How Lifting Weights 5 Days a Week Totally Changed This Woman’s Body
After two years of strength training, Becca Burkhart has more energy, confidence — and a 46-pound weight loss.
Photographs courtesy Becca Burkhart.
Changing your body takes hard work, persistence, and dedication. Here’s one local’s story. Want to share your Transformation Story? Email ccunningham@phillymag.com
Who: Becca Burkhart (@becca.burkhart), 24, a strength coach from Havertown
Why I wanted to make a change: “I wanted to set a healthy example for son and feel confident in my body so that I could be the best parent I could be.”
Height: 5’3″
Starting weight: 171
Current weight: 125
How long it took: Almost two years
What all changed: “I have the energy to keep up with my toddler! I have realized how strong I can be without spending hours and hours in the gym (like I used to do before my son) and I’m so happy to exercise with the time I have, where I’m at, and anything that can be used as equipment! It is amazing knowing that just moving your body can change your mood for the better.”
“I have realized how strong I can be without spending hours and hours in the gym.”
How I changed my diet: “I now fuel my body for performance, eating 80 percent nutritionally dense food and 20 percent snacks. Having kids means sometimes you eat that extra chicken nugget that they didn’t eat. Don’t be too hard on yourself! [Now I eat] a TON more vegetables and fats. I love them! I don’t eat processed carbohydrates and try to eat my carb sources from rice, oatmeal, or potatoes (and the occasional cookie —remember, 20 percent!)”
How I changed my workout plan: “I move my body every day. When I get the time, I go to the gym and emphasize on lifting heavy. Then I’ll take my son for a bike ride or a run! I lift compound lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, push press, cleans) five times per week, and then do accessory work with a cardio piece like wallballs. I am now running, swimming, or biking five times a week for a triathlon, but normally I just go for walks.”
The hardest part: “Learning to be flexible with my son and not be too hard on myself if I can’t get a full workout in. I’ve gotten creative with my workouts!”
What I’m most proud of: “I’m proud of how strong I have become! And how strong mentally you can be if you try hard and show up the best you can every day.”
What’s next: “I recently did my first powerlifting meet, and I’m now training for a triathlon.”
What I want everyone to know: “It’s not always about perfection, but striving to be better each day. If you really want something, you can do it.”
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