Quick facts:
- Name: Misty C.
- Age: 50
- Weight Lost: 84 lbs with Stronger U; Total weight loss of 104 lbs AND 17 inches off her waist!
- Hobbies: Embracing new adventures, physical activities like weight training, Peloton, and walking
- Coach: Gretchen Brocard
In 2022, Misty was tired and lacking energy, and she knew it was due to her excess weight. As a busy working professional, she struggled to find the time to commit to regular workouts or meal prepping and planning. Her husband, Len, took the leap with Stronger U first. While hesitant to sign up initially, Misty observed him first for a few months while trying to get her mind in the right place to take the next step. She watched him become confident in his food choices and noticed almost immediate changes in his energy and what would end up being the beginning of his 35-pound weight-loss journey. (You can read more about Len’s time with Stronger U here.) “Seeing my husband’s transformation was eye-opening. I knew I needed to make changes for myself, not just for my health but to embark on new adventures with him as we approach retirement,” Misty reminisced.
Before diving headfirst into her health journey, Misty grappled with the relentless demands of her role as a high school principal. While she tried her best to eat what she thought was “healthy,” Misty fought to lose about 20 pounds on her own. The toll of excessive work hours and the burden of her weight on her health left her feeling perpetually drained and often too tired to join in family activities. Enough was enough, and she decided she was “tired of being tired.” A shift to a new position with a more stable schedule became a pivotal moment. She decided to take the plunge and sign up with Stronger U to work with Coach Gretchen Brocard, the same coach as her husband. This change provided the foundation to begin an exercise routine and synchronize it with a focused nutrition plan, allowing her to fully engage in her own journey and transformation.
“The initial phase was challenging. Trusting the process, especially when the scale wouldn’t budge, was tough,” Misty shares. With Coach Gretchen’s guidance, Misty was able to lose an additional 85 pounds- bringing her TOTAL weight loss to over 105 pounds! However, the wins she experienced were more than mere numbers on the scale- slipping into new pants, two sizes smaller, and managing her Rheumatoid Arthritis more effectively through regular exercise affirmed her progress. Misty reflects, “One of the best NSV’s (non-scale victories) is getting to find and wear cute clothes again – the reality is that clothing designers are not too keen on making cute plus size clothing…so being able to shop at regular stores and wear cute clothes that fit right and allow me to put my personality out there has been so much fun!”
In addition to Coach Gretchen’s support, Misty also found a home in the Stronger U Community. She says, “The Stronger U community has been a true help throughout this process.” Engaging with the exclusive Facebook group, Misty found a wealth of information, recipes, and personalized tips that seamlessly integrated into her family’s lifestyle. “Seeing others making progress is inspiring and motivating to keep going, even when I’m feeling discouraged,” she confides. However, it’s not just about sharing success stories; it’s the shared struggles that resonate most deeply for her. “The reality is,” she says, “Someone in the community has experienced something like what I may be experiencing, and seeing how they navigated it always helped me.”
As Misty transitions into the maintenance phase of her journey, she looks forward to sustaining her new nutritional habits and continuing to embody an active and fun lifestyle. She is now training for the Pelofondo, a 100-mile ride on the Peloton over two days, and she is committed to achieving 10,000 steps daily. While she still has rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms are much more manageable for her now. Her biggest win? Her confidence, she says. “Prior to Stronger U, I truly hated to have my picture taken! I tried to always be the one behind the camera taking the pictures, not in them. Since I started Stronger U, but ESPECIALLY in the last couple of months, I have started to come out of my shell and figure out how to be comfortable in my own skin.” Now, she views herself as a positive example for her children and embraces the belief that she can finally see herself as her husband has always seen her- truly beautiful.
Misty offers this advice to anyone considering Stronger U: “Know that the process isn’t always easy or fast, but ‘trust the process’ and changes will happen. Talk to your coach, be honest with them – Gretchen heard and read my vents and frustrations and stayed on the path of encouragement and focus. Your coach isn’t going to give up on you, so don’t give up on yourself. It is so incredibly worth it on the other side with the lessons learned during the process.”
Seeking support this holiday season? Misty shares below how, with the combined support of Stronger U and her dedicated coach, she’s achieved more confidence and success navigating the holidays while still enjoying all the festivities the season brings.
“Coach Gretchen and I talk about it a good bit! I get anxiety around the holiday season, honestly, so for me, it comes down to planning around the get–together days. I don’t track on the days with the family get togethers – but I will track and plan my meals on the days surrounding those! It keeps my anxiety at bay and helps me feel a bit more in control of things.”
Begin your own transformational journey with a Stronger U Coach today.
A note from Coach Gretchen:
It’s hard to put into words how much I’ve loved working with Misty. To know her is to absolutely adore her. She has put in so much hard work here, it’s incredible. All the times where things were moving slowly, and it would have been easy to throw in the towel, she just kept showing up. She was always open and honest and realistic through this whole process. She has been through a lot during our time together, but she’s never made excuses. She has taken on this process with grit, honesty, tenacity, and grace. She is truly an inspiration!
