Client Spotlight: Stacey Stillwell

This month we are celebrating a major milestone with our Client Spotlight on Stacey Stillwell, who has just reached her 100-pound weight loss goal. A full-time working wife and mother of three kids, Stacey began her journey this February, seven months after having her third baby and being completely stagnant for about six years. “The only movement I was doing was putting food into my mouth,” she jokes, “so I majorly went from 0 to 60.” Not only did she begin immediately working out twice a day but she also dropped her calorie intake to 1200-1500 a day after years of “eating everything I wanted. I don’t even want to know the amount of calories I was consuming,” she says. But with striking dedication and the support of fellow Fusionistas, she was determined to improve her life--and did so in a big way.

Madelyn, Stacey, Jackson, Stacey, and Jakey

I sat down with Stacey at one morning at Starbucks and listened to her animated, humble tale in awe of her commitment and shoulder-shrugging attitude about conquering her cravings and making herself get out of bed at 4:30 each morning. “I just did what I had to do—no excuses,” she says, crediting her attitude and accomplishments to the women who helped her. “The support I have received is just unbelievable. I almost get embarrassed talking about it, how amazing all of these women have been,” she gushes. With constant laughter and excitement, her warm presence and devotion to her goal inspires not only weight-loss journeys, but her faithful persistence can be applied to any uphill climb in life. Read on for a story of complete determination and her revelation that “our bodies and our minds are capable of so much more than what we think—it’s all possible.”

Losing 100 pounds is incredible. Losing 100 pounds while working full time, being a wife and mother to three kids (Jackson, 8, Madelyn, 3, and Jakey, 15 months), and doing it basically on your own accord is just jaw-dropping. What motivated you to create this goal?
Honestly, I was at a breaking point. I was pre-diabetic, had high blood pressure, and I was just plain and simply miserable with my weight. I was overwhelmed too—I had no idea where to start or what to do, and each day I would say okay this is it, today’s the day. But without direction I couldn’t do it and it was a cycle. Over the years I had lost 10 pounds here, gained 10 pounds there, but this was the first time in my life I was 100 pounds overweight. I knew I wanted to do something but I was lost on what it was.

"One of the two 'before' pics I had..."

Then one day I was at the salon with my friend Maureen Blount and I just broke down crying. I sobbed about being so uncomfortable in my own skin, never going out, never wanting to see anyone. I knew Maureen had recently lost 60 pounds after her third baby, and I wanted to know how she did it. (Maureen was an inaugural client of Shawna Wright and her successful WLBC/AmpCamps.) She said to me, “let’s start tomorrow,” and I was like, okay!

What was your plan?
Maureen was going to help me based on what she had learned at WLBC, so I was going into twelve workouts a week and drastically cutting down the calories I was consuming. We had a twelve week goal, and after that planned for me to join the next WLBC. We met every morning at her husband’s KC Sports Club, and she was also there for me anytime I needed support through texts and phone calls. I hadn’t worked out for over six years, but I saw her transformation and accomplishments, and I wanted that too. She also turned me onto the Lose It App and I started logging everything that went into my mouth. That thing has been a HUGE help for me.

So you literally changed your eating and exercise habits overnight. How did that feel?
Oh I was exhausted. And starving. And so sore. It was the biggest adjustment I had ever made, for sure. That first month was crazy and by far the toughest, trying to conform physically and mentally to this new lifestyle. I really think if it wasn’t for Maureen, I wouldn’t have kept at it. I was overwhelmed and didn’t believe I could do it—but she did. She had faith that I had this inside of me, and I truly didn’t believe that about myself then.

How did you cope with your unbelief in yourself--how did you manage your fear of failing?
You know, I didn’t think I could do it when I looked at it like, I have ONE HUNDRED POUNDS to lose. That number is so enormous and overwhelming, and I would say to myself, how is this even possible on top of my already busy schedule with the kids and husband and work? But Maureen really taught me to look at it one day at a time, one pound at a time, or one workout at a time. Some days I would even take it one hour at a time—give myself a pat on the back for lasting an hour and not caving to my junk food cravings. Because I was so used to eating all that crap I was craving it a lot in the beginning. But it was nice to celebrate my little victories, like lasting an hour without eating crap, or lasting an hour in the gym, or whatever. It was so helpful to acknowledge the little things that I was doing right. Because this huge goal that I accomplished was a combination of a lot of little things, a lot of baby steps.

