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After the passing of her mother due to a heart attack at the age of 58, Traci Rindy began contemplating her own health. A military spouse with four children, Traci quickly became concerned that she would accidentally suffer the same fate as her own mom and leave her kids motherless at a younger age. Her love for her family – and her own well-being – became the catalyst that allowed her to make a lifestyle change for the better.
Traci, 44, always assumed that she was fit. She went to the gym semi-regularly, tackling cardio and weightlifting at least four days a week. With her children's futures in mind, she signed up for an all-women fitness challenge in an attempt to push herself further. When it came time to take her "before" photo, however, she quickly realized she was not as in-shape as she had always thought.
"It wasn't until I took my before pictures in a bikini that I realized that I had been lying to myself for far too long. I was a lot heavier than I thought and probably wearing clothes that were two sizes too small. That night I cried. That night, I was all in. I decided that I needed to work this program and trust the process put before me."
So in October of last year, Traci began her fitness journey. It wasn't an easy start, however, as Traci was very unsure of where to even begin. "I had to let go of all of the things I thought I knew about fitness, losing weight, nutrition, and weight training. There is so much faux fitness information. I let all of that go, asked questions, and surrounded myself with women who have similar goals."
These women were some of Traci's biggest inspirations. If she was disappointed in how she looked in her "before" photo, the women she went to the gym with represented how she wanted to look in her "after" photo. Their dedication and the hard work they put into bettering themselves on a daily basis is what continued to drive Traci through some of her more challenging moments. One person in particular – a woman named Angie – became one of Traci's best inspirations. "She is in her fifties, has scoliosis, and still shows up to the gym every day to grind it. She is amazing! If Angie can overcome and get it done, then I really have no excuses."
At the end of the day, of course, it's another group of women that Traci finds herself working hardest for: her 9-year-old twin daughters. "I want to be fit and strong so that I can show them that women are strong and capable of so many things that they think they aren't capable of doing. I want to show them how to have a healthy lifestyle and to stay fit all of their lives so they don't have the struggles that I have had in my life."
Now, over a year since she began her transformative journey, Traci finds herself at the gym five times a week. She's upped the ante on her cardio, and now views every intimidating weight as a personal challenge. Though it took her a long time to mentally get there, she now consistently pushes herself by tackling the heaviest weights she can.
This gung-ho attitude applies itself to Traci's dietary habits, as well. Her entire diet revolves around the proteins and carbs found in vegetables, of which she normally eats around two or three pounds a day. "Food isn't the enemy," she says. "Food is my fuel for building muscles, sleeping well, having clarity, and being healthy." Being a frequent traveler and full-time mom, Traci appreciates the convenience of 6 Pack Bag's meal management bags; she currently uses the Innovator Mini. Whether she's taking her kids to the mall or on vacation to Colonial Williamsburg, she never leaves home without it. She's already saved so much money on snacks alone by bringing it with her wherever she goes!In her own words, "If it doesn't scare you, it's not heavy enough."
Here's Traci at an office party with her Innovator Mini. "I packed my own food because I never know what they are serving," she said.
Today, Traci continues to push herself toward a healthier lifestyle. She loves the way her body looks now, and even her children have started to comment on how muscular her arms have become.
Her self-esteem has only grown during her transformation. "I am amazed that I did it without a personal trainer. It was my own determination and discipline that pushed me through. I am completely astounded what I can accomplish on my own if I really want to get it done," Traci said. She continues to live every day based around words of wisdom she hopes others may also follow: "Dedicate yourself to yourself." While she's developed strong definition in her back, upper body, glutes, and quads, Traci's journey isn't over. She has no plans of slowing down, instead fueled by a desire to continue leaning up before working hard on her abs. With her dedication, loving support system, and never-ending tenacity, we have no doubt that she'll only continue to knock her goals out of the park."My five-year-old son loves to touch my biceps and say, 'Mommy, you have big muscles. I love them!' He is one of my biggest fans."
With enough dedication and the right tools, you can begin your own fitness transformation, too. Browse all our original meal management bags, gym backpacks, sports duffle bags, and gym totes and start your journey today to find the perfect match for you. Don't forget to check out the rest of our Transformation Series for even more motivation!