Welcome to How I Got This Body, our look at some of the amazing things the human body is capable of and the Washingtonians who put their bodies to the test. Want to share your transformation story? Email ccunningham@washingtonian.com.
Who I am: Tyler Green, 29, manager at Trunk Club from Kalorama
Why I wanted to make a change: “In college, I was #blessed to lose 15 pounds instead of gain them, and that stayed consistent for the next four years. After graduation, I started to notice changes in my body I wasn’t super excited to see, so I pushed myself to make a positive alteration on my body; I wanted to see results, and I wanted them quickly. I am a pretty competitive person and I pushed myself a little too hard. In January of 2012, my body couldn’t take it anymore and I ended up in the hospital where doctors struggled to figure out what exactly happened. I found out that my body had gone into adrenal failure. I was so afraid that might happen again, that I quit exercising entirely.”
“In December of 2016, I went to the Kennedy Center with a friend. We got there early and took a selfie (as one does). I saw the picture on the ‘gram later that evening, and reality set in. I took a screenshot as a reminder of what that person looked like, and I told myself I would face my fear of what happened in 2012 and finally start to make a change.”
My exercise plan: “Lots and lots of SoulCycle. I signed up for Garrett’s Best of 2016 Pop theme ride because that is objectively the best class anyone could ever teach, and found myself in his class every day that following week until I flew home for Christmas (I even rode the 6 AM before a 10 AM flight). After that, I made a commitment to ride three days a week and added in a few more Roosters with Chris Pepe. By February, I was riding four to five times per week, in the 6 or 7 AM class.”
My healthy eating plan: “I decided to take a more natural approach and just listen to my body. I have to admit, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I would have one glass of wine too many at dinner the night before a 6 AM at SoulCycle, and then class would really suck. The result: I started to drink less the night before a class. About a month in, my boyfriend and I decided to loop Plated into our lives. That helped us to switch up meals enough not get burnt out on certain foods (i.e. chicken, broccoli and rice every day for a year), but also ensured I was eating only one serving of the right foods at dinner each night.”
How I transformed: “So far I have lost a total of 63 pounds and I have dropped three pant sizes. I don’t have a belly anymore, my jawline is back, and my energy is better than it ever has been. I used to sit in the back row of class at SoulCycle wondering how everyone’s legs moved so quickly. Less than a year into riding, I rode front row center without missing a beat. I could barely make it through my first ride, and now I can crush three classes in a day—still working up to that quad!”
At first, my school girl crushes on instructors drove me into the studio—I literally picked classes based on the instructor’s photo.
How long it took: “Exactly one year. But my transformation isn’t completely over—I still have a goal of getting one pant size smaller by the end of 2017.”
How I stuck to my goals: “At first, my school girl crushes on instructors drove me into the studio—I literally picked classes based on the instructor’s photo and latest played songs in the SoulCycle app. About a week into taking classes with Chris Pepe, he started shouting out things like, ‘You’ve got this, Tyler;’ I started to feel like someone else was just as invested in my change as I was. As I got to know more riders, the room felt more and more like a family. I wouldn’t just hear my name, I would hear my name with loud cheers from the pack. That group of riders helped to push me further than I ever thought possible, and I can’t thank them enough.”
One piece of advice: “Take the plunge and don’t give up too early. I felt so nervous walking into that studio for the first few classes, and there were times I didn’t want to go, but the reward in the end is so great. Always remember: everyone had to walk through though those doors for the first time once.”
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
