Lindsey Transformed Her Body and Mindset by Gaining 44 Pounds and Building Muscle

"About four to five years ago, I was at my lowest mentally and physically," Lindsey said. She would work out but explained that she would only do the bare minimum "to stay as skinny as possible."

Eventually, Lindsey began to learn more about strength training, nutrition, and how to have healthy relationship with food. With this new information, she put on muscle and explained that at first, her weight-gain transformation began to make her nervous, but eventually, she stopped worrying about the scale.

To date, Lindsey has gained close to 44 pounds and currently weights about 154 pounds. "Putting on the weight took a couple of years, but getting my body to be where it is now, looks wise and as strong as it is now, took about four years," Lindsey said.

In order to gain weight, Lindsey had to increase her food intake. Initially, consuming more food was challenging, especially as the numbers on the scale increased, she explained, "but I learned that my body needed the calories and fuel."

She also began to lift heavier weights and reduced the amount of cardio she was doing to put on weight. Lindsey typically trains six times a week; here's an example of her weekly workout schedule:

To aid in her weight gain, Lindsey began following the Whole30 diet. Here's a look at what she eats in a day:

On the days that Lindsey focuses on strength training, she'll consume more carbs and red meat to have enough energy to complete her workouts. If she runs in the morning, she'll double the amount of food she has for breakfast since she's burning extra calories and wants to maintain her size. If she works out twice in a day, she'll consume a total of four meals that day.

Although Lindsey's gotten stronger physically and mentally, one of the biggest challenges she faced was accepting the weight she was gaining. "I feel like society is so focused on women being lean, so it was hard to accept the fact that I was gaining weight and growing when society sets standards to do the opposite." Instead of succumbing to those standards, Lindsey said, "I learned to focus on myself and set the standards for myself."

Scale aside, Lindsey said, "One of the bigger victories I've experienced is seeing my strength improve. I'm lifting heavier weights now than I ever thought I would be able to lift four years ago." She's also become a faster runner and can complete 10 strict pull-ups in a row. "My self-esteem and confidence have improved, and I am so proud of myself and how far I've come. I even feel comfortable in a swimsuit, which I haven't felt since I was a little kid. That is probably the biggest victory: breaking through the toxic and unhealthy perception I had of myself."

Lindsey stays motivated by the fact that she recently joined the Army and will be leaving for basic training and officer candidate school at the end of December. One goal she's set for herself is to pass ranger school, and this keeps her motivated to continue training.

One takeaway Lindsey shared from her transformation is that losing weight or gaining weight and learning to be healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally is a personal journey. And although it's personal, she said it's easier to do when you have a support group with similar goals by your side. "My advice is to find a gym or a program, friends, or a trainer, and surround yourself with a positive support group that will encourage you to continue pushing toward your goals."