Transformations Series: Sophie Nix

Sophie Nix, a 25-year-old hairstylist from South Carolina, is a woman who knew she needed to change her life and didn't give up no matter how long it took to start noticing a difference. But when she did begin to notice, the changes were more appreciable than she could have ever imagined. Sophie's fitness transformation was a long time coming; when she thinks about it now, she's proudly confident with how far she has been able to come in that time. Her story really starts all the way back in high school. She struggled with an undiagnosed anxiety disorder that made it incredibly difficult for her to keep food down. Throwing up became a normal action for her. She never exercised, ate horribly, and lost weight pretty steadily, dropping from a size 8 to a size 2. Once the doctors were able to figure out what was going on, they prescribed some heavy-duty medications that needed to be balanced with MORE medications. By the time she was 21 years old, she was on 6 daily medications and had gained 80+ pounds due to some of them. "I was somewhat in denial about the weight gain, but still quit my job to become a full-time nanny so that I could hide from the outside world," Sophie added. She was working for a woman named Teresa who was on her own weight loss journey as a single mom of two kids working a full-time job. She kept inviting Sophie to join her for workouts, but Sophie kept declining. Finally, however, the desire to wean herself off the medications became strong enough that Sophie got serious about her nutrition and fitness.

Sophie can easily recall the exact moment she knew enough was enough, and she does so with enthusiasm: "I saw a picture of myself from a friend's wedding and really SAW myself for the first time since I had piled on the weight."

"Getting ready for the wedding had already been an emotional experience and I almost did not go because NOTHING was fitting. But the next day, when those pictures popped up on my newsfeed, I was horrified. I immediately called my friend, Teresa, and asked her if I could join her during some of her home workouts." Since then, Sophie hasn't looked back. When it comes to what drives her, it's all about the important people in her life: her family, as well as her friend Teresa, the woman whose commitment to her own health, fitness, and setting a good example for her two children has been powerfully motivating for Sophie. These days, her workout is a pretty standard split between weight lifting and HIIT – and her favorite place to work out is the home gym her husband built for her in their garage! She hasn't quite gotten to the point where she's meticulously counting her macros, but she does make a point to eat 5-6 times a day, with those meals consisting of a protein source and some sort of vegetable. Her relationship with food is a constant struggle in general; having to be intentional with her dietary choices has been a big adjustment for her. Being that she is also insulin-resistant due to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Sophie has to pay extra careful attention to the quantity and types of carbohydrates that she consumes. While she doesn't have her own 6 Pack Bag yet, the company has really encouraged her in meal prepping and planning.

"I know that may sound odd, but after reviewing all of the products and the concept of the multiple container storage for meals, supplements, and bottles, I have tried to emulate that when I pack meals for work. It'll be so much easier when I finally have a bag myself!"

Sophie loves the Elite Voyager because of the laptop compartment and shoe storage, but she thinks the Expedition 500 is incredible, too. A mere 5 years ago, if you would have told Sophie what her life would be like now, she might not have even believed you. "I was on 6 medications, hiding from the world, drinking and smoking a lot, as well as getting sick all the time," Sophie elaborated. Now she's medication-free, working at a lovely salon in downtown Columbia. She rarely drinks, no longer smokes, and hasn't been sick in over a year – not even with a cold! So much has taken place over the past few years, both joyful and sad, but throughout all of it, Sophie's newfound respect for the value of proper fitness and nutrition has never wavered. Ultimately, her goal is to someday compete in bikini and figure competitions, but she acknowledges that she has a long way to go before her body is truly ready for that. "Weightlifting and good nutrition play such a vital role in my life, but I'm still in the process of discovering exactly how I can play a role in the fitness world," Sophie added.

"For now, I just feel honored that I can share my past and current experiences."

Find even more fitness transformation inspiration in the entire collection of stories in our Transformations Series.