Kirstin Dickie’s weight loss was a long process. In 2003, at 18, she was 178 pounds; by 2012 her weight had crept up to 187 pounds. She was depressed, stressed, and going through a career change. She was also sleeping in, smoking, eating poorly, and partying too much. “I was walking up the first 12 steps of my home and was out of breath. I couldn’t believe what I had done to myself. I had to make changes quickly, or my health and mindset were only going to get worse.”
LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY
Dickie started with small changes to her diet, subbing unhealthy foods with better alternatives—potato chips with rice cake chips; ice cream with Greek yogurt and berries. Now she’s a bona fide clean eater. “I don’t track my calories, because I don’t want to make eating a lot of work. I eat a balanced diet and make notes.”
She started hiking, swimming, spinning, and lifting weights plus doing a lot of HIIT training. Dickie works out five to six days a week for 45 to 90 minutes. Whenever she would get discouraged, she would remind herself why she got started. “I’m a true believer of writing down your goals and making new ones so you stay on track.” In March 2015, she competed in her first bikini competition. “I was influenced by elite athletes like Erin Stern and Jamie Eason. I saw their magazine covers and said to myself, ‘One day I want that.’ ”
HEED WORDS TO THE WISE
“Know that the pros weren’t pros when they got started and that the most important thing is a positive mindset. Find a workout buddy, hire a personal trainer, join a class, and surround yourself with positive people.” She also says that slow results are sometime the best type to maintain. “Remember everyone’s body is different, so accept who you are or you will never be happy. It’s OK to fail, because you grow from each experience to become a better version of you.”
Check out her workout on the next page.
HOW SHE DOES IT
Warmup (5 min.)
Triset/3 sets
Seated Bentover Rear-delt Raise (12 reps)
Bench Hop-over (15 reps)
Kettlebell Swing (12 reps)
Triset/3 sets
Seated Lateral Raise (12 reps)
Stepup with Overhead Dumbbell Press (20 reps)
Walking Lunge (20 reps)
Triset/3 sets
Seated Arnold Press (12 reps)
Front Plate Raise (12 reps)
Burpees with Bosu Ball (12 reps)
Cardio 30 min. StairMaster or jog/hike outside
Favorite Clean Meal: Bison burger lettuce wrap with sweet potato fries; protein lava cake
