Stronger at 53 After Years of Yo-Yo Dieting: Darci's Story

Darci: I'm eating more food and I'm losing weight. I feel like I have just reversed the aging process without a doubt. I'm turning 54 in a few weeks and I feel physically stronger now than I ever have in my life.

Nikkiey: What's going on, everybody? Today I've got another WarriorBabe here with us, WarriorBabe Darci, who before WarriorBabe spent years climbing the corporate ladder, and she was caring for everyone else until her health hit a breaking point. After losing her mother at 60 and recognizing that her own path was leading in the same direction, she knew that she had to change something. And with WarriorBabe, she's been able to stop the cycle of yo-yo dieting, finally understand her body and create daily habits that support her health from the inside out. And now at 53, she has more energy, she has more confidence, and she has a body that she absolutely loves. Today she's here to share her story with us. Welcome, Darci.

Darci: Welcome.

Nikkiey: So let everybody know where you are located in the States and what you do for work. I already shared how old you are, so we don't need to go down there.

Darci: Yeah. I live in Denver, Colorado. I've been here about 25 years. Love it. And I am actually at a point of transition. I spent several years in the whole technology space, as Nikkiey alluded to, and I've taken some time off. I'm at a point in my life where I think I may make a total career transition. So, for the better.

Nikkiey: Wow. Well, I'm celebrating you in this season of life. So let's talk about where you were before you found WarriorBabe. What did your situation with health and fitness look like then?

Darci: Holy cow. The story is so common among so many of us, trying so many different programs out there. I went from Weight Watchers to you name it. It was a good process to start. But then if you had a bad day and you didn't eat well, oh my goodness, the pounds would come back on and the bloating in the face would occur. It was a really challenging space to be in, trying all these programs and not having much success.

Nikkiey: Yeah. Not only the pounds that came back on, but how about the feelings of, oh, I'm here again? The guilt, the shame, all the things that women experience when they're trying these diets over and over again.

Darci: Nothing's working. It's like, I'm a failure at this. Nothing's going to work for me. Up, down, left, right, yo-yo. You name it. It was crazy. And talk about feeling defeated. That was probably the main feeling that came across.

Nikkiey: Wow. You mentioned in the form you filled out before this interview that you reached your highest-ever weight trying these yo-yo programs. How did that affect your confidence, especially within the career path you were in?

Darci: Yeah, it was really quite a struggle. I was working and trying to do these programs, and things weren't going my way, and my nervous system was just firing on all levels because of the stress. Then you layer on the stress from these programs not working. And let's say you divert for a while, either to take a break or you're on vacation. It was really vacation, Nikkiey, that did it for me last summer when I ended up hitting my highest weight. My family and I were gone for a week and a half overseas, and I came back and looked at the pictures and felt the bloat in my face. I was at such a critical point, especially having lost my mom young. I was like, okay, I'm either going to take the right path or the left path. On the right path, I'm going to make a drastic change. Or I'm going to stay on the left path, my health is just going to decline, I won't be able to move, and I'll ultimately end up on the path my mom ended up on. She passed at age 60.

Nikkiey: What was it that she passed from?

Darci: Cancer.

Nikkiey: That's so sad. I'm sorry for your loss. Would you say that was your breaking point, last summer's vacation and thinking about your mom?

Darci: It was the breaking point in terms of, I'm either going to make a drastic change and invest in myself, or leave things as they were and just know that the outcome probably was not going to be a good one.

Nikkiey: Wow. I'm going to get to the point where maybe an ad popped up on your feed and it was like a godsend, or maybe it was a podcast episode. We'll get there. But I want to ask you, what did it feel like when you were trying all of these programs? Working at Cisco and in tech, it's very much grind mode. You seem very determined, and you have the grit to do what you've done professionally. How did it feel when you were putting all of this effort into these programs and you weren't getting the results you thought you would get?

Darci: It was absolutely crushing. It was so frustrating, because you spend time and money doing these things. And what I would find is whenever I did a program, I would end up heavier than when I went in. So I was in this perpetual pattern where I would try something, and I would be done because I just wasn't motivated or I didn't have the habits in place to continue. And then, to your point, something else would pop up, and I'd think, okay, I'll try that. I would go on that program. They might have some support, a coach here or there who really didn't know what they were doing. And then premade food that was sent in the mail that you add water to.

Nikkiey: Oh, yeah. I've done some good ones too. Oh my goodness, Darci. Holy cow. I've never heard of that one. They send you food and you just add water?

Darci: I don't know if I can disclose it, but anyway, it's out there. So I'm doing this program and I'm thinking, this person has no idea what she's talking about. And then I'm gaining the weight, and then of course I go traveling and I'm like, okay, free-for-all. I'm off the wagon, so let's just enjoy. And then I was like, holy wow, this is not good.

