Alignbodies by Michelle McLean

05/07/2024

02/08/2024

I finally hit 315lbs today 🥲

I've been a personal trainer for 10 years and I was doing bikini competitions.. so my strength training always too a back seat.

It took me two long years of grinding to get to where I am now.

I'm so happy to see how far I've come and how much I continue to grow. This really is a never ending journey

02/07/2022

So, what was the difference?

On the left, I was inconsistent with my workouts and my meals.

There would be days I would go through drive-thru and order in because I was either tired or too lazy to prep my meals ahead of time..
And when I DID, I didn't want to eat it..

On the right, I don't skip workouts. I stick to routines, and I'll make the conscious decision to push myself every day. I truly enjoy and look forward to all my meals and training sessions.

It just took me time to understand that if I want to feel better, I have to be better to myself. I don't train just for competitions anymore.. I train so I can keep up with life.

So, it really does take time to see the difference because one day, you'll wake up and be tired of being sick and tired 🙋🏽‍♀️

So..
What did you train today?

Body by

02/01/2022

How to build glutes:

1. Prioritize Strength + Recovery

2. Eating in a surplus with nutrient dense foods 🔑

That's about it.

People make this seem way harder than it needs to be.

I still see a lot of crazy workouts on this app when in reality majority of people still need to work on the basics and to remember..

It just takes time.

Current split: upper + lower split 5-6x a week

Body by

01/05/2022

What's bone broth?

Simmering down animal bones and connective tissue in water to develop a nutrient dense stock.

All you really need is water, bones, vinegar and salt 📋

But of course I added a bunch of aromatics that were lying around like onion, garlic, celery, dill, coriander ect. Put it in my slow cooker or air pressure depending on how much time I have. Set it and forget it 👌🏽

Broth is nutrient dense and it was super easy to make. But the main reason I wanted to prep a lot of broth was to be able to add more variety to my meal prep 🏋🏽‍♀️

I can now freeze blocks of broth for more soups, stews, sauces, gravies and my fav atm which is my version of
🌮

Would you make your own bone broth?

12/27/2021

Happy Holidays Fit Family 💃🏽

With the holidays here and boxing day sales are taking up your time line, I want to remind you that there's always time to work on your health.. so why not start now?

I'll be taking on serious clients only!

What am I looking for?
Someone who is..

1. 🧠 Open minded and wanting to learn

2. ⏳ Consistent with training schedule

3. 🏋🏽‍♀️ Determined to learn and build skills for life

Have you considered getting a personal trainer/strength coach/ stretch therapist for the new year?

Well my link is in the bio babe 💃🏽

12/21/2021

Missing that miami heat 🔥

Ya girl was not meant for Canadian weather..

Therefor.. I shall stay in my depressive cave training and meal prepping until I get super swolly for the summer time..

Thank you 😭👌🏽

Body built by 🏋🏽‍♀️

📸 and edits by moi 🙆🏽‍♀️

12/10/2021

I didn't have to work harder.. I had to learn to be kinder to myself.

I needed to focus on recovery, fueling my body with nutrient dense foods that made me feel good and energized. I had to prioritize my training over parties. I had to cut off toxic people, friends and family who didn't support the lifestyle I'm working so hard to build for myself.

I didn't care about the number on the scale as much as I cared about the amount of times I came to the gym and showed up for myself.

Your mindset WILL make or break you.

Who do you choose to be today?

12/09/2021

Do you track your meals?

After my competition I spent two weeks going "all-in". I didn't reverse diet after my competition. I ate what I want and ate to full satiety. I wanted to give myself a complete diet break and be more aware with what my habits/cravings were.

I noticed I had an unusual sweets craving when I usually crave fats and proteins... I thought it was interesting so I decided to meal prep high carb meals this week and almost immediately my cravings went away 🙃

I did get to experiment with some fun recipes but I'm excited to get back onto a meal plan + training program and really put in some work now for the 22' szn 🏋🏽‍♀️

And yes.. that homemade naan is immaculate 💫

11/30/2021

2021 vs 2020 ..

And only a 1lb difference 😬

And my favourite thing about this years prep was that I never felt like I was forcing myself to eat anything I didn't want to eat.

I thoroughly enjoyed all my meals and felt fueled and energized to crush my intense workouts

And I really believe following a sustainable training and diet plan is the only reason why I was able to see success with my weight loss journey without sacrificing my physical or mental health.

New game plan is to continue my cut and see what my true stage weight should be within 12 weeks from now and then build from there.

Looking at yearly comparisons I'm genuinely happy with the work if put in. And with this new training and diet plan I'm excited to see what I can build for next year 👀

11/29/2021

A challenge is an opportunity to grow so take advantage of it..


This was my best look in years, easiest prep, but the most challenging thing I've ever had to do.

It was emotionally exhausting and stressful because I was scared..

I knew it was going to be a tough competition. I knew what it was going to be like back stage. I knew the intensity of being at nationals when I was competing in figure. I knew how fast things would go and I only had one shot. No second chances here.

The pressure was on and I didn't want to disappoint those who were watching my journey. I wanted to prove to them and most importantly myself that I could get it done.

And I did. Taking home 5th place and qualification for nationals next year was emotional for me. Everything happens so fast and you only get that one shot.

Looking back I'm proud of the work that I've done this hear and the improvements that I've made being self coached and my first time in the bikini division.

I'm still learning the criteria but I understand what I need to improve on. I see my potential and look forward to next years transformation.

The goal now is to maintain this physique as I wasn't lean enough for this division. Building my legs to match my upper and pulling in my waist is always a challenge but it's always getting better.

And I do love a good challenge 🏋🏽‍♀️

Thank you to everyone who's been following along this journey. This is just the beginning 💕

Body by 👙

11/25/2021

Why eat oats every day?

It's high in fiber making it a great carb source that keeps you full ane energized. They're provide antioxidants and promote healthy gut bacteria leading to better digestion.

I currently oats everyday because of the numerous benefits it has and I rarely do anymore because I like being creative with it 💁🏽‍♀️

I think my favourite recipe that I tried this month has to be the 🍕

The great thing about most of these recipes is that I can meal prep everything on one day toss in the freezer and it will keep well for up to two months.. but let's be real.. that pizza will be gone long before then 🤤

How's your diet?