Maria Westphal

Hi, my name is Maria. My fitness journey doesn't begin the way most others do, but I'll start by telling you a little bit about myself. 

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My entire life I struggled with my weight. (okay, so it does start out like most others, but it gets better so keep reading!) I've never been taller than 5'0", and in 2016, I weighed in at 229 pounds. I constantly tried "dieting," but I didn't quite understand calories then. For instance, I would make a "protein smoothie," which included a banana, a scoop of whey, some Greek yogurt, maybe some oats, and almond milk. Sounds like an ideal "weight-loss" remedy right? Wrong. I was never accurate when measuring my portions. So this protein smoothie should have been about 460 calories, could have ended up being 1000+ calories--more than half of my daily caloric intake in one drink! 

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So back to my story. (I'll get into calories and weight loss in the actual blog). Anyway, in August of 2016, I became extremely ill. I was hospitalized for five weeks and physicians could not figure out what was wrong regardless of how many scans or procedures they preformed. In September, I finally became septic and was rushed to another hospital for an emergency exploratory surgery of my abdomen. After coming within an hour of losing my life, I woke up with a 10" x 3" x 2" inch deep incision. I had mesenteric ischemic bowel. More than half of my intestines were removed and I was hospitalized for the next 2 months and sent home with a wound-vac. 

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While in the hospital, I had lost about 40 pounds because the only source of nutrition I was receiving was TPN through my central line. I had no desire to eat, I became severely depressed, and I lost my hair. Once I had a better appetite, I was goal-oriented. I had lost weight, but I felt disgusting. My skin integrity was poor, and I hadn't quite recovered yet. So I began focusing on consuming foods that would be beneficial to my body. From there, once cleared for physical activity, the gym became my favorite place. I still remember the night I tried my first sit-up. I had never been so proud of myself--after depending on someone else for five months, having no abdominal wall, and having severe atrophy of my muscles, I was astounded. 

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Chris and I began going to the gym at his fire hall together. He showed me how to properly lift and demonstrated different exercises. I had no idea what I was doing, but something was working.  I began losing more weight; which was something I had never been able to do. Seeing these changes happening, I became addicted. Research on nutrition, physiology, and muscle building became my focus. In June of 2017, I hit my lowest--I was 114 pounds. I was more familiar with the weight lifting aspect, but I hadn't quite grasped the calorie and macronutrient requirements yet. My daily caloric intake at that point was only 500 calories. 500 CALORIES! This was because I still had that "fat-girl" mentality. Regardless of how much I weighed, or what I looked like, I still saw the 229 pound girl in the mirror. After that point, I really began taking things seriously. 

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Today, I weigh 128.0 pounds. I have an overwhelming passion for body building and nutrition, and I have a drive to help others. I am not sharing my story to brag or gain praise, but to spark motivation in others. No aspect of this was easy. This is just as much of a physical battle as it is a mental one. I want to be the one to help others create their own stories and build their own confidence. 

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Next year, I plan to compete in my first body building competition. This year I am training and prepping as if I am going to compete. This is because I haven't been able to calculate my own macros and calorie restrictions due to reduced absorption, so I need to be able to view trends to create an accurate bulking/cutting plan. This year is a trial run! (I will update you on that, too!)

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Currently, I am studying to become a certified personal trainer, and I am working on a degree in dietetics. 

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How to keep up: I post daily on my Instagram story and on Instagram as well. I am always available to respond to questions regarding food choices, nutrition, exercising, etc. I plan to Start a YouTube channel to create daily vlogs as well! I am more than happy to assist you in a meal plan based on your personal goals!