How I Lost 3 Inches in 3 Months

When I Moved In With My Boyfriend, I Gained 20 lbs — And Here’s What I Did About It

I didn’t give up on myself. I stopped leading myself.

No structure. No protein focus. No consistent sleep. Just drifting day-to-day, reacting instead of creating. And my body paid the price.

So I did what I teach my clients when it comes to fat loss and keeping it off: I went back to Phase 1, the foundation phase. Because you can’t skip this part if you want to keep long-lasting results. 

🛏️ Phase 1: Sleep

I set a bedtime: 10 p.m., and committed to waking at 5:30 a.m. My body needed rest. My mind needed structure.

Here’s why sleep is everything:

Bottom line: If you expect to burn fat while feeling exhausted and overworked, the odds are stacked against you. (And I experience this first hand, wondering why I couldn't drop weight for over 6-months when I never had a problem with weigth loss before.) 

🥩 Protein First, Then Tracking

Before I jumped into macros, I re-anchored on prioritizing protein. The rest followed this habit.

Here’s my approach:

Why? Muscle tissue is your metabolic engine. More muscle = more calorie burn at rest. Feed it, protect it, support it.

After workouts, I used a post-workout shake (protein + fast-acting carbs) to tell my body: “Stop breaking down, start rebuilding.”

Why fast-acting? Because whole foods can take 2–3 hours to digest, during which your body might still be in breakdown mode. The post-workout window is short; the faster you feed, the faster recovery starts.

💧 Hydration

I went from barely 32 oz/day to 80–100 oz/day.

Hydration helps:

Drink like you mean it. Your body & metabolism will thank you.

📚 Mindset & Inner Work

Physical work is nothing without internal transformation.

I reintroduced:

Because if your mindset is messed up, nothing else sticks. Research shows that stress, mental fatigue, and negative beliefs can sabotage diets, habits, and hormonal balance. (While I didn’t pull a single study here, this is well-supported in behavioral and psych literature.)

🏋️ Movement With Intention

I committed to 3–4 intentional workouts per week, not insane volume, but focused effort.

Some days I lifted. Some days I rehabilitated (PT work, mobility, rolling). I prioritized precision over chaos.

Why? Because consistency, sustained over time, crushes sporadic “go hard, then quit” cycles.

If you're a wheelchair user and looking for a program to follow both AT HOME or IN THE GYM download the Wheel With Me Adapt Fit App here. 

This Is Phase 1: The Foundation

You can’t jump to fat loss without building the system that supports it. Phase 1 is about reclaiming structure, teaching your body what safety feels like, plugging holes so your results don’t leak.

If you're ready to get tracking, strategy, full lifestyle overhaul, that’s where 1:1 work comes in.

If you want to start Phase 1 right now (with me guiding you), hit me up:

📩 Text 704‑736‑3222 with “COACH ME.” I’ll help you figure out which phase you’re in and what support you need.

But you can start right now without my help. 

Your body is waiting. Let’s build the foundation.

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