Nikkiey: Do you remember roughly how many calories these programs had you on?

Darci: With Weight Watchers it was pretty standard, but there was really no conversation around calories, or at least for myself, I wasn't really tracking calories. I was more tracking their points. With Optavia, this other program, I actually went back to look at the little packets they had, and quite a few had the calorie counts with the bar code on the back, so you could scan them. I think it was tracking to a set calorie count, but there was no conversation around readjusting, or the phases of the program, or how to dial things in or out. It was just pure: you eat these packets this day. And I wasn't even counting. It was crazy, Nikkiey. There was no rhyme or reason except just eat the food and do some exercise, and there was no emphasis on exercise even.

Nikkiey: What was the exercise routine that you were either told to do or were doing for yourself?

Darci: I've been a runner my whole life. So I would go out on my own and run every few days. It wasn't working for me, because the food intake along with the running, the constant cardio, was really a mismatch. And that is one thing I've learned with your program. The walking has been so critical. And then, of course, the lifting. I absolutely love the lifting. It's shifted my whole way of even looking at exercise completely. But I love it.

Nikkiey: Okay, I can't wait to dive into that. So let's talk about those first couple of weeks inside WarriorBabe. What was that like, adjusting to your macros, doing more walking instead of running, doing the lifting, your metabolism? What were the first couple of weeks like?

Darci: I gave myself grace when I first joined the program. There is a lot that comes at you, in a positive way. I got in the habit of taking a couple of things every few days and making the changes so that the habits were moving me in the right direction. I hate to admit this, Nikkiey, but I signed up in June, and it probably wasn't until July that I really started saying, okay, I've got to take this seriously. I aligned with the lifting really well, getting into the gym. I was not intimidated showing up there with the men, young and old, whatever. I embraced that. And the consistency I've had with the lifting has been great. Food has been a bit of a journey. I'm getting better. My focus has been on the macros, the calories, really dialing in on the good foods. And I had this mindset of, okay, if I'm working out, then I can treat myself. So I had to rethink that, because as Victoria said, you can't outrun or out-work-out the food. And I'm like, you're absolutely right.

Nikkiey: I love the honesty of you saying that you joined in June, but it wasn't until July that you really kicked it off. So many women say that. And I love that you gave yourself grace, because there are a lot of great things coming at you at the beginning. It's a good overwhelming feeling, but it is overwhelming. You're changing habits rather quickly, and some you have to work your way into, which takes time. And implementing our methodology into your life takes time too. So I love and respect that you were honest about that. What phase did you start out in?

Darci: Well, I had to go through a whole reset of my body because it was so off. At that point I was at the heaviest weight I've ever been. Coach Victoria was really focused on helping me find my stable level. So it took us some time to tweak things a little bit.

Nikkiey: So not maintenance, but the transition phase of retraining your metabolism.

Darci: Retraining. Thank you for that. Yes.

Nikkiey: Yeah. A lot of women have to do that. You came in eating maybe not as much as what you ended up working up to. How did it feel to have more food added to your day?

Darci: I can distinctly remember saying, holy cow, I'm eating more food and I'm losing weight. What the heck is going on here? It's like this reverse psychology that plays in. And that's when you're like, okay, I have to lean into this. Trust it, have faith in the process, have faith in how this works, and just stick to it as closely as you can. And you start seeing the results. Then as you go through the program, your body starts reforming, as you know, and it's amazing. Everything that you say in those podcasts, I'm now experiencing, and it's coming to fruition. It's really a 180 in attitude, in positivity and in faith in this. And if you have a bad day, this is what I love so much about the science of this, Nikkiey. Maybe you fall off for a day, 4th of July, whatever. You're not getting bloated and puffy again, and you're not losing the progress that you're making. You just say, okay, I'm going to get back on the wagon, reset, restart and go. It's like you don't miss a beat. And that's what's so beautiful. And to your point, it's emotional, physical, mental, even spiritual. You take the weight off and it lifts you. It increases your light and your happiness. It's incredible.

Nikkiey: So did WarriorBabe live up to the expectations that you set for it?

Darci: It has over-exceeded them. It's been such an incredible journey. I'm so grateful I found you on Facebook. I've also seen some of you on Instagram. Now I'm a regular listener to your The WarriorBabe Show, especially while I'm working out. And you did a session with Dr. Stacy Sims that was spectacular. Talk about the knowledge base between the two of you, and you're just jamming back and forth. It's so good. I've sent it to many people. That one is wonderful.

Nikkiey: Oh, I love that. I felt like I was talking to my bigger sister on that podcast. We were just jamming, having a good time, talking about all the things. I love that you love that episode, and thank you for being an avid listener of the podcast. So let's talk about where you are in your journey now. It's been a year, right? A year and a month. You're in your second year?

