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Success Stories
See how these men and women changed their bodies and minds, plus discover their nutrition and exercise tips.
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Sigurlin Baldursdottir: A Winning Fight
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With unsuccessful attempts at dieting after giving birth to twins, 38-year-old Sigurlin Jona Baldursdottir from Reykjavak, Iceland, was depressed and hopeless with the appearance of her body. She dreamt of wearing tight sleeveless dresses and not having to worry about hiding her body. One evening while watching television, Sigurlin came to a channel that featured people speaking about the Body-for-LIFE Challenge (a 12-week nutrition, training and supplementation program) and their success with it. Sigurlin thought, "If someone else can do it, so can I."
Ending her long-term dissatisfaction and frustration, and becoming happier with herself, Sigurlin pursued the Challenge and soon became the Body-for-LIFE 2001 first runner-up (women age 33 to 39).
The start
As Sigurlin began tackling the 12-week Program she had little endurance, making it difficult for her to jog no more than a mile. Her muscles were weak, and her energy was low. But after the fourth week of training, Sigurlin’s strength increased and her energy soared. She even joined a team of three men for a challenge in Iceland that required her to run 4.8 miles (down a 5-meter waterfall and 1.8 miles in the river), and her team won. "Before beginning the Challenge I would have never done anything like this," Sigurlin says. "Now, I know I can do anything!" And six months after becoming a Body-for-LIFE winner, Sigurlin gained the confidence and self-esteem to start training for the Galaxy Fitness Competition in Iceland. Being the oldest competitor there, Sigurlin finished first runner-up.
A new lifestyle
Sitting in front of the TV and munching on candy bars was an ordinary thing for Sigurlin to do. Now, after giving up on candy bars and cookies, Sigurlin eats a protein bar or fruit instead. She also gives herself one "candy day" a week. "At first eating healthy was just for myself," Sigurlin says. "But now, this is a lifestyle for the whole family. It’s great to raise a family that looks at a healthy life as something good for them." Sigurlin plans ahead for every meal weeks in advance. And when times got rough, she relied on positive self-talk, looking at "before" and "after" photos of past winners and knowing that if they could it, she could do it "with style."
Being a flight attendant, Sigurlin regularly travels all over the world, but she never gave up on her fitness regimen. When she was in foreign restaurants she would order the specified foods and take nutrition supplements. "Wherever I was I would track down the local gym," Sigurlin says. "The enthusiasm and the benefits I was seeing is what kept me going when I was traveling." Planning ahead and finding the time to work out while raising a family is also not a struggle for Sigurlin; it’s just part of her schedule. "You have to organize your life and prioritize things, and exercise is one of my priorities. You always have time to exercise if you want to."
The best reward
After six weeks on the Program Sigurlin dropped two sizes and had to request a new uniform from the airline she works for. And after 12 weeks, she had to ask for another smaller size uniform. Overall she went from 152 pounds to a 130; a size 12 to a size two; 11 percent body fat; and she gained 14.5 pounds of muscle.
When Sigurlin picked up the phone to find out she was first runner-up in the 2001 Body-for-LIFE Challenge, she thought it was a joke by some friends but soon realized it wasn’t. "It was great and I was so happy that I was awarded for accomplishing my goals," Sigurlin says. "The best reward was that I changed my life and lifestyle." Sigurlin has found happiness again within herself and her body, her self-esteem and confidence. Her relationship with her husband and children is stronger and they look at life with "much more positive eyes." "I look at life completely different now, and I enjoy life much more," Sigurlin says. "I say to myself that I can do anything. And when people say to me that they wish they could do something like this I say, `You can’."
An energetic future
As of now, Sigurlin is taking a break from being a flight attendant and opening up her own personal training business to help other people succeed at their overall fitness goals. "I have so much more energy, I have more confidence in my self, and I’m happier with life," Sigurlin says. "My longtime dissatisfaction and annoyance has ended."
Sigurlin’s workout schedule
Monday
Back:
Seated rows
One-arm dumbbell rows
Close-grip lat pulldowns
Back extensions
Triceps:
Pushdowns
Triceps extensions
Triceps dips
Tuesday
40 minutes of cardio
Abs
Sit-ups: three sets of 30 reps
High pulley crunches: four sets of 15 reps
Incline leg raises: four sets of 20 reps
Wednesday
Legs:
Angled leg presses
Power squats
Leg extensions
Lying leg curls
Seated calf raises
Shoulders:
Lateral raises
Dumbbell presses
Front raises
Upright rows
Thursday
40 minutes of cardio
Abs:
Leg raises: four sets of 20 reps
Incline bench sit-ups: four sets of 20 reps
Sit-ups: three sets of 30 reps
Friday
Chest:
Decline presses
Incline dumbbells
Cable crossover flyes
Push-ups
Biceps:
Machine curls
Hammer curls
Low pulley curls
Curls
Saturday
50 minutes of cardio
Abdominal exercises
Sunday
Rest!
Sigurlin’s nutrition program
Breakfast
Light yogurt with All Bran and fruit
Snack
Nutrition shake and fruit
Lunch
Salad with tuna, rice and low-fat cottage cheese or
Chicken tortillas with vegetables and salsa or
Fish with potato and vegetable
Snack
Whole-wheat bread with low-fat cottage cheese, red pepper and onion
Dinner
Omelet (five to six egg whites) with broccoli, mushrooms, red onion, red peppers and salsa
Snack
Fruit or low-carb protein bar
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