Leanna Lost 30 Pounds of Baby Weight Working Out 4 Times a Week, and Still Ate Pizza

Growing up, Leanna was thin but never strong. "I didn't deal with being overweight or out of shape until after the birth of my second child," Leanna shared. Although she had an active lifestyle, she had no previous experience with fitness before the age of 30. "I didn't eat healthy; I used to smoke heavily and didn't eat anything unless it was delivered in a paper bag through the window of my car."

Leanna began her fitness journey in October 2011, about one year after her second child was born. She needed to lose weight but was also worried about a sharp pain she had in her wrist — she was afraid she'd drop her baby while holding her. This led Leanna to start doing resistance training.

When Leanna started working out, "I started all on my own. I was too intimidated to go to a gym. I found some workouts online and did them in my garage," she said. She started weight training four days a week for about 45 minutes a day. In the first month, she lost seven pounds with zero cardio and her wrist pain went away, never to return again.

After nine months, Leanna lost the baby weight — 30 pounds — reaching 120 pounds, and she decided it was time to put on muscle. She was so amazed at her results that she wondered how far she "could actually take this whole fitness thing."

So in February 2012, right before she turned 30, she decided to start prepping for her first bikini competition, which was in November 2012. She did a complete overhaul of her diet and started training with a coach, doing longer, more intense workouts and adding in some cardio. She completely transformed her body!

Leanna started reading anything she could get her hands on about nutrition and weight loss. "I read books written by people who had lost weight the responsible way and kept it off," Leanna said.

She didn't used to eat breakfast, so that was one change she made at the beginning of her journey. She also began keeping a food log of everything she ate each day and said it "was probably the number one factor in helping me to change my eating habits. It really made me see how repetitive I was and that what I thought was 'healthy' really wasn't all that healthy."

She keeps her calories at about 1,550 but goes a little higher when she's not training for a competition. She aims to keep her protein at 40 to 45 percent of her daily calories.

Leanna also believes in meal prepping. She preps healthy salads, salmon dinners, and lots of veggies. For a high-protein snack on the go, she'll put hard-boiled egg whites in a baggie to take with her since she's not a huge fan of protein bars.

Here's an example of what Leanna eats in a day:

Meal 1: oatmeal with strawberries and blueberries
Meal 2: chicken and spinach salad
Meal 3: rice cakes, peanut butter, and egg whites
Meal 4: smoked salmon, brown rice, and broccoli
Snack: sliced apple with peanut butter

Leanna's diet is obviously really clean, but she definitely enjoys treats two to three times a week. "My favorite indulgences are vanilla lattes (I'm a coffee addict). I love pizza, burgers, and hot wings. I'm not a huge fan of alcohol, so I only drink a couple times a year. I do enjoy cheesecake and frozen yogurt with my kids every now and then."

"I joke sometimes and say that when God made me, He walked away and left the motivation faucet running because I am overflowing with it," Leanna said. She focuses on blocking out and walking away from negativity. "I rid things and people in my life if I feel them becoming toxic. I try to fill my mind and my day with positivity, and I always take time to help others."

Leanna experienced tons of nonscale victories:

"Do not give up" is the first tip Leanna shared. Don't be afraid of hurting someone's feelings because you have to say no to a party or get-together. Don't feel selfish for needing time to yourself each day, because self-care is so important. "Don't feel vain for wanting to feel confident wearing a bikini."

Remember that this is a journey, not a destination. "Growing pains hurt, but you will come out a different and better person on the other end. Everyone's journey is different, and just because your progress isn't as much as someone else's doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong." Keep going, and celebrate every accomplishment along the way!