How I got in Shape for the Wedding in just Two Months with Kat Spangler!

This is a story of a two month journey. I knew early on that my custom designed Mother of the Bride gown would be sleeveless. I also knew that the wedding pictures and video would last a lifetime. So it was time to get serious about getting into shape and looking my best. Time to get a trainer and shape up. This isn’t a weight loss story, it’s a lifestyle choice!

I’ve always been a person that gets in shape for events. Probably because I live my life based on deadlines. In the past I’ve been pretty lucky to maintain my shape and size due to a dance background and being able to quickly implement a diet strategy to shed a little weight. There was that time that I did the Beyoncé diet/Master Cleanse for two weeks solid to “skinny up” for my Cattle Baron’s Ball chairman’s picture too (not recommended – but dang I was SKINNY). But I have found that as I get older, this strategy is becoming harder and harder. Time to get serious about getting into shape and eating healthy every day.

At first I was really looking for a way to do BBG but knew that I would not do it on my own at home like most people do. I know myself too well. I get busy, start working, put some laundry in the washer, walk Sparky and Max, meet a friend for lunch, procrastinate… and don’t work out. I googled to see if anyone offered any type of BBG class in Dallas and came up with nothing. At that very same time, Kat Spangler e-mailed me to see if I wanted to collaborate with her. Heck YES! It was meant to me.

On March 16, I meet Kat Spangler for the first time. We went over my schedule, lifestyle, goals and eating habits. I also let her know that I wanted to look my very best for the wedding which was a short two months away. And that my designer gown by Patti Flowers Design would be a long dress but it would be sleeveless. Ready, set, go – make me fabulous!

While Kat Spangler designed a workout schedule specifically for me that involved training with her three times per week and adding in yoga or cardio on my own, that simply didn’t happen with my chaotic schedule. Between influencer trips, blogging, brand meetings, photo shoots and life, I managed to average two sessions per week with her (there were a few weeks where we got in three). I tell you this only because we were still able to accomplish all of my goals in that short amount of time.

Kat Spangler also went over my nutrition with me and got me started on the app My Fitness Pal. It’s a FREE app and it allowed her to see what food I was eating. You log all of your daily food intake, fitness routine and keep a daily diary. I gave her login permission to see my app and she could easily encourage me if I was getting derailed. We set my daily calorie intake at 1350 because we knew I would gain weight at the beginning due to gaining muscle. This freaks some people out but I knew this would be a good change in my body. This was never really about loosing weight, it was about toning everything and getting in better shape. Becoming healthier by making better lifestyle choices.

It’s funny, once you know your calorie intake you really begin to look at food in a different way. Old Tanya would consume a small popcorn, box of milk duds and diet coke every time I went to a movie (which is often because of advance screenings and press invitations). Once I looked that up on the My Fitness Pal app, I quickly adjusted. My point is, it’s good to be aware of what you are eating and to know where your daily calories come from. Kat Spangler wanted me to eat every three hours or so and to never be hungry. This helps your metabolism and keeps your from inhaling a 5000 calorie meal at a restaurant. Now my daily intake is more about fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, Greek yogurt and lean protein. The things we all know we need to eat but tend to forget when we are not paying attention. And I quickly became aware that working out combined with healthy eating habits sets you up for success.

Kat Spangler has been a certified personal trainer and holistic health coach since 2011 and has added barre, yoga, zumba, and nutrition certifications to her repertoire since then. She specializes in helping busy women optimize their gut, boost their metabolism, and simplify their weight loss strategies so they can melt fat without being overly restrictive. She does this through a combination of customized fitness plans, nutritional guidance, and a deep commitment to building positive personal development in her clients that reaches far beyond the gym doors.

Instead of me telling you how my two month shape up challenge went, I asked Kat Spangler to give us her perspective:

“Working with an influencer like Tanya was an exercise in busting common nutrition myths, working around an incredibly busy schedule, and quickly re-establishing good habits after particularly social weekends and vacations. When she started off training with me, we had to shift her mindset about sugar (no, sugar from fruit is not making you fat) and calorie deficits (there is a tipping point where reducing calories too much actually prevents you from losing weight). From the start she quickly took to her calorie tracking in MyFitnessPal which made my job as her nutrition coach significantly easier and allowed us to pin point exactly what was working and what wasn’t. And even with her packed calendar and sporadic training schedule, her strength and endurance improved significantly as she shifted from taking breaks half way through each exercise to completing full circuits without stopping and with only a small number of curse words thrown in my direction. I look forward to continuing her training as we shift focus from getting wedding ready, to keeping her body and mind well-balanced and in shape in the midst of her fabulously hectic life.”

I’m not going to lie. There were days where I really didn’t want to meet Kat at 9:00 AM for an hour and many times that I kept her entertained during out workouts with my rambling nonsense and occasional curse words. The result? I was toned all over, my arms looked amazing and I lost 5 pounds while gaining muscle mass. I also lost inches on my stomach and hips which I really noticed in my clothes. I think the Mother of the Bride dress fit beautifully (click here for the pictures) and I was so happy with how it looked on me. It’s a lifestyle change that I am committed to and I will continue my personal training path with Kat.

The good news is that you don’t have to live in the Dallas area to train with Kat Spangler. In addition to in-person training, she also coaches via zoom and her fitness app. Kat also offers her signature training and nutrition program ‘UNLEASH Your Transformation’ designed to take you from being a frustrated dieter to creating a healthy lifestyle and body you love. Head to her instagram to get more info on her offerings or to book a consultation.

Getting healthier starts with deciding to make a change. You can do it!   xoxo – Tanya

P.S. Sign up for Kat’s email list to get her very BEST nutrition and fitness advice every Tuesday! It’s FREE!

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photo: Audrie Dollins