Julie’s Story

“When I was ready to follow her instructions, the  weight came off!”

I met Ayse in June 2016 when I came to her Barbell Club at The Garage. She offered a Nutrition Bootcamp in September for a reasonable fee and I figured, what do I have to lose? This is a woman who has experience as a professional athlete and trainer, executive chef, and nutrition coach. Plus, she was a mother too, so she understood the demands I faced as a parent of young children. She guided me wisely in Olympic weightlifting, and I felt confident she could give me better insight than internet articles or the latest eating/dieting trend from friends.

Ayse asked me to name a reasonable, specific goal for my nutrition. My goal was to stop a decades long habit of late night snacking. I knew this was my number one setback to me achieving my goals as an athlete. I wrote it on posterboard and faced it everyday for several weeks when I entered the gym. It was not a form of humiliation, simply writing the truth down so that I could accept it, face it, and get out of my own way.

I had never lost weight while increasing my athletic performance before developing a trusting, judgement-free relationship with Ayse.  She met me where I was at and didn’t push me to make unrealistic goals. With a history of battling eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, exercise bulimia, binge eating) she gently advised me to be patient. I would maybe only drop 0.5 lb a week but to stick with it. The results WILL come.

I also learned from Ayse to stop eating after 7:00 or 8:00PM. That was my biggest obstacle to losing the excess body fat. Though I was eating “healthy” after dinner snacks, they were unnecessary, and becoming a false means of stress relief. The first two weeks were the hardest!! It truly was a detox for my brain and body.

Since following her macronutrient numbers based on my body weight, height, age, and workout schedule, and not eating after dinner time, as of December 9, 2016 I have lost 8 lbs! Skills like pull-ups and handstand push-ups are less tiring and are being performed with more repetitions because I am lighter and stronger. Finally, I’m confident in my clothes, and more importantly, in my relationship and family life decisions.

What I have learned through counting macronutrients is that I do not have all the answers when it comes to what I put in my body for athletic performance, and now, for my emotional well-being. I can trust a nutrition and athletic coach to make wise decisions for my body while keeping in mind my personal life, age, and athletic goals. It’s a relief not to have to guess what I’m supposed to eat, because I’m not a professional in nutrition and physical fitness. Ayse is and I trust and recommend her to help others find their macronutrient goals 1,000%.