Find out how Shakayla transformed her body to get in the best shape of her life.
Please introduce yourself to our readers (i.e. your name, occupation, hobbies, etc.).
Happy Fitness Everyone!
My name is Shakayla and I am an avid fitness enthusiast! I love everything about getting fit, eating healthy and changing my body!
I am currently waiting to receive my Personal Training Certification with the International Sports Sciences Association. I’m currently building my blog,
www.sexycurvyfitfitness.com and work full-time as a Table Games Dealer for the Hard Rock Casino.
In my spare time I live in the gym! I enjoy working out, meal planning, spending time with my daughter and husband and building my fitness empire!
What sparked your weight-loss transformation journey?
My weight loss/transformation journey began about 11 years ago once I turned 18 years old and graduated from high school. I had been skinny my entire life.
But once I graduated I began to put on a lot of weight for my small frame. At that time, it was my desire to be a Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleader that prompted me to hire a personal trainer (that I could not afford!) and he helped me get the weight off and build a ton of muscle.
Needless to say I didn’t make the squad that year but I did develop an insane passion for fitness that continues till this day.
Over the years I yo-yo’d my way up and down on the weight loss ladder. Somehow, I lost my passion for fitness the years following my first weight loss journey and gained most of the weight back.
That was until I met my husband, Jason. He inspired me to get back in shape and follow my passion. Life likes to throw curveballs and it did yet again, about 8 months into my second weight loss journey…..I GOT PREGNANT!
Yep!
I couldn’t be mad though because I got a beautiful baby girl that I adore. My body had taken such a hard beating through pregnancy that after I gave birth I didn’t recognize it at all.
It depressed me so bad. I was in and out of the gym for the first seven months and couldn’t be consistent to save my life.
It wasn’t until
Bodybuilding.com held their annual Transformation contest that I finally decided to give it another try and this time…..I didn’t give up!
The promise of $100,000.00 in cash for the best overall transformation was on my mind and my driving force to keep going and I did and the weight came off. I’m proud to say now that it has stayed off and I’m back in the gym at least five days per week!!
What was your beginning and current weight or measurements?
My beginning weight before my journey was 200 pounds. Current weight (still on my journey) is 169 pounds.
My weight loss journey took approximately five months to get the weight off and due to planning a wedding and life happening it took an additional four months to tone and began to build muscle the way I want.
The only physical activities I participated in were cardio and resistance training.
How did your eating habits change?
My eating habits changed dramatically.
I remember watching a YouTube video on veganism and once the video completed, I decided I was going to be a vegan and from that moment forward I eliminated meat, dairy and all animal products from my diet.
Later, I changed to Pescatarian because I wanted a little more variety in my diet and I desired seafood something serious!
What do you typically eat for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner?
My typical day of eating consists of high carb, high protein and low fat meals. I am currently in the muscle building phase of my transformation so I eat quite a bit. I maintain a consistent Macro count of 2,668 calories per day. Which broken down includes 342g of Carbs, 172g of Protein and 68g of Fat.
Breakfast
1 egg 4 egg whites, slice of toast with Almond butter and 2 slices of Turkey bacon
Post-Workout
Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
Lunch
4oz. Tilapia fish, 1 cup of Asparagus, 1 1/2 cup of Brown Rice
Snack 1
2 Rice cakes with peanut butter and honey spread on top (sometimes I’ll add a banana if I’m really hungry)
Dinner
4oz. Salmon, 1 cup of Spinach and 1 1/2 cups of Sweet Potato Fries
Snack 2
Plant-based protein shake with Sweetened Almond Milk
Since I work overnight and typically don’t get off of work until 4 am I’m usually hungry so I’ll have a green smoothie (lots of fruits and some spinach) before I go to bed to kill that overnight hunger and it keeps me from grabbing cookies or something that does not fit within my macros.
What is your favorite fitness activity?