Darci: Yeah. We're thinking about the third year.

Nikkiey: Let's share some of the biggest accomplishments you've had, both physically and mentally.

Darci: Physically, I feel like I have just reversed the aging process without a doubt. Gosh, I'm turning 54 in a few weeks, and I feel physically stronger now than I ever have in my life. Like I said, I've always been an athlete, but I didn't understand the science behind it. As you mentioned, with the program you bring in these huge components, even the pre-workout protein drinks versus the post-workout protein drinks, just to fuel your body and the muscles. My arms, my stomach needs a little more work, but my legs are looking fantastic. I've restructured my body in such a way that I really do love it now. And I enjoy getting into a bathing suit, unlike a couple of years ago, for sure. So that's been really wonderful. Mentally, like I said, I'm willing to lean in, take risks, have a new view on life, change careers, make some big decisions, and I'm not afraid of it. I know it's all going to work out, and I have the strength and the endurance to lean in and persevere. So I'm really excited about this new chapter, year two. I mentioned this to you a little before we started: there was a gal on the podcast who said so distinctly that year one is about creating the habits, and year two is about really shifting into the lifestyle. That stuck with me for months. So when I knew year two was coming up, the conversation with my husband was, it's a no-brainer. What you invest now to save for later is so worth it. Think about the cost of your health later, on the days when you can't move. Invest now so that you're better off in the future, and you just ease into phase two of life with grace and strength.

And one thing I have to say, Nikkiey: living out in Colorado, I was a big skier years ago, and my kids grew up skiing. These little guys are now in their twenties, and they seriously fly down the hill. For a long time it was hard for my husband and me to keep up with them. And I have to say, with all the core work I've done, I'm actually skiing with them. I'm going as fast and as in control as they are, and I'm not losing my breath. I'm right there with them, and they're in their twenties.

Nikkiey: That's amazing. Look at you.

Darci: I've got some dear friends who have seen the progress I've made, and a handful of them will make some changes here and there, but they won't do the full approach. So they're right back where they were. They're making some improvements, but with your program, and this is just so ingenious, Nikkiey, how you figured this out, you take all of these components and work them together. That's where the change happens. I could have been eating fewer calories, whatever, puttering along, but I would still be where I was a year ago if I hadn't gone all in and invested in myself.

Nikkiey: Right.

Darci: You need all the components. That's one thing I'm trying to emphasize with people I know: you have to do it all. You can't just do a piece of it. You may get some results, but it's not the complete picture. And that's how you were so masterful, through your trainings, your knowledge and even your background in nursing, at bringing it all together.

Nikkiey: Thank you, Darci. I appreciate that. As we wrap up, for anybody listening or watching right now who's on the fence, and I've been on so many interviews where babes have said, yeah, I saw your ad, but I waited three months, what would you want to tell them about taking the leap?

Darci: I'd say you're going to go on and hear these podcasts and see testimonials and all that. Don't wait the two or three months. You might feel like you need that, so do what you need to do, but at the same time, jump in and start sooner rather than later. For so long I had this hesitation about investing in myself and giving myself permission to invest. Yes, this is an investment, but it really is for your health. It's for your future. It's worth it. It'll be a little costly, but break it down month over month, with access to a phenomenal coach and real detail on how to do the program. Everything's fed to you. You just have to take your bits and pieces and make changes every few days, whatever works, but invest in yourself and do it. It's going to pay off, now and for the future. And you'll be able to run around with the grandkids. I own the gym. I walk in and I frigging own everyone in there. I'm like, move over. It's just this confidence, this attitude. I have this strut, and I'm like, yeah, I'm going to keep reversing the aging process. Let's go. So just do it. It's so worth it. You're going to change your life, you're going to feel so much better, and you will reset your new normal. You'll think, wow, I was so off, and now I'm so on.

Nikkiey: I love that, Darci. Thank you for sharing that, and thank you for your incredible journey as a WarriorBabe. As it continues, I'm celebrating your successes. You've accomplished so much, and I can't wait to see what you continue to accomplish, mentally and physically. And to everyone listening: Darci's journey is living proof that it's never too late to choose yourself. She didn't just build strength. She built boundaries, she built self-respect, and most importantly, what I'm hearing throughout this entire interview is that you have an unstoppable mindset. I'm sure you had it before, but it seems like the confidence is through the roof. If you're interested in WarriorBabe, check out warriorbabe.com. This could be your story. You could be a testimony as well. Darci, thank you for sharing your story with us. I appreciate your time.

Darci: My pleasure. Thank you for what you're doing. You have been such an inspiration.

Nikkiey: Oh, thank you.