“My name is Cristina, I also go by Queen of Hearts. I’ve been in the medical field for a long time, but I’ve gone now into consulting – specifically, change management consulting. And I’m currently on a journey to love myself at every stage of my weight loss, but also to get my body to where it needs to be and stop playing with my potential.
I have known Lyonel, the fearless leader of LyonStrong for quite some time. We met back in our Crossfit days. Well, MY Crossfit days. I’m sure he still has them. Back in those days, I was Powerlifting, Olympic Weight lifting. Basically overcompensating in picking up really heavy stuff and putting it down at my lack of cardio and my hatred for cardio. Yes, I was good in certain parts, but I wasn’t working towards my ideal healthy self.
I know the way that Lyonel moves and functions and the way he is as a person. I know the integrity level is there, so anything that he’s going to be presenting, I know it’s the real deal. So having had worked out with him before in a Crossfit Olympic Weightlifting function, I said ok let me try this Spiderman looking kind of stuff. So coming in and seeing the camaraderie of everybody in the class was great, because being able to experience it before I signed up was a really big deciding factor for me.
I think at first my exact thought was, What the hell?!? or something along the lines of, How does he expect me to do this kind of stuff right now? ANd then getting past the first part of the video, I realized that he actually offers a scale down version, which at the time was still also very impossible, but I tried it. I think that just having the structure and organization even if it wasn’t face to face at first, I think that was kind of what set the tone for everything.
I think it was about a month in when I started noticing the difference in the way I’m moving. And I think that was the biggest thing for me because I had already been in the realm of how heavy I can lift, how much weight I’ve lost and all of that, but being able to, as silly as it sounds, like bend down and plug something in without looking like an old lady, I think that was something else like, WoW that’s different!
There are still times now when it feels very overwhelming and difficult, but now I’ve gotten to the point where I know I have to continuously challenge myself in ways that are uncomfortable. I even have some videos that I recorded of just some raw footage of me talking bout how I had messed up on my diet that day, or I had skipped out on a workout and how bad I felt about that. I think just a lot of self accountability and stuff like that.
LyonStrong also provides accountability along with being able to have an open form of communication where you can reach out if you need to. I sent a weird text, and Lyonel immediately called and was like something’s going on, and I was in the middle of something like, ugh I can’t do this! (while sobbing) I think at that point, I knew even more so that I don’t want to let my self down, and I don’t want to let Lyonel down. And I had a support level that I wasn’t used to. And it was almost weird that someone was up in my face that much making sure that I took inventory.
I feel very grateful because I don’t have many people in my life that push me to that and that come up to me with a mirror before anything, and I think that essentially that has helped me get through feeling that I’m not losing weight fast enough, or I’m not doing things the way it should be done because I haven’t been following the program to the tea. I do it as much as I can, but even with that, Lyonel has never made me feel like a failure.
It starts with changing the conversation in your head because only you can do that. But LyonStrong is a place where there is no judgement, there is no competition, there’s no negativity. The only negativity is going to be the negativity in your head that we’re going to try to get out. But I think most of all the level of support that you get and even how we’ve been able to adapt to the times.. Covid-19 and still being able to work out through that, that was really important I think – and just being there for each other. If you want something that’s long term, that’s not just about lifting heavy weights, or running super fast, or things like that. It’s about moving different, feeling parts of your body, and being able to control those parts of your body that you didn’t even know existed.
Obviously I rate LyonStrong a 10 for almost everything.The only thing I can’t rate a 10 for is the nutrition, but obviously that’s because, I haven’t followed it. Sometimes I feel like the recipes are like, Damn I ain’t got time for that shit! But I know that now in the second portion where I’m going to be doing a lot more focus on my nutrition, the change.. I have already had super fast changes, so what my body is going to do now, I don’t even think I can probably fathom.
The aesthetics don’t hurt! So one thing that I notice in the recent before and after pictures that I took were the ridiculous change in the shape of my body. Not just oh, I lost weight, no, you can tell that my skin even picked up with it. It’s a complete change in the shape of my body, so now I have a butt.. lol And I have this kind of hour glass shape going on. So you know, thanks Lyonel! I’ll invite you to the wedding! lol
Being in the medical field, I also did private post-op care, so I just was also dealing with taking care of girls after cosmetic surgery. So already in my head I was like, Oh I know how it was when I lost a bunch of weight before, I’m going to have hanging skin, I’m going to need surgery, I’m going to need this, some of that, and one thing I think that I kind of realized in the last 6 months is that I don’t think I’m gonna need it! I think I’ll be just fine because my body is doing what I want it to do. It’s only because I’m doing what Lyonel is telling me to do (rolls her eyes)… Whatever!! lol
Maybe that will be the slogan. “My body is doing what I want it to do because I’m doing what Lyonel is telling me to do.” That’s a good one!
CRISTINA’S FUN FACTS:
Favorite Quote: ”The purpose of life is to find your gift, the meaning of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso
Favorite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
Favorite Workout Music: Rat Shit! lol Something I can shake my butt to in between reps, for sure.
Favorite Movie: The Fifth Element – I have a tattoo on my fingers that kind of goes with it: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and I’m the Fifth Element.. lol
For anyone looking to start with LyonStrong, I would say that you need to turn your one day into your day 1. You need to stop putting off what is absolutely best for you and your health because all of that other stuff, you can’t do it, you can’t handle it, you can’t service anybody else, or do anything in this world or anything, unless you take care of yourself first. If you don’t take care of yourself, the rest doesn’t even happen. So keeping that in mind, investing in your health is the biggest investment you can make. And I think that specifically doing it with LyonStrong, you’re investing in your mind, body, and soul.”
Watching Cristina’s transformation has been so incredible for all of us here at LyonStrong!
Her spunkiness, willingness to try new things, and perseverence has truly been an inspiration.
We are so grateful to be a part of her journey.
Lyonel Lumarque
www.GetLyonStrong.com
P.S. IT IS ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE! You can do this, just like Cristina did. Let us be part of YOUR transformation story … Right now, you can head on over to: www.GetLyonStrong.com/gift and claim your FREE gift worth $590. No strings attached.