When Ariah Pearson started her fitness journey, nobody knew the upcoming pandemic would change the whole world. In February of 2020, when we were all unknowingly living our last bit of normalcy, Ariah began her trek towards weight loss. Just a month later, well, we know what happened. The shutdowns challenged Ariah’s consistency and she didn’t get back into a regular routine until January of 2021. But since then, she has lost an impressive 50 lbs!
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For a while before starting her journey, Ariah was dissatisfied with her appearance. “I just got sick of hating my body and didn’t like how I looked or felt,” she said. “I hated being in photos with friends and family and that really made me want to get healthier.” While this feeling is not something anyone should have to deal with, it is a common motivator and can be a true driving force for anyone trying to live healthier.
As with most weight loss voyages, Ariah’s sailing wasn’t always smooth. “I hit a plateau every 10 pounds I lost (sic) and it can be very frustrating,” she told us. “I’d just remind myself how much more frustrated I was before losing the weight and that continues to steer me in the right direction. It’s hard to lose weight, but it’s also hard to not. You have to pick which hard is more worth it.”
Ariah knew that the work she had put in was paying off when a client of hers at work noticed her weight loss. “You don’t really think people notice until you lose a ton of weight,” she said. “I think I had only lost maybe 15 lbs. at that time. But it was amazing to hear that from someone.”
The work isn’t over, though. Ariah plans to lose another 20 lbs. and then change her goal to weight maintenance rather than weight loss. She also wants to dedicate focus to muscle growth, something that everyone should remember! Even if your goal is to lose weight, don’t forget to do resistance exercises. Increased muscle mass can increase your metabolism.
As for advice to others who are starting their own fitness journey, Ariah said, “Consistency is key. Keep showing up for yourself. It’s hard, but it’s so worth it. Don’t wait around for anyone and do it for you.”
Awesome work, Ariah! We can’t wait to see you smash through the rest of your goals.