My favorite fitness activity is the Stair master! When I first started my journey last year I absolutely hated that machine but I refused to be deterred because it was so hard.
I just forced myself on it every time I went to the gym. So as a result, I conquered it! My warm-up is a level 9 at this point and I am absolutely loving it!
What do you do now to maintain your physique?
My current routine is pretty demanding! I workout 5x per week.
Monday: Glute Isolation/Activation & Legs
Tuesday: Back and Biceps + 20 minutes of Cardio
Wednesday: Glute Isolation/Activation
Thursday: Chest, Shoulders and Triceps + 20 minutes of Cardio
Friday: Back + Glutes
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Off
I workout my Glutes and Back twice per week because they are the two areas I’m trying to build the most muscle. Also, I work my abs out every morning!
I have a morning routine specifically for my ab routine. I do take Sunday off though. I keep the cardio to a minimum but I couldn’t eliminate it all together because cardiovascular health is very important to me so I just reduced it to twice per week so I didn’t lean out too quickly.
How did you develop and sustain the willpower to avoid the bad stuff (i.e. junk food, bad drinks, lack of activity, etc.)?
When I began my 3rd transformation journey after my pregnancy and decided to become a vegan it was relatively easy to avoid the junk because it contained animal products and dairy. I was able to choose vegan desserts which were delicious and didn’t make me gain any weight plus I ate them in moderation and only when I felt I really deserved it.
So becoming a vegan was the best decision I’d ever made! When it came to exercise, that was a whole other matter entirely! I really had to push hard some days to get out of bed and get in the gym.
How do you stay motivated?
Working from 8 pm until 4 am most days I’d get home and my 1 year old daughter would wake up and keep my husband and I awake until 7am! So, it was definitely a struggle.
But we have a nice system now. Where we will sleep in shifts and it works just fine for us.
What advice do you have for someone looking to get started with their fitness journey but not sure where to begin?
My advice for someone just getting started is to find out “why” you’re wanting to lose weight. Is it to look better, feel better, be there for your children for the long term?
Regardless of the reason, it is imperative it is a strong enough “why” that it gets you out of bed in the morning and drives you on days where you aren’t feeling your best or feeling rather lazy.
Those days are the hardest!
You don’t want to give up as soon as you get going. Consistency is Key! If you’re consistent you will see results!
My next piece of advice would be to hire a personal trainer or coach to help you navigate the fitness waters. This industry can be so overwhelming.
There’s lots of information out there and a good trainer/coach will listen to your needs and tailor a program to fit your lifestyle and needs. Also understand that results take time.
Just like it didn’t take you three weeks for you to gain all the weight you carry it isn’t going to take three weeks to lose it. Patience is everything when it comes to fitness!
What do you think is the biggest misconception about this journey?
The biggest misconception on this journey is people thinking there is some magical pill, routine or food that will get them fast results! If it were that easy everyone would be walking around in their dream body!
This just isn’t true.
Although, there are plenty of surgeries out there that will help with weight loss they are usually reserved for those with excessive body weight that threatens their lives or an excessive amount of skin that needs to be removed that interferes with their quality of life.
It is so important for people to understand that healthy eating and exercise will get them right where they desire to be. No magical pill, food or routine will do it and if it did. It’d be short-lived.
How can readers learn more about your transformation and journey online (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)?
I do have fitness inspirations! I love all of these women and they motivate me on a daily basis: @brittnebabe, @mankofit, @michelle_lewin, @getbodiedbyj, and @yarishna.
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4 Replies to "Featured Fitale - Shakayla"
Abigail January 24, 2019 (11:04 pm)
What diet is best for weight loss?
Brass Products Manufacturers January 28, 2019 (5:49 am)
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Medical Equipment February 4, 2019 (7:52 am)
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Madhusree Basu February 22, 2019 (12:15 am)
This post is a great inspiration to all the people who want to loose weight or just want to stay fit. Commitment is the name of the game.
Commendable effort and great transformation… Kudos!!