Morgan’s Story: How a Teacher and Mom Went From 198 to 175 Pounds

Morgan went from 198 to 175 pounds while teaching full time, directing a choir and raising two kids. She started structured lifting with hip thrusts, rows and shoulder work, ate more than she expected, stopped weighing herself every morning, and learned to adjust her training on hard weeks instead of quitting.

Who is Morgan?

Morgan is a teacher and choir director with two kids. After her second child, she never felt like she got her body back. She was around 198 pounds. She had been that weight before, but this time her posture was off, her energy was low, and she said it felt like she was “wearing someone else’s body.”

She started in the 190 to 230 pound range covered in my Thick guide, with a pear shape.

Starting archetype: Thick (190 to 230 lbs). Ending archetype: Slim Thick (160 to 190 lbs).

How did I start her plan?

The first thing I did was watch her walk across the gym. She thought it was strange. Then I pointed out things about how she moved that she had never noticed. She said it made her realize how disconnected she had been from her own body.

She came in with a number, 175, and she wanted it fast. I did not promise her a timeline. I told her that if she followed the plan, she would not look the same at the end. She did not fully believe me, but she agreed.

What surprised her in the first weeks?

She was eating more than she expected, not less. That made her nervous. She also started lifting in a structured way instead of guessing, with simple movements like hip thrusts, rows and shoulder work. She could feel muscles working that she had not felt before.

If lifting sounds like the wrong move when you want to lose weight, read can lifting weights help you burn fat and lose weight.

What happened when the scale went up?

By week 2, the scale was up a couple of pounds and she panicked. She weighed herself every morning and sent me the numbers, getting more anxious each day. I told her to stop weighing herself for a while and focus on how she looked and felt. She said that was harder than it sounds.

That early bump is common when you start lifting and eating enough. Muscles hold more water while they adapt. It passes. For more, see should I weigh myself daily.

How did she handle busy weeks?

Around week 5, she had a big choir performance coming up. Late nights, little sleep, dragging herself through workouts. She showed up to one session completely drained. Instead of pushing her through it, I cut it short and adjusted everything around her schedule.

She said that was the first time she realized the plan was about adapting without quitting, not forcing consistency no matter what. That changed how she saw every busy week after.

By week 8, people at work were commenting on how she carried herself. She was standing straighter and moving with more intention.

What was the hardest part?

Around week 14 her weight stalled again. She stuck with the adjustments and it moved within a few days.

Then her kids got sick back to back, and then she got sick. For two weeks, everything fell apart. She missed workouts, ate whatever was easiest and gained weight. She told me she sat in her car late one night thinking about quitting completely.

She did not quit. She came back, did a shorter session, and focused on getting back into the rhythm instead of fixing everything at once.

What were her results?

• Start: 198 pounds, pear shape
• Finish: 175 pounds, hourglass shape

At 175, her waist was more defined and her shoulders had shape. She still teaches, still directs choir, and still has two kids and a full schedule.

In her words:

“I didn’t need a new life, I just needed my body to catch up to the person I already was.”

What can you take from Morgan’s story?

Should you eat less to lose weight faster?

Not always. Morgan ate more than she expected and still reached her goal, because the food supported her training and kept her from rebounding.

What do you do after a bad two weeks?

A shorter session. Then another. Do not try to make up for lost time.

Morgan finished in the 160 to 190 pound range. If that is you, read the Slim Thick (160-190 lbs) guide.

Can I get a plan like Morgan’s?

Take the XPL quiz, see coaching options and pricing, or read more results on the testimonials page.

Names and identifying details changed for client privacy. These results are not typical for everyone. How much you lose and how fast depends on your starting point, health, schedule and consistency.

Written by Zavier King, personal trainer in Houston and founder of XPL. ISSA Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Nutrition Coach. More about me.