June 08, 2021
If you have fitness goals but struggle with motivation, this inspiring woman may help kickstart your journey. Rayy Syymone ended up losing over 100 pounds naturally, completely transforming her life and mindset. She now works as a certified personal trainer and became the face of 24 Hour Fitness on billboards across the country! We hope her story will encourage you to take that first step toward a healthy lifestyle and a happier you.
Rayy began her journey at 275 pounds; she felt unsatisfied with her lifestyle and partner and wanted better for herself.
“I just wanted to make something of myself this time around,” she says.
Back in 2017, she decided to embark on this fitness journey, not knowing where it would lead but determined to see it through. Rayy wanted to feel comfortable in her own skin and have more energy in her daily life. She knew the journey would push her limits mentally and physically, but she felt ready for the challenges.
“The reason why I started my journey is because I got tired of being in a body that just did not belong to me.”
She decided to hit the ground running and signed up with a personal trainer in the beginning of her journey. The exercises definitely challenged her, but she noticed changes in her fitness levels relatively quickly.
“My personal trainer put me into a lot of HIIT exercises, strength training as well as cardio,” she says. “So, my heart rate was up, I was sweating a lot, and I was doing a lot of exercises that I never knew I could actually do with being my size.”
This motivated her to take a huge step forward in her career as well. After seeing her results, she wanted to help others take charge of their health and become their best selves.
An inspiring woman becomes a fitness coach after losing 100 pounds
“So from that point on, I ended up becoming a certified personal trainer and now I actually train a lot of clients, and it’s been the best thing ever.”
However, her decision to become a personal trainer didn’t happen right away. First, she had to increase her own fitness level and change her mindset, which proved quite challenging. Getting motivated to workout most days of the week felt exhausting, but she stuck with it.
“In the beginning, it was very hard. It was hard to get up,” she says. “It was very hard for me. It was hard to stay committed; it was hard to stay on the schedule; it was hard to make that a part of my life; it was hard for me to actually know that my health was important.”
However, despite these struggles, she knew she had to keep going. She wanted to become her best self and really push past those limits. Deciding to make herself a priority, this inspiring woman did whatever it took to get healthy. Rayy realized if she didn’t take that leap now, her health would only get worse down the road.
“I had to learn how to make time. You know, making time is really not easy, but I had to make time in order to make sure that I live,” she said.
Oftentimes, people struggle the most in the beginning since the body isn’t used to so much resistance. However, just as diamonds need pressure to form, humans also require challenges in order to grow. We learn valuable lifelong lessons by making the decision to transform ourselves for the better. Through these trials, we also learn a lot about our strengths and capabilities.
Biggest lessons and positive changes that came from Rayy’s fitness journey
“The biggest obstacles that I faced throughout my weight loss journey was accepting and loving myself, and starting where I am or where I was,” Rayy said.
She also had to learn to become her own best friend and go at her own pace. She realized that patience and positive self-talk rather than beating herself up mentally would get her much farther. Rayy knew that lasting changes would happen only if she treated this as a journey, not a race.
“It’s something that you’re doing for yourself, by yourself, and you’re going to learn a lot of things along the way.”
At first, she didn’t know what types of workouts to do, but she eventually found what worked best for her. She said a combination of HIIT workouts and strength training seemed to give her the best results. Of course, this will look different for everyone, so don’t hesitate to try different things until you find your match. However, you’ll want to incorporate some type of cardio and resistance training so you get a whole-body workout.
Rayy loves strength training because it helps your muscles grow and challenges you to add weight over time. She also enjoys HIIT because it gets your heart rate up, makes you sweat, and burns a lot of calories in a short time.
After doing these workouts for a while, Rayy started noticing positive changes in her life. Not only did her physical health get better; her mental health also improved drastically since she began working on herself.
“I am a much happier person. Like I said before, my skin is glowing, I smile all the time – my energy just radiates off of me and it just bestows on other people.”
Rayy’s advice for anyone wanting to lose weight
This incredibly inspiring woman wants everyone to know they can achieve results just as she did. She says to just stay consistent, trust the process, drink plenty of water, eat healthy, and love yourself along the journey. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for help from others if you need it. Plenty of people have been where you’re at and would be glad to offer tips and support!
Remember that health doesn’t just mean looking good physically – it involves taking care of your mental and emotional health also. When you begin your journey, try not to focus so much on your weight, and instead shift your attention to how much better you feel! Your approach and mindset toward health can make all the difference in your success.
