All my life I have been on again off again as far as fitness and good nutrition goes. Working 60+ hours in the Health & Wellness industry I somehow managed to stay active enough to keep my weight intact in my 20 & 30s. I would run an extra couple of miles on weekends to make up for any indiscretions and usually could just bounce back from even a month of poor food choices and little exercise.
At the age of 38 I found the love of my life and married. Have you ever heard about the weight gain that a wedding packs on? Mine actually caused me to gain 25 pounds just after 1 year of eating big dinners late at night, virtually no exercise time, being in peri-menopause and raising our 3 very large dogs!
Speaking of peri-menopause I was in full swing at the time of my marriage-Lucky guy! I literally woke up one day to find that all my extra weight had settled into my tummy, butt & thighs. I fought with enormous hormonal swings induced by peri-menopause and exacerbated by poor nutritional choices due to cravings. Sugar was the highlight and low light of my days. I fought it mentally but in the end more days than not, the sugar won out.
In 2004 I actually saw 150 on the scale for the first time in my life. That 150 on my small boned 5’4 1/2″ frame was life changing. I had never been over 130 at my absolute tops! My back hurt all the time, my knee joints popped and cracked and I felt like I was carrying around a full grown woman on my back. All of this just made the hormones and emotions unbearable. Even worse than the fact that I couldn’t fit into any of my clothes was the fact I felt horrid about myself. As you know, that doesn’t make for a happy productive woman!
I was fortunate enough to have a “do or die” mindset and I never gave up working out. I did cardio until there were no more hours left in the day, I ate healthy or so I thought. I cut calories down to 1000-1200 per day and guess what happened NOTHING! I lost 2-3 pounds (after a year of this) I was flabby and still hopelessly unhappy with what I believed was my 40 + body. I cried more than I can tell you and I found support . I got involved with the most incredible fitness online group that supported me in my quest to be fit after 40!
In January 2006 something clicked and I refused to do what I had been doing which produced ZERO results. I don’t care what the experts said, I could not cardio my weight off. I was no longer willing to starve myself which in turn was making my hormones revolt even more. I started researching and reading every piece of information out in the fitness world. I read at least 50 books on proper nutrition, not the typical “How to lose Weight” books. I learned that I was eating 500-1000 calories LESS than my body was craving and thereby destroying its ability to burn fat efficiently. I learned that by reducing my cardio and setting my focus on strength training I could literally turn back the hands of time. I learned that good nutrition had less to do with caloric intake and it was about quality of the nutrients! I started learning about what my body needed grow muscle and burn fat. Once I learned these things my life completely and totally changed forever.
Late 2006 I earned my Personal Training Certification and added Nutrition Counseling Certifications along the way. I did this so I could help other women like myself regain control of their lives.
It is the darkest place on earth when you look at your body and ask “Is this what the rest of my life will be like?”
Not all women feel the same about the mid-life changes that occur in their body. I however did not want a body that was more like an alien creature than I cared to admit! My self-image is very important for me, the better I feel & look, the better human being I am.
If there is one woman out there that I can help shift the defeating beliefs and behaviors and introduce a better way to work with your body rather than against it then I am happy I have chosen this field for my best half of life ahead.
In May 2009 I had a complete radical hysterectomy. My greatest fear was everything I read about the weight gain – I knew I’d go out of business if that happened but I needed to do it.
I am THRILLED to report that 7 months post surgery I was again at a new all time low body fat % and increased lean body mass (muscle). IT CAN BE DONE! I still don’t workout 7 days a week… I workout 5-6 days intensely for 45-60 minutes and I eat for health! I am not on any medications (hormones) and I feel better than I ever have in my life!
I have the utmost respect for people who constantly get knocked down and stand back up. Changing a lifestyle isn’t easy but it is rewarding and I am proud and humbled every day to be a small part of that journey
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Fitness Certifications:
- 1984 Jazzercise Aerobics Certification
- 1984 Jazzercise Nutrition Certification
- 1984 Jazzercise Strength and Toning Certification
- 1990 Anthony Robbins NLP Training
- 1991 Dale Carnegie Public Speaking Certification
- 2007 AFPA: American Fitness Professionals Association (Personal Training)
- 2007 ACE: Progressive Education Exercise for Seniors
- 2008 ACE Progressive Education Exercise & Disease Prevention
- 2008 ACE Progressive Education Exercising throughout Pregnancy
- 2008 AFPA Core-ography Training
- 2008 AFPA Functional Exercise Training
- 2008 AFPA Plyometrics Progression Training
- 2009 AFPA Nutrition & Wellness Certification
- 1984-ongoing CPR Certification
Business Experience:
- 1984 – 1989 Jazzercise Fitness Instructor Bakersfield, California
- 1986 – 1995 Jenny Craig International Franchise Consultant Houston, Texas
- 1998 – 2001 Lifetime Resources Training Inc Houston, Texas
- 2006 – Present Training by Traci Houston, Texas
Services:
- Private In-Home Strength and Cardio Fitness Training
- Private In-Home Rehabilitation Programs
- Nutrition Counseling Programs
- Private Group Fitness Training
- Private Power Walking Programs
- Private Bootcamp Training
- Wellness Coaching
- Long Distance Programs & Coaching
- E-Book: Nutrition and Menu Plan Guide
- Beachbody Coach
My Articles:
- First Step To Optimum Health – Why Drinking Water Is So Important
- Exercise Programs – High Impact Training vs High Intensity Training
- Wealth Principle Meets Fitness – Use Compound Interest To Get Healthy
- Diets & Supplements Confusion – Tips To Avoid Information Overload
- What Type of Cardio Exercise Is Best – Have The Rules Really Changed?
- Burn Calories Using NEAT – Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis
- Free Food Days – Ways To Cheat On Your Diet & Still Lose Weight
- Beginners Guide To Finding A Fitness Strategy That Works
- Fitness Harmony – How To Control Weeds In Your Health Garden
- Fitness Motivation – Maximize Internal Drive To Reach Your Goals
Contact Information:
- Website: TrainingByTraci.com
- Phone: 832-283-3853
- Email: [email protected]
