By Samantha Yardley
Photography: Tracy Mark
Floridian real estate investor, Ali Kay overhauled her lifestyle to shed an impressive 70 pounds and transformed a lot more than just her physique.
“I gained a lot of weight during my second pregnancy” says 33-year-old Ali. “I just indulged and let myself go. I found myself growing further and further away from who I was. I became unhappy and unmotivated and that started to impact my relationship with my children and husband. I became aware that I was going down a dark path and I really needed to make some type of change” she says.
“I became aware that I was going down a dark path and I really needed to make some type of change”
Tipping the scales at 200 pounds, Ali describes the lightbulb moment that catalyzed her impressive transformation. “I became aware of how I was treating myself and saw how it was affecting my kids and my relationship. I was putting my happiness on hold and wasn’t living in the here and now” she explains. “I realized that I needed to make a big change. From that moment, I started taking small steps to better myself and my entire life started to shift.
“I started off by pushing my son in the stroller. The walking slowly became jogging, which then became running. I quickly became happier, more patient, energized and struggled less with anxiety. Catching on to how moving my body impacted my mental health really drove the motivation to stay consistent and prioritize working out and moving my body every single day.
“Nutritionally, it was about finding what worked for me, and what was sustainable. I got my portion sizes under control and really focused on whole nutrient-dense foods that energized and fueled me.
“My physical progress was slow and steady, but I kept evolving and growing into my true, authentic self because I felt so empowered by what I was accomplishing” she says. “I feel so resilient and strong when I set goals and accomplish them. This journey has truly shown me that anything I set my mind towards, I can accomplish.”
Now a slender 120 pounds, Ali Kay found her biggest change of all was psychological. “I work out for my mental health. Movement’s my medicine. I’ve learned through this journey that I have to prioritize my mental and physical health first above anything or anyone else, in order to give my best self to my family, my job, and everything else.
“I felt so empowered by what I was accomplishing”
“I have re-framed my inner self-talk to a voice that is more encouraging and accepting of myself. After shifting this relationship with myself, it has positively impacted all the relationships I have in my life.”
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