Growing up, Brittney Carbone was a very active kid/teen. She played soccer, ran track, surfed, snowboarded, skateboarded, etc.
"You name it, I did it!," she said. "I had a huge appetite, and although my diet wasn't great, it didn't show up on my body at the time."
Fast forward to college, Brittney's weight started to become a little more challenging to manage. She had just transferred to UCLA and was doing all the college things that contribute to weight gain—late nights at the taco shop, friends swiping her into the dorm cafeteria, weekend beer pong, etc. You get the drill.
"That was the first time I really started to pay attention to my body," Brittney said. "I got interested in my health but didn't take consistent action. My weight wasn't THAT out of control yet, but my body obsession was."
Self-Inflicted Prison
Next stop, Brittney graduated from college and got a "real job" traveling all over the country producing events, which is when things got interesting. High stress and long hours, coupled with an expense account and unlimited access to food turned into a 70-pound weight gain in less than a year.
"I was numbing out with food every single night," Brittney confessed. "My anxiety was through the roof not only from my high-pressure job but also because I was becoming more and more uncomfortable in my skin."
Brittney said she felt completely broken down and decided it was time to go on a diet. Within six months, she tried EVERYTHING you can think of: Weight Watchers, Atkins, juice cleanses, detox teas, vegan, Whole30, etc. Unfortunately, she didn't stick to anything for more than a couple of weeks and would gain any of the weight she lost back almost immediately.
"I felt so completely defeated," Brittney said. "I called my mentor at the time, and we created something I had never tried before: a moderate plan. I wrote down everything I ate and took radical responsibility. I became willing to take the slow and steady path versus the 'quick fix,' which clearly wasn't working for me."
Brittney did all of the mindset work she could because she was unwilling to live in her self-inflicted prison any longer. She just wanted to be free, and she knew that depended on her making this a lifestyle versus just another project.
One Step at a Time
Brittney started by working out in her living room, then graduated to the outdoors and eventually the gym. She ran 5ks, 10ks, all the way up to marathons. In fact, she actually qualified and ran the Boston marathon, starting at an 11-minute mile pace and conditioning herself down to 7:58/mile for 26.2 miles pace.
"After my running career felt burnt out, I moved into weight lifting, and THAT is where the passion kicked in," Brittney said. "I fell in love with the art of bodybuilding. I was mesmerized with the idea that we can create any shape we want."
She competed in her first bikini show three years ago, placed dead last, and swore it off. But she went back and not only achieved first place but was awarded a WBFF PRO card.
"Now, I am not only a professional athlete, but I also have the privilege of coaching women around the world to become the best version of themselves," Brittney said. "If you would have told me that this would be my reality 10 years ago, I would have called you crazy."
Brittney's journey has not been linear, but it has been transformational, and now she can use her story to help motivate, inspire, and give hope to those around me.
"We are capable of so much more than most of us realize," she said. "If you doubt yourself, remember it only takes one step in the right direction to start your journey."
UP NEXT: Chady Dunmore, Starting Over Again
