45-year-old mother and Pocatello resident Brittany Ward used to weigh 350 pounds seven years ago. She also harbored harmful habits like smoking. Despite being a mother, Ward couldn’t play with her children as she lacked the energy and agility to keep up with them. However, during one of Ward’s routine checkups, doctors gave her a grim diagnosis, so she turned to fitness and?bodybuilding.

The Pocatello mother turned her life around and gradually shunned her smoking habit, started eating a clean diet, and embraced?fitness. However, unlike many who go through fitness?transformation after extreme dieting, Brittany Ward took a patient approach. Today, the 45-year-old is getting ready to step on an NPC bodybuilding competition stage.

Britanny Ward’s journey from health issues to bodybuilding

After doctors diagnosed Brittany Ward with a precancerous polyp, she understood that her lifestyle led to health complications and increased her cancer risk. Although a precancerous polyp is benign, according to the Mount Sinai Hospital website, any polyp bigger than 1 cm has a greater risk of turning malignant. So, the then-350-pound Ward gradually started making changes.

“In the beginning, I just started with small changes,”?Britanny Ward told EastