Desmond proves that no matter how big your goal is, if you are motivated and patient you will get there.
From the start of his nutrition journey at 6S, he was open to change and learning as much as he could about his body and how diet impacts it. Accepting small action steps and implementing them bit by bit, Desmond transform his body composition, relationship with food and overall health – overcoming medical issues that others doubted he could. Instead of getting discouraged and demotivated when his progress wasn’t linear, he saw this as feedback to adjust his mindset and tackle tweaks to what he was doing. Once one goal was reached, instead of letting up or reverting back to old habits, he set new goals and directions to make his journey a life long approach.
Written by Dietician Alysha Coughler
What prompted you to get the nutrition coaching?
The gym across from my apartment was closing down, so I was looking for other options. I thought my nutrition was good. I was not overindulging in food and I was (very) slowly losing weight. After my first meeting with Alysha, I learned that I can take small, actionable steps and refine my nutrition. I’ve had pericarditis and Bell’s Palsy, both with where doctors could not determine cause, so I knew my body wasn’t invincible and being obese, I realized the pattern of these illnesses would continue if not worsen. I have the mind of an indestructible 18-year old, but I can’t say the same about my body!
What have been your results so far, either on the scale, or the non-scale victories?
In November 2019, I was walking around the high 230s when I started with 6S Fitness. I had been as high as low 260s (I stopped weighing myself after getting to 255). I just did a body scan at 6S in January 2021 and weighed 212. I had actually been as low as 202 at the end of 2020. In terms of non-scale victories, where do I even begin? My cholesterol went from dangerous levels (that I was required to take medication) to a very healthy range. I went from someone who had been fat shamed because of my belly to landing a 2-year modeling contract at the end of 2020 (now a second contract in 2021) after I went on a diet and weighed ALL of my food during the Covid pandemic, while Alysha guided me at every step. I now walk around at just under 13% body fat when my body fat was in the high 20s at the beginning of my weight loss journey. The other big victory was learning TONS about nutrition. I can now make decisions to enjoy life yet still remain healthy for the rest of my life. I can enjoy almost any kind of food and still stay healthy. You don’t get when you simply get a diet on paper with little guidance. 6S and Alysha empowered me.
