A WOMAN who couldn’t look at herself in the mirror and suffered hair loss as she struggled with binge eating has shared her top 8 tips for turning her life around – and becoming a fitness coach.
Sophia Moulson, 21, used to feel “trapped in a cycle of self-doubt and insecurity” and turned to food as a coping mechanism, often binge eating.
Sophia Moulson, 21, struggled with binge eating and low self esteem[/caption]
Her hair began falling out in clumps due to stress[/caption]
She started working out in 2023 and was able to turn her life around in a year[/caption]
Sophia hopes to help others in her place[/caption]
With her hair falling out in clumps “due to stress” and struggling to walk without feeling out of breath, Sophia joined her local gym with the aim losing weight and improving her mental health.
Within a year, she’d transformed her body and health, and now hopes to help others do the same.
“I was so uncomfortable in my own skin and hated my appearance,” Sophia, who lives in the south of England, said.
“I had zero self-confidence, and I’d avoid social situations because I felt embarrassed and didn’t want anyone to see me.
“I got so set in my ways of wanting to stay home and eat whatever I could.
“Then, when I would see myself in the mirror and feel uncomfortable, I would eat more to comfort myself.
“My turning point came when one day I was sitting there realising all of my clothes wouldn’t fit.
“I felt so unfit I couldn’t walk far without being out of breath, and I kept dreaming of a life which was so far from my reality.
“My hair was falling out due to stress.
“I didn’t feel like me – and I didn’t recognise myself.
“I realised I had to make a change, otherwise I would regret it later on in life.”
Weighing 12st, Sophia committed to going to the gym three times a week from September 2023.
While she’d previously struggled to stay consistent, this time she was able to stick to her workout schedule and was blown away by how good she started to feel.
She said: “Everything changed when I discovered the gym and a fitness-focused lifestyle.
Sophia avoided looking in mirrors as she hated the way she looked[/caption]
She was able to stick to a consistent exercise routine of weight lifting and cardio[/caption]
She tried to hit 10,000 steps a day[/caption]
And she weight trains five or six times a week, followed by quick burst of cardio[/caption]
“[I started] only wanting to lose weight.
“It felt so challenging and I wanted to give up as I’d been to the gym on and off for years, but only stuck at it for a week or two tops.
“This time, I told myself I needed to keep going and push through the hard times and feeling uncomfortable.
“When I realised I had stuck at it for a month and started to enjoy it and the routine, I started looking forward to going to the gym.
Sophia’s 8 fitness journey tips
Sophia shared 10 things that helped her through her fitness journey.
1. Get outside – stepping into the great outdoors can boost your mood and help you with your weight loss goals. Aim for at least 10,000 steps a day whether that’s running or walking.
2. Don’t compare yourself to others – everyone goes at their own pace and you can’t compare day one of your journey to someone’s 100th day.
3. You might make friends along the way – though you might feel intimidated, the gym can be a good place to meet others.
4. Make sure to eat – you need to fuel your body. Eating enough protein is an important part of weight loss and muscle gain.
5. Don’t deny yourself sweet treats – having one ‘cheat meal’ isn’t going to ruin your progress.
6. Honour your effort – even if you feel you aren’t making progress, being consistent is something to be admired.
7. You won’t see results instantly – getting fit takes time, but putting in hard work and pushing yourself with guarantee good results.
8. There will be bad days – you won’t feel 100% every day and that’s OK!
“At first, it was intimidating, but over time, I fell in love with the process.
“I started to see changes, not just in my body, but in my mindset.
“Fitness gave me a sense of purpose and taught me discipline, resilience, and self-love.”
‘Life-changing’
When she hit the three-month mark – enjoying a mixture of cardio and weight-lifting – Sophia started to see results.
She also started eating in a calorie deficit, focusing on getting her five-a-day of fruits and veggies.
Sophie even upped her workout regime to five or six days a week, doing weight lifting and often ending with a quick burst of cardio.
Over the past year and a half has dropped 38lbs.
Now weighing 8st 9lbs, Sophia is super toned and often shares inspirational clips on TikTok, where her videos have been viewed up to four million times.
Having previously worked as a barber, Sophia decided to change her career and focus on helping other people achieve the same success she has in the gym, becoming a fitness coach.
What a balanced plate looks like
How can you make sure you are eating a balanced, filling and nutritious plate at every meal?
Think of your plate divided into different food groups – protein, carbs, fat and fruit and veg.
Protein: David Wiener, training and nutrition specialist at AI-based lifestyle and coaching app Freeletics, told The Sun: “Aim for one to two palm-size portions of lean protein in each meal.”
Protein includes meat (chicken, turkey, pork, beef), beans, peas, lentils and fish.
The NHS Eatwell Guide says to choose lean cuts of meat and mince, and eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages.
Aim for at least two portions (two x 140g) of fish every week, one of which should be oily, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.
Carbs: Carbohydrates should make up about a third of your plate, or a fist-sized portion.
The Eatwell Guide says: “Choose higher fibre or wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta and brown rice, or simply leave the skins on potatoes.
“There are also higher fibre versions of white bread and pasta.
“Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.”
Fat: Generally the advice is to think of fat like a thumb-sized amount on your plate.
The Eatwell Guide says: “Remember all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten in small amounts.
“These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream.
“They’re not needed in our diet, so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.”
But a small amount is still essential for the diet. Try and eat more unsaturated fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil), which are healthier than saturated fats (butter, hard cheese, sour cream).
Fruit and veg: David says: “Make sure you also get lots of colourful fruit and vegetable carbohydrates too.
“Aim for at least five of these portions a day.
“One to two fist-sized portions of fruits and vegetables with every meal is generally recommended.”
Fruit and veg can be fresh, frozen, tinned or dried. You can roast, boil, steam or grill veggies.
Sophia said: “This journey has completely transformed my life in ways I never imagined.
“I’ve grown into a more confident, happier version of myself, and now, I’m using my experience to help others.
“As an online coach, I’m passionate about guiding people through their own transformations, showing them that it’s possible to break free from the struggles I once faced and create a life they truly love.
“Life has been the best it’s ever been – I feel so much happier, healthier and more confident since losing weight.
“Having strength and actually being able to do things I couldn’t do before has been life-changing.
“Even down to something so minor as being able to push myself up out of a pool again, being able to run and enjoy it!
“I’ll forever be thankful to my past self for this.”
Sophia tried to load up on protein with every meal[/caption]
She’s gotten more and more confident and hopes to help to others too – becoming an online fitness coach[/caption]
She says life is better than ever[/caption]