Did you give yourself rewards for certain increments of this process?
Other than feeling good about myself and receiving the pride I was gaining from sticking to my plan, I decided that after I lost the first 20 pounds I would buy myself some cute workout pants to replace my sweats. I bought new workout stuff a lot as a reward because it was getting easier to shop for clothes and it motivated me to keep going on my goals. In the last few years, I rarely ever shopped for clothes. When I made the switch to the plus size section, I would quickly get in and get out, grabbing whatever I grabbed. I had like five outfits in rotation because I was so uncomfortable. Now I love shopping. I have dropped 7 dress sizes; even my feet have shrunk!


"...here's the other one--I hated being in pictures."

You said you had never been 100 pounds overweight—what do you think led you to that point?
Ah…it was just me gradually not taking time for myself and not really caring about what I ate. I used to love working out, in fact, I met my husband (also named Stacey) at 24 Hour Fitness where he worked and I was a client. I used to take all kinds of classes and genuinely enjoyed being active. Ten years ago I was probably in the best shape of my life. But then, you know, the years went by, we got married, we had three children, and I just got comfortable. Plus, when we had our first son Jackson, as a new mom I felt guilty if I would choose to leave him so I could workout, like I didn’t have the right to do that or something. I didn’t want to be away from him. So the pounds just slowly started coming. Then two more kids and the fact that it wasn’t just baby weight I had during my pregnancies--I wasn’t losing the original baby weight so it all kept adding up.  Plus, it just felt easier to do what I was doing. I was eating crap, not moving, not doing anything for myself, and putting everyone else’s needs in front of my own. So it all kept stacking on.

Was your family on board with your decision to set this major goal?
Oh yes. My husband is a cardio kick-boxing teacher at Ringside and has his black belt in Karate, so its helpful that his lifestyle involves fitness. He was also all for our food changes at home, and would do his best to “sneak” his junk food from me so he wouldn’t tempt me. (Like a lot of men, he can splurge whenever he wants and still keep his six pack..not fair!) He has been extremely supportive and loving through all of this, from the weight gain to that first day of working out, to now. The great thing is he has never been pushy or made me feel bad about myself. He knew I was gaining the weight, obviously, and knew that I was unhappy. But he also knows fitness is a personal journey for everyone, and we each have to get the point of choosing to do something different.

Did you ever workout with him?
I’ve been to some of his classes, and he actually came to a Fusion class with me which was fun. But working out with your husband can get a little heated at times, like “don’t tell me to go faster!” “I know what I’m doing!” etc. So we don’t do it regularly. It’s funny because Sadie and Darby push me all the time in classes, and I was literally afraid of Maureen (in a good way) when we first started, but with Stacey, it’s like, I don’t think so!




Kristin Brinkman, Maureen, and Stacey

Two of your kids are too young to know what’s going on, but what about Jackson (8)? Has he noticed any changes in mom?
Actually, he was another huge reason that I knew I needed to make a change. Not that he would ever point it out to me in a negative way, but as he grew older I realized that he was beginning to notice more physical things, like that I was bigger than most of the other moms. That didn’t hurt my feelings for myself so much, but hurt me in the understanding that the choices I was making affected him in a way I hadn’t quite realized. One of my greatest moments in this was watching his face as I passed by him when I was running through the finish line in my first 5K. My husband brought the kids out to watch me do this amazing thing, something I NEVER thought I would do eight months ago. Ever. And I saw the look of awe and pride on Jackson’s face as he watched his mom do this big race with all these people, and it just made me realize how happy I am to not only do this for my health, but to show my kids the importance of living a healthy life. Their eating habits have changed along with mine, and I love teaching them to reach for a fruit or veggie before they go for chips or cookies. I mean, everything in moderation, but they know now to look for the healthy thing first.

Yes, aside from your workouts, your diet also had a major overhaul. What is your nutrition philosophy now?
Along with the WLBC guidelines, I started counting my calories and aimed for 1200-1500 a day. In the beginning it was all I could do to stay under 1500, and I felt starving all the time. I was just so used to eating whenever and whatever I wanted before. There were many nights I would go to bed with my stomach growling. But as with anything, I became accustomed to it and now I feel like I’m eating all the time and still hitting my goal, and feeling satisfied. The biggest change I’ve made regarding my eating has been learning to plan. If I can plan ahead, I feel way more in control and on top of my day, so I can relax and just eat what’s on my list.

What’s a typical day of eating like for you?  
Breakfast: 2 hard-boiled eggs, or plain oatmeal with PB2, or egg whites scrambled with veggies
Snack: string cheese or EAS protein shake
Lunch: turkey wrap on Flat-Out’s wraps with low-cal cheese, or grilled chicken, with a piece of fruit
Snack: almonds, Dt. Coke (although I have been continually encouraged to give up Dt. Coke, I’m like no way! I’ve given up everything else, I’m keeping this!)
Dinner: grilled chicken, pork tenderloin, or fish. Tons of veggies. Noodles or rice for the kids, but I try to avoid them because carbs are a big trigger for me…once I pop I can’t stop, lol.

So you pre-pack your meals and snacks for work?
Yes. I get a little overwhelmed if I have too much freedom with food, so it’s easy, quick, and satisfying for me to have yummy, healthy choices with me. I mean, I still live in the real world and go out to eat at times, but I can always stay on track by planning ahead. If I’m going out to lunch with clients, I check the restaurant’s online menu before I go so I know what I can eat, and then I can relax and enjoy myself. And like last week, we had a pizza party at my son’s school. So I came prepared by ordering their light pizza and knowing exactly the amount I could eat. It’s not like I can bring my little lunch box everywhere. 



"At my 100-pound goal--who needs junkfood?!"

Do you ever have days where you just want to say F* it and pull through McDonald’s?
Well ya, some days are harder than others, but I am happy to say I have not once gone to McDonald’s. Really, I look at whatever I’m craving and I ask myself, is that brownie really worth the two minutes of enjoyment? Did I get up at 4:45am to sweat my butt off and ruin it with this? Most of the time the answer is no way. I have come so far from how I felt less than a year ago. I do not ever, I will never, go back to feeling that way. Sometimes I’m terrified of feeling that way again, and I know myself that if I give in here and there, my old habits are ready and waiting to take over and I’m not having it. It was harder in the beginning, but once I started hitting certain milestones, like running for a full minute, doing regular pushups, etc., it gave me something to lean on and know I was making progress. Those mile-markers were huge for me, and all the new mile-markers I'm hitting continue to keep me motivated in the face of temptation.

What about the mornings when it’s dark outside, you’re tired, you’re sore, and the last thing you want to do is get up and go to the gym. What do you tell yourself?
I listen to the days when my body just says no, but for the most part once I’m up and running I feel so much better, my mind gets cleared, and it helps me start the day in a good mood. But the biggest source of motivation for me has been the amazing women I workout with. Both in the gym and at Fusion I’ve found this community of women dedicated to being healthy, so we all keep each other in check and knowing they’ll be calling me if I don’t show up gets me out of bed on those mornings. We call it our “love fest” of us all in different stages of weight-loss, inspiring each other to keep pushing, motivating each other with our accomplishments, and spending fun, healthy time together. If it was just me doing it alone, I really don’t know if I would have done all this. If I could have. And the way Maureen intimidated me in the beginning, I don’t know if she would have let me!

Speaking of Fusion, when did you start coming to classes?
For the first three months of this journey I was doing my 2-a-day-workouts at the gym, and the plan Maureen and I had was for me to join the next WLBC at Fusion starting in April. However, right about that time I had been diagnosed with stress fractures in both legs, and my orthopedic doc said if I went ahead with the camp I would be back to him in a month getting casts on both of my legs. (Like I said, I went from 0 to 60 and my legs were taking the brunt of the hard work!) I was a woman on a mission, and it was really disappointing that I couldn’t follow the plan I had been set on since February. But I was allowed to do alternatives, like swimming, the elliptical, and modified Fusion classes. I swear if Fusion hadn’t been there for me during that time, I probably would have given up from pure boredom. Fusion kept me having fun, and I was still able to sweat my ass off while I nursed my legs back to health for about two months. Now at least one of my daily workouts is a Fusion class, if not both.

What keeps you coming to Fusion?
Well I’ll tell you, I was very intimidated when I first walked in in my sweats and baggie t-shirt. I saw all these cute little bods in these cute little clothes, and it was hard at first. But I had Maureen with me, and after being introduced to a lot of the instructors and other clients, I was blown away by how welcoming and positive everyone was. People here are all about being healthy, and they are excited to do what they can to help anyone who comes through the doors. Plus the classes are fun, always challenging, and motivating. I had done all types of group exercise and had never experienced anything like it. It took me a second to get used to the constant pace and no-break deal, but now I love it. I told Darby once that I wish I could get to the point of making it through one class without stopping, and she was like “well I hope not because then you won’t want to come here anymore!”

Darby is full of inspiration. How has she helped you through the journey?
She is just such an amazing person, so dedicated to what she does. She (and the other instructors) are always in a good mood, ready to have fun and make us sweat like maniacs, so we just naturally emulate the excitement as students. I was hitting a plateau near the end of my weight loss when I had like ten more pounds to go, and Darby really helped me stay positive. She told me if I get stressed out and negative about the struggle, my body will internalize it and make it even harder. She helped me play with my daily calorie count and workout intensity levels to kind of trick my body into shedding those last ten pounds. And it worked!

