will choose better. Not my next day, not next Monday. My next meal, I'm going to choose better.

Nikkiey: Look at that mindset. I love that. Very powerful.

Krista: It's been really great knowing that even if I eat a little too much of something I really probably shouldn't that day, it's okay. My next meal, whatever that is, dinner or breakfast or whatever, I can choose to stay on plan and stay where I want to go.

Nikkiey: That's awesome. How has WarriorBabe impacted your kids, your family, your life outside of fitness? Do your kids look up to you with what you're doing now? Has anything changed nutritionally with the way you show up for them? What does that look like?

Krista: In general, being in fitness has been a positive impact on my whole family. This was before WarriorBabe, but I will say when I started working out consistently, my kids were running all over me, and I'm like, look, I'm trying to work out, leave me alone. And we got to the point where Saturday morning would come around and my kids would get up and ask, are you working out this morning? Have you done your workout yet? Or can you play with me? That kind of thing. So they got used to me working out. And once I had lost all the weight previously, my husband was like, okay, I'll be your guinea pig. What do I do?

And he lost a bunch of weight, which, don't get me started on men and weight loss.

Nikkiey: Right, not fair.

Krista: It's not fair.

Nikkiey: They look at food and lose weight.

Krista: Right. They're bigger, they get way more calories than I get, being shorty McShorter.

Nikkiey: I hear you.

Krista: So he got on that train with me. And when I told him I was going to start WarriorBabe, he's been really supportive too and helps us stay on track when we're out and about and the kids are like, we want ice cream. And he's like, ice cream? And I'm like, we don't need ice cream. And he's like, yeah, we don't need ice cream right now, because we're both trying to really stay on track. There are times we'll get a treat, for sure. But it's nice because he does most of the cooking, so he'll make sure our meals are good and well balanced and that there's an option for him and me, even if the kids have something else. If he makes a big lasagna and I'm like, I don't really want to get down with a big old lasagna tonight...

Nikkiey: Right.

Krista: He'll make us ground turkey or something like that, or we'll have little turkey tacos, something a little more on our plans. Which is great. And with us eating healthy, especially this last year, the kids eat a lot healthier as well. We cut out dyes because my middle daughter is very averse to dyes, so we cut out a lot of those artificial dyes, which helps them eat a little bit better too. And we make our own sourdough bread.

Nikkiey: That's awesome.

Krista: And we have a few little duckies that are adorable, so I get duck eggs from them, because I'm actually allergic to chicken eggs. Not anaphylactic, just a high food sensitivity. So I get the duck eggs, and we buy chicken eggs from somebody so that we have more natural eggs, and we get milk from somebody too. We try to be a lot healthier and keep things as unprocessed as possible.

Nikkiey: I love that.

Krista: With WarriorBabe especially, my husband's been really supportive. And my kids see me doing the workouts and feeling better. Especially this last year with WarriorBabe, feeling better, eating better, working out better, I'm a better mom to them. I'm not as angry and tired and exhausted all the time. And I'm a better wife. I'm able to be there more emotionally and physically for them, which is invaluable, right?

Nikkiey: A hundred percent. I love that you touched on that. That is very invaluable.

It goes a really long way. You're setting the tone as a role model for your kids in the way that you're showing up differently for them now, and as a wife too. It's really cool. I love hearing about your lifestyle and all the things you're doing, which inspires them, but also the way you're choosing different types of foods, making alternatives. You still have your treats, but you don't need them all the time. That's what you call balance. I love that you're preaching that right now. I think everybody needs to hear that. I have one last question before we wrap up.

For someone who's watching or listening to your story right now, they may be in the same spot you were in before joining WarriorBabe. What would you want them to know is possible for them, if they have the same mindset you had going into your journey?

Krista: I would say it's worth the investment. It's worth investing in yourself. This is such a wonderful community of people, through the Facebook groups, our groups on the fitness app, and the community calls and things like that.

This is such a beautiful, empowering community where everyone is lifting each other up. Life is hard and we are all going to go through struggles, but taking care of ourselves is so important. This program is worth putting in the work for. It's worth doing. It's worth being the best version of yourself. And even if you feel like it works for everybody but you, like everybody else can do that but you could never do that...

Absolutely not true. If you put in the work, if you trust and work with the coaches, it's going to work for you.

Nikkiey: I love that. Thank you, Krista. And to everybody listening, let her story and her transformation be a reminder that it didn't happen overnight for Krista. She's aware of that. You signed up for another year because you know that some things need to continue to be unwired from 40 years of living in this space and the time you've been in the fitness world. But it does happen, and what you've been doing is consistency.

It's been support. It's been the right tools. It's been the community of women you've been surrounded by within WarriorBabe. And you went from overtraining and obsessing over the scale to building a life rooted in strength and energy, trusting that you know how to listen to your body and you know what's good for it. You also know how to take this program and optimize it to the way it works for you, which is really cool from what I'm hearing. So Krista, thank you for sharing your story. And for anybody listening, if you're tired of starting over and you're ready to build a true lifestyle within your fitness journey, go check out WarriorBabe at warriorbabe.com. Krista, thank you again. I appreciate you.

Krista: Thank you so much.

Nikkiey: 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.