SISU Transformation UPDATE! Jennifer Ponnam
We featured Jennifer’s transformation a few months ago. She started doing the SISU Nutrition program in September 2019 and had made awesome progress. She has continued to stay on top of her nutrition in the months since and has now lost over 80lbs! Way to go, Jennifer!
About Jennifer
I currently live in Plymouth with my husband, Mani and two dogs (Chloe and Jessie) and work as a project manager. In my free time, I enjoy volunteering in animal rescue, traveling to find new adventures and spending time with family and friends. Quarantine has also helped me enjoy home improvement projects more and more.
Finding SISU
I started SISU in November of 2018. When my husband first mentioned joining CrossFit, I thought he was going a little crazy – I thought we weren’t fit enough to do CrossFit, but I was wrong! There is always a way to modify a WOD as needed for your current abilities. From the first time we walked through the doors, SISU was so welcoming, and it’s great to see the community and encouragement between everyone in classes.
Ready for a Change
I’ve struggled with my weight as long as I can remember and tried so many things to change it, but nothing has kept me as motivated or was as successful as SISU Nutrition. In May of 2018, at age 29, I suffered a stroke. I also learned that I have a bicuspid aortic valve, a common birth defect. Neither of these were related to my weight or lifestyle (surprisingly to me!), but I knew I needed a lifestyle change. I wanted to be able to enjoy life to the fullest and not just watch as life passed me by.
Creating New Habits
The biggest change I implemented was setting time aside to plan my macros for the week and preparing meals for 7 days a week rather than just the work week. This really helped me stay on track during the weekends (which were usually my biggest weakness). Setting aside time for planning my macros really allowed me to still enjoy foods that I loved so I never felt I was missing out.
A New Perspective
It is still crazy to me to look back at my starting pictures. I just completed another round of SISU Nutrition and did a side-by-side comparison from the very first week I started the the program to now and the change blew my mind! I cannot believe where I started and how much change I’ve been able to make with SISU! I’ve always been a little ashamed of my beginning pictures thinking that I let myself live this way. It took me a bit of time to think over sharing them, but it really shows how far I’ve come and if it can help someone else get started on their journey then I am happy to share!
Advice to Others
I still believe that everybody starts somewhere. You just need to decide you want this change and take that first step. There will be challenges and you will struggle at times, but you will get through it. There will be slower weeks and that’s okay! I also learned that you’re only competing with yourself. You can’t compare yourself to anyone else. Just be happy and focus on the progress you are making!
Looking Ahead
I still have a ways to go to reach my goals but have learned so much from Coach Christina! I’ll continue to use the daily habits I’ve learned and continue to plan out my macros each week to keep moving towards my goals.