1. The Start of My Deficit
2. The Wake-Up Call
3. Breaking Old Habits to Build New Strength
4. Tracking Progress (Without Obsessing)
5. The Start of the 6-Week Deficit
6. Adjusting to Hunger and Habits
7. How I Stay on Track
8. Where’s the Change?
9. The Power of Progress Photos
10. Cravings, Moderation, and Major Wins
11. What I’m Focusing on Next
12. 💬 Let’s Talk!

This isn’t just another fitness update—this is where the real work begins. After months of learning how to fuel my body, I finally entered a calorie deficit. And wow, did it come with surprises.

The Start of My Deficit

On Monday, March 17th I began a 6-week calorie deficit. The goal? Lose body fat, plain and simple. After two months of figuring out my maintenance calories, I was beyond ready. For the past month, I had been eating 2,000 calories a day and 150g of protein. And let me tell you—for someone who never tracked food before, that is a lot of eating.

Once my body adjusted, I found my rhythm. I became really consistent with hitting my protein, but surprisingly, I’d often find myself under my calorie goal by the end of the day. It became a bit of a chore to figure out what else to eat to reach 2,000 calories—something I never thought I’d say. But week by week, it got easier.

Still, I couldn’t wait to shift into a deficit. I could feel my body reacting positively to all the clean eating, but I was ready to see the results. The anticipation of this next phase was huge, and I was eager to lean in, work hard, and start shedding some body fat.

The Wake-Up Call

On January 8th when I started this process, I weighed in at 150.2lbs. What was going through my mind? Absolute insanity! Outside of when I was pregnant, this is the most I had ever weighed and the scale was ever so slowly creeping up. I had also started noticing areas on my body—like my lower belly, hips, back, and my butt—where there was extra fat or loose skin that hadn’t been there before. My jeans were getting tighter, and nothing felt comfortable anymore. Clothes were fitting differently, and not in a way that felt good. I didn’t feel like myself in my own body.

No more. That was the day things were going to change. And if the scale did go up going forward, it was going to be because I was building muscle. My nutrition coach reviewed my eating habits the first week and then gave me a ton of feedback.

The very first thing she wrote to me during my first check-in was:

“My hope is that once you walk through those doors our first night, you will never be the same Rachel! We are about to embark on a journey that will include a lot of little steps, some forward and some backward, but my hope is that little by little you will continue to believe in yourself and keep making small decisions that will sometimes without you even knowing it… it will transform YOU!”

And she was right!!

Breaking Old Habits to Build New Strength

I’ll be honest—adjusting my lifestyle to align with my goals came with a lot of challenges. That first month was HARD. I cut out alcohol, which meant skipping the bar and live music on weekends without my kids. I stopped grabbing takeout or heading to restaurants, and instead, I committed to planning and prepping every single meal and snack. It wasn’t just about food—it was about completely changing habits that had been part of my routine for years.

But as I mentioned in an earlier blog post, which you can find here, there were two questions asked during the initial nutrition group meeting that really resonated with me and kept playing in my head throughout the month:

• Does my lifestyle align with my goals?
• Do my goals align with my lifestyle?

Those two questions helped me refocus every time I felt like slipping back into old habits. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. And once I committed to making those shifts, everything started to change—from my energy levels to my mindset.

And from that point forward, my lifestyle truly did begin to reflect the goals I had set. I was bound and determined to stay the course.

Tracking Progress (Without Obsessing)

Every morning after I wake up and use the restroom, I hop on my scale (Amazon) and enter my weight into the Happy Scale app. It’s not about obsessing over the number—it’s about noticing patterns and learning how my body naturally fluctuates throughout the week and month. As a woman, there are so many variables at play hormonally, so tracking trends over time has become far more valuable than any single number on the scale.

Now the goal this first month was not to lose any weight. It was to start eating healthier, creating good eating habits and working towards identifying maintenance calories—the most amount of food my body could eat daily without gaining or losing weight within +/- 2lbs.

However, Just changing the way I was eating gave me mind-blowing results! That first month of not trying to lose weight… yeah, well I lost 5.2lbs! I thought it was amazing—but to my coach, it meant I could still eat more. So at the beginning of February she bumped me up to the 2,000 calories and 150g of protein.

As shown below, my weight stayed pretty consistent throughout the month. The chart may look like a big dip, but I didn’t even lose a full pound. This was good news though because I also didn’t gain any weight—So I found my maintenance calories!

The Start of the 6-Week Deficit

I was so ready for this 6-week deficit. I was traveling for work the first two weeks in March so the decision was made to start March 17th. I was literally counting down the days. It was like waiting for Christmas to arrive (I know… such a weird thing to get that excited about, but I was!).

