How One Client Changed Her Self-Image and Transformed Her Life

From “Too Tired” to the Fit Friend: How One Client Changed Her Self-Image and Transformed Her Life

When Veronica first joined our gym, she was on fire.

She showed up to workouts consistently.
She was pushing herself, sweating, and surprising even herself with how strong she felt.

Little by little, she started to build better habits—and she wanted to take it further.
So she set a goal: “I’m going to clean up my diet next.”

But that’s when the resistance kicked in.

When Resistance Looks Like Laziness (But Isn’t)

She bought the groceries. She had the recipes.
But for some reason… the veggies just sat there.
Week after week, she tossed out mushy spinach and squishy cucumbers.
She told herself she was “too tired” to meal prep. Or “too busy” to make it to the store.

Sound familiar?

On the surface, it looked like a motivation problem.

But underneath, something much deeper was happening.

Fear Hiding in Plain Sight

In a coaching session with her 9Round Coach, Veronica opened up:

“I think I’m afraid of what comes next,” she said.
“What if I lose the weight… and I can’t keep it off? What if I fail again?”

"What if I have to stop hanging out with my friends?

Her fear wasn’t about meal prep.
It was about who she believed she was—and whether the version of her who keeps the weight off even existed.

Self-Love Isn’t Always Fluffy

In that same conversation, Veronica had another realization:

“I’ve been nice to myself” she said. “But I need to be more kind.”

She was letting herself off the hook with excuses that felt gentle:
“You’re tired, it’s okay.”
“You’ve done enough this week.”

But kindness sometimes looks different.

Sometimes kindness is telling yourself that you're tired, but your health is really important to you so you're going to put your shoes on and go workout anyway.

Sometimes kindness is telling yoruself that consistently skipping the gym is keeping you from reaching your goals so you have to go today. 
Sometimes kindness is telling yourself that you should absolutely love your body, but at the same time it's OK to want to change it. Loving your body means taking care of it and sometimes that means doing the hard things.

Sometimes kindness is holding yourself to a higher standard, not because you’re not enough—but because you are.

Becoming the Fit Friend

Veronica said something we’ll never forget:

“I realized I didn’t want to be the ‘fat friend’ anymore. I wanted to be the fit friend.”

And with that shift in identity, things started to change.

She didn’t wait to feel motivated.
She started acting like the fit friend—even when it was hard.
She chopped the cucumber.
She packed her lunch.
She got to bed earlier.

And each time she followed through, she gave her brain more proof:
“This is who I am now.”

Lasting Change Comes From the Inside Out

Veronica’s story is proof of something powerful:

It’s not just about willpower.
It’s not just about routines.
It’s about who you believe you are.

When your identity shifts, your habits follow.
And when your habits align with your self-image, the whole thing starts to feel easier.

Ready for Your Shift?

If you’re feeling stuck or wondering why change feels so hard, ask yourself this:

Who do I believe I am?
What would the next-level version of me do today?

And then—just like Veronica—start small.
Start with the cucumber.
Start with a walk.
Start by showing up.

Because every step you take reinforces a new belief:
You are capable.
You are worth the effort.
And you are becoming the strongest version of you.