This Is How Stacy Ate 6 Meals a Day, Lost 20 Pounds, and Earned a 6-Pack
After Stacy Moon had her first child, her weight fell off pretty quickly from long-distance running and "living off chicken and broccoli." But it became much harder to lose the postpartum weight after her second child in 2015. After trying many different methods, Stacy finally found Renaissance Periodization, and the rest is history. Read below to hear her full weight-loss story.
In 2016, Stacy started her weight-loss journey with Renaissance Periodization (RP). "I was going to CrossFit five days a week and running three to four days a week and still not getting the aesthetic or performance results that I wanted," she told POPSUGAR. "I knew it had to be my nutrition. I was eating Whole30 style, which was 'healthy,' and I didn't know what else to do. I really didn't want to go back to chicken and broccoli. That's when I found RP."
So far, Stacy has lost about 21 pounds. It all started when she did a one-on-one "fat-loss phase" with an RP coach. "After that, I transitioned to using [RP] templates and did a maintenance phase, another fat-loss phase, a muscle-gain phase, and a long maintenance," Stacy explained.
"RP's templates are specific about how much to eat and when, but you're free to eat foods you like that fit the requirements," Stacy shared. "So my diet is very structured but not super strict."
She eats six meals a day, starting with a protein shake and ending with "protein and peanut butter before bed." She said, "The other four meals are pretty evenly spaced throughout the day and consist of protein, carbs, and veggies. I am such a creature of habit, so I eat a lot of the same things. It makes it easy to stick to my plan and takes all of the thought and effort out of making meals."
These are some of the foods Stacy enjoys on a regular basis: chicken, beef, ground turkey, egg whites, oatmeal, rice, bell peppers, green beans, cauliflower, and cabbage. "All of my meals taste good to me, which makes it easy to keep eating the same things," Stacy told POPSUGAR.
As for her workouts, Stacy continued to do CrossFit five to six days a week and she also used "RP's Female Physique Templates four days a week." The templates are very user-friendly, according to Stacy, and "they run 19 weeks and can be reprogrammed for a new cycle." She saw "huge physique changes" after doing a few cycles of the physique template.
Weight loss and earning ripped abs weren't Stacy's only accomplishments. "Nonscale victories in the gym are my favorite because I really do love training," she said. "I've improved in every area, especially gymnastics movements. Apparently, pull-ups are easier when you weigh less! Strict muscle-ups and bench pressing [more than my bodyweight] are some of the memorable victories."
"Another bonus is not having a muffin top," Stacy shared. "All of my clothes fit better and I feel amazing eating this way. I have more strength and energy, and my body feels healthy and efficient. It's a great feeling to know you're fueling your body properly and to physically feel the difference."
For anyone looking for some motivation, Stacy said, "I think the best advice is to not be in a hurry because small changes are much more sustainable and add up to huge changes over time. One day at a time really is the way to accomplish anything. Set a goal and when it gets hard, remember why you want it."
Stacy admits that she's not always motivated. "I don't think anyone is," she said. "I am very determined. I love the saying, 'Nothing worth having comes easy.' Seriously, if having abs was easy, everyone would have them. I think if you really want something, it's worth the hard work and powering through the times when you're not motivated. Setting goals and sticking to a plan takes the place of motivation for me."
"Everyone's journey is going to look different, so don't compare yourself to others," Stacy recommended. "Also, don't freak out about the scale. I've learned so much in the last couple of years, and a hard lesson to remember is that the scale is not the only gauge of progress. Take pictures and/or measurements and keep track of all the improvements you're making in the rest of your life. A positive outlook can make a huge difference in your success."
Image Source: Stacy Moon