Finally, the day had arrived. Here I thought this would be easy sailing. My new targets were:

• Minimum: 1500 calories
  
• Maximum: 1700 calories
  
• Targets: 138g protein, 110g carbs, 60g fat

I could not wait to eat fewer calories, especially after struggling to hit 2,000.

Adjusting to Hunger and Habits

I knew a deficit would be different—but I didn’t expect it to be this tough mentally. But that’s where the biggest lessons started.

Not so easy.

Those first few days were rough. My body had gotten used to all that food and now I was starving. I also quickly realized I was loading up too much in the morning and needed to space things out more. Cutting 12g of protein didn’t seem like much, but combined with 300–500 fewer calories? It felt like a lot.

Week two was easier, but then came a new challenge—fiber. I was now struggling to get enough fiber. So many things to keep an eye on while trying not to cave into junk food.

My kids probably think I’m a food nazi now because for the past three months I have literally tracked every single piece of food or liquid I have put in my mouth.

How I Stay on Track

One trick that really helps: planning my meals the day before in Cronometer. I log everything in advance so I know exactly what I need to eat and can play around with variety, macros, and fiber. Below is an example of the food I logged on April 3rd.

It makes for a really stress-free day.

Another way I stay mentally on track is by going back to some of my favorite personal growth books. Be sure to check out My Bookshelf for ideas.

Where’s the Change?

Two weeks into the deficit, I was feeling more in the groove but mentally frustrated. I had only lost 2 more pounds in March. Overall, since January 8th, I was down 7.4lbs, but… where?

I wasn’t seeing much of a change physically. And with my workouts being derailed by back pain, I felt discouraged.

My coach asked me to take new pictures on our March 31st check-in. I did. And when I put them side-by-side with my January photos?

HOLY CRAP.

The Power of Progress Photos

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I sent one to my coach and said, “Okay, I take it back.”

Clearly, change was happening.

Moral of the story: TAKE PICTURES. If I hadn’t, I think I’d still be mentally struggling to stay on track. Progress is happening—even when we can’t always see it. And that gave me a renewed sense of determination.

Cravings, Moderation, and Major Wins

As I’m writing this, I just realized it’s been a full week since I’ve had any cravings for sweets. I haven’t had a single piece of candy or chocolate—and I haven’t even thought about it. That might not sound huge, but for me, it’s incredible. Even throughout these past three months of eating healthier, I still craved a little something sweet most days. A mini-sized Butterfinger or a couple of Twizzlers usually did the trick. But now? Those cravings have completely disappeared.

Just another reminder of how much these habits are sticking and how far I’ve come. Prior to starting all of this, there were times my cravings were so strong I literally couldn’t stop myself. I’d cave and eat an entire candy bar or a giant bowl of ice cream—and then feel mad at myself afterward. Now, I’ve found peace in moderation. A bite or two of chocolate, or a mini bowl of ice cream instead of a massive one, is more than enough. I’m telling you—these are the game changers..

What I’m Focusing on Next

I’m in week three of my deficit, and while I’m making progress with my nutrition, I’m still navigating the frustrating reality of an ongoing back injury. The pain has shifted over the past few weeks—some days it’s a deep ache in my lower back, and others it’s sharp spasms around my shoulder blade and mid-back. It flares up with certain movements, especially anything involving my arms or upper body, which has made workouts incredibly difficult to get through.

Mentally, it’s been one of the hardest parts of this journey. I was just starting to build real momentum in the gym when this hit, and having to constantly modify or skip movements feels like a major setback. But I’ve learned that Pushing through isn’t always about intensity—it’s about consistency.

So I’ve been switching things up. I’ve added in more home workouts that are lower in intensity and gentler on my back, which still help me stay active without pushing beyond my limits. I’ve also been getting outside for long walks and light jogs when I can—Fresh air, movement, and time to clear my head have made a big difference.

And one of my favorite ways to stay grounded has been adding in a Sunday class called yoga-ish at my CrossFit gym. It’s been a calming way to stretch, strengthen, and center myself—and even better, I’ve got my adorable little sidekick (my daughter!) joining me for some of the sessions.

I keep showing up, doing what I can, and trusting that Healing will come with time and patience.

This week’s focus:

• Hit my targets
• Ensure I get enough daily fiber
• Keep my body moving gently—whether it’s yoga, a walk, or a light home workout, the goal is simply to stay active in ways that feel good

This journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been so worth it. I’m learning, growing, and realizing how much self-control I really do have—when I set my mind to it.

You’ve got this. So do I. Let’s keep going.

💬 Let’s Talk!

Have you ever tracked your food, started a calorie deficit, or worked toward finding your maintenance calories? What helped you stay motivated—or what challenges surprised you?

👇 I’d love to hear your story, tips, or questions—drop a comment below and let’s support each other through the ups and downs of this journey!