Kiley’s Then and Now

This week's Then and Now has been my very most favorite of science experiments.

All the experts say that weight training, combined with healthy eating and, uh, no steroids, will NOT make a woman "bulky." But what about you ladies that have are "easy gainers"? Will heavy weights make you look overall bigger?

No. And still nope. This woman lifts every last pound she can get her hands on, and over the last several years I've watched her body get smaller and harder. Yes, she's muscular. But ya'll.... it's either that or saggy, empty skin. The only way to fight that aging process is with weights. They win. Every time.

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I guess I would say my fitness journey started at the ripe old age of 3. My parents put me in gymnastics because I climbed on everything in site and scared them and every babysitter I had to death. And then I just basically never stopped moving and exercising. What has changed over the years is HOW I move and exercise.

I’ve always been an easy grower, meaning I put on muscle really quickly. Maybe it’s genetic or maybe its because my body’s been conditioned to grow muscles and get stronger since I was 3. Or maybe a combo. Regardless, for most of my life I hated it! I was always too scared to lift heavy weights cause I didn’t want to look “bulky” (hard eye roll at my old self!) Before I met Tiffany I was doing an hour of steady state cardio (stair climber, treadmill, or elliptical) e wry single morning, plus a “boot camp” type class at lunch (Mostly body weight exercises or very light weight for tons and tons of reps. Or a step class. Or something like that.) I was working out about 2 hours every day and counting every calorie.

Then I met Tiffany and my workout transformation, and ultimately body transformation began! I do remember a time not too long after I started with her saying “I don’t want to lift heavy. I’ll just do more reps with less weight!” (Again, HARD eye roll) But then, a month or two later I thought “screw this! I WANT to lift heavy! I’m just going to trust the process and see what happens.”

And what happened was this:

I weigh about 8 pounds more than I did when I started with Tiffany. I wear a smaller size clothes. I count absolutely no calories. I workout for 45 minutes each day. And I love my body. I have abs after 2 kids. I have traps. And a booty.

Picture 1 is when I was in college. 20 years old. My workouts consisted almost exclusively of long runs or some other form of cardio.

Picture 2 was about 3 or 4 months after starting with Tiffany (24 years old. No kids). Again, I’d been doing mostly cardio and light weights. Calorie tracking and spinning my wheels trying to see any results.

Picture 3 is current. 31 years old. 2 kids. I eat pretty clean but I eat a LOT. My workouts are 45 minutes long in which I try to lift as heavy as I possibly can safely, with perfect form. I am happier. I’m healthier. And I’m free from worrying about getting too muscular. It’s a very liberating feeling.

Tiffany’s programming and Tribe Gym have changed my life as much as they’ve changed my physique. I now own my own Tribe Gym where I coach women and men all day in hopes that they too find a workout program, body, and mind they can fall in love with.
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Kiley, Tribe is so lucky to have you. You are the best athlete, coach, work partner and friend this girl could ever ask for.