A mother-of-two who used to binge eat until she threw up and could barely squeeze her body into a size 14 dress is now unrecognizable after adopting a keto diet and reducing her body fat to just eight percent.
Fitness model and lifestyle coach Ciara Martinez, 35, from Texas, has battled with depression and anxiety for most of her life. In 2016, this intensified after the birth of her second child Sebastian as she suffered from postpartum depression.
Just six weeks later, Ciara had the misfortune of breaking her leg, which coincided with moving to Texas from her childhood home in Georgia. During this time, she used food as a coping mechanism to help deal with the overwhelming situation she found herself in.
Transformation: Fitness model and lifestyle coach Ciara Martinez, 35, from Texas, went from 225lbs to 142lbs after adopting a keto diet
Toned: The mom-of-two loves showing off her figure on Instagram since losing weight
Looking back: In 2016, she suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to her second child and then broke her leg, leading her to turn to food for comfort
Ciara would binge on snack foods – including chips and chocolate – and would eat platefuls of dense carbs until she was physically sick. At her heaviest, Ciara weighed 225lbs and struggled to fit into a size 14 dress.
Going for days on end without showering and struggling to look after two children under the age of one as a single mother, Ciara spent most of her time confined to her home in tears and unable to cope.
As Ciara’s leg began to heal, she realized that remaining in the desperate state that she was in was not an option if she wanted to get her life back on track.
Researching ways in which she could lose her excess weight, Ciara came across the keto diet – a diet high in fats and low in carbohydrates that forces the body to burn the former in order to lose weight. Ciara also committed to going to the gym five times per week to get both her body and mind in shape.
In the first year of her new regime, Ciara lost 83 pounds and fit into a size six. Having previously been unable to run around with her children without getting out of breath, Ciara was becoming the active and present mother she always hoped she would be.
Undergoing such a drastic change, Ciara found that both friends and strangers at the gym were commenting on how amazing she looked – something that only made Ciara more motivated to continue sculpting her dream body.
Healthy: Ciara would binge on snack foods and would eat platefuls of dense carbs until she was physically sick, but now she has a whole new way of life
Happy: The single mom said losing weight has given her more energy to play with her kids
Better: Ciara said she has struggled with depression and anxiety her entire life
Ciara has plenty of male admirers who post on her sexy snaps, saying that she is stunning, sexy and a real-life goddess.
Over the past three years, Ciara has competed in five ‘World Beauty Fitness and Fashion’ shows, and she won the event in Miami in late 2020, which secured her status as a professional fitness model. She weighed a slender 142lbs with just eight percent body fat.
Ciara models for a range of swimwear and lingerie brands – something that would have seemed laughable to her four years ago.
‘Rewind to a little over four years ago, and I was depressed, heavily medicated and was binge eating and drinking,’ Ciara said.
‘My body ached and sometimes I wouldn’t shower or change my clothes for days at a time.
‘I have battled anxiety and depression my entire life but it hit an all time low at the end of 2016 after the birth of my son.
‘I was so excited for his birth but the postpartum depression set in quickly.
‘Six weeks later, I broke my leg and had to have major surgery and then three weeks after this, my ex-husband’s job transferred us across the country.
Sad memories: ‘Rewind to a little over four years ago, and I was depressed, heavily medicated and was binge eating and drinking,’ Ciara said
Making moves: After researching how to lose weight, she adopted a high-fat, low-carb keto diet and started going to the gym five days a week
READ RELATED: Grammy-winning singer Kimbra, 32, reveals her mental health battle
It worked! In the first year of her new regime, Ciara lost 83 pounds and fit into a size six
‘Here I was with two children under the age of one, a broken leg making even going to the bathroom difficult, and I was in a new place where I knew no one.
‘Food has always been an issue, but this time was worse than ever before. I would eat until I was sick and I would drink myself to sleep sometimes.
‘I spent days on end in tears and knew I had to change for myself and for the good of my family.
‘I slowly switched to a ketogenic way of eating and went to the gym five days a week. People began to notice my loss and that was super motivating.
‘I was also starting to feel better inside because I was making taking care of myself a priority for the first time in a long time.
‘I had tons of energy and was able to run around and play with my kids without getting worn out as I had before.
‘Even with this major achievement, I knew I was capable of more.
‘I had always admired the physiques of fitness competitors and I made a promise to myself that I was going to do that one day.
‘I continued to eat keto and trained hard for the next three years to completely change the composition of my body.
Wow: Ciara pushed herself even further and got down to just eight percent body fat
Success: Over the past three years, she has competed in five ‘World Beauty Fitness and Fashion’ shows, and she won the event in Miami in late 2020
Dreams do come true: ‘If you would have asked me four years ago if I would be where I am now, I would have looked at you with a crazy face,’ the mom said
‘During this time I competed in five WBFF shows and won first place and earned my pro status in Miami at the end of 2020.
‘This is a huge accomplishment for any athlete, but especially important to me, since I had undergone such a transformation from my former self.’
Before her lifestyle change, Ciara’s diet consisted primarily of junk foods, including sandwiches, chips, pasta, and alcohol, totaling over 3,000 calories per day.
Since becoming a fitness model, Ciara has adopted a keto diet consisting of organic fruits and vegetables, high quality meats, and nuts and seed, totaling 1,800 calories per day. She trains at the gym up to five days per week combining both strength and cardio.
Ciara posts her modeling shots to her 28,000 followers on Instagram not only to promote her talents as a model, but also to inspire others into action. Ciara believes that if she can make such a drastic transformation, then so can anyone if they are willing to put in the work.
‘There were so many tears, so many life changes, so many “I want to give up” moments,’ Ciara said.
‘I knew I was never going back so I continue to push myself every day.
‘The road to where you want to go will not always be an easy one but if you don’t give up on yourself, there is no limit to what you can accomplish.
‘If you would have asked me four years ago if I would be where I am now, I would have looked at you with a crazy face.
‘You have to believe in yourself and get over your excuses.
‘The ultimate goal is to inspire and motivate others to take action to achieve their goals.
‘Anything is possible with dedication.’
Source: Daily Mail