Aside from the weight-loss, what happened to your high blood pressure and other health problems you faced just eight months ago?
They have completely disappeared! I have absolutely NONE of the dangerous levels I had before. My doctor is so happy with me. I know it sounds cliché but before, I was living to eat, and I truly am eating to live now. Such a drastic difference, but it is definitely mirrored in the changes I’ve seen and felt in my body.

"My 'after' pic, in my HARD EARNED reward--my Lulu outfit :)"

So besides your major physical health improvements, what has changed about your mental health?
In general I just feel so much happier. Not only because I lost weight or I look different now, but I feel different. I have energy, inspiration, goals. One of the big things I’ve noticed about myself is that I’m now much more assertive with my feelings and what I want to accomplish. My confidence has grown. I truly don’t even recognize myself back then. My body was telling me I needed to change, and I feel proud that I listened to it. I feel forever grateful to Maureen for pushing me because I would probably still be the same had she not taken me under her wing and believed in me.

Now that you have turned the tables in a way, you are able to offer your guidance to others the way Maureen helped you. What would you say to a woman in similar shoes to yours 8 months ago?
First of all, I would say call me, I will meet you for a workout. I would tell her it’s completely possible to reach your goals even though it feels so overwhelming. You’re talking about making life-changing habits out of what once was foreign--it’s scary--but if you have a support system and you take it one day at a time, even one minute at a time, you can really do anything. You have to make your life about taking care of you. Making time for yourself. Putting fitness and nutrition at the top of your priority list, and making your health non-negotiable. And remember it’s all a series of baby steps. Don’t get discouraged in thinking you have to make this drastic leap—you can look back when it’s all over to see the distance you’ve covered, but you have got to focus now on putting one foot in front of the other.

In all the Spotlights, I like to ask women about how they retain their confidence in a culture consumed with seeking physical perfection. You have an especially interesting view because you have recently gone through a major change, inside and out—how do you feel about positive self-esteem?
I think there is a huge amount of competition out there, but a ton of it is coming from within ourselves! So that’s half the battle, realizing the way you talk to yourself and compare yourself with others. I compare myself with her, she compares herself to me—on our outfits, the cars we drive, the jobs we have. I have to decide who the best ME is, and then be comfortable with that. You can always strive to want more. Be skinnier, make more money, be the best mom. But you will drive yourself crazy, because there’s always going to be someone more something than you. It’s comparing apples to oranges. You just have to find where you are most confident and comfortable, and accept it and ROCK IT.

After this major accomplishment, do you think you’ll stay on the same fitness and nutrition regime?
Well, I still have about 20 pounds I want to lose, and honestly, I enjoy the way I workout and eat now. It was a complete lifestyle change, so there’s no going back to where I was. Will I continue to workout 12 times a week? Ya,  probably somewhere between 8 and 12. Where I’m at right now is working really well for me—I have more energy and am really enjoying it more than anything. Once I get to my final goal I’m willing to tailor it down a little bit. But this is me now, it's not like well I've reached this goal now back to what I was doing. No--what I was doing did not work so I changed my entire lifestyle. This is my lifestyle now. I love it!

The Fun 5

Favorite Restaurant: MNS Grill--love their salmon. Also a big fan of Mr. Gyros and their grilled chicken plate.

Favorite place to drink glass of wine: I’m not a big drinker, but I will say my absolute fave place for a cup of coffee is Starbucks—I’m a total junkie. But, rather than what I used to get every single day (a total calorie bomb), I now allow myself one healthier drink per week so it’s still my little treat. (On our Starbucks date Stacey stayed impressively dedicated, sipping on an ice water, completely at ease surrounded by all the other people drinking their treats.) 

Inspiring book: Honestly, I have been looking to my friends for inspiration on this journey. Maureen, of course, the girls at Fusion, and the WLBC’ers. Shawna, the original WLBC'er, has been behind me this whole time, and without her none of this ever would have happened, from me to Maureen to all the other women. What she did with her own weight loss journey, and now spreading the love and belief to all of us is truly amazing. She genuinely wants people to be healthy and be the best versions of themselves--she is a huge inspiration to me. Allison Arbuckle Taylor started WLBC about two weeks before me, so watching her and her 60-pound loss has always kept me pushing harder too. I could go on and on...it's a huge love fest, like I said!

Beauty advice you like: (Laughing) I grew up in a house with four brothers, so you can pretty much mark this on the calendar that I’m wearing makeup. But the thing that comes to mind is drinking lots of water. I keep a jug at my desk and fill it up continually throughout the day…it helps with bloating, food choices, and just a healthy look overall.

I find my confidence in…: Getting stronger every day.



Stacey (second from right) and the other proud, dedicated WLBC'ers after one of their hard-core workouts this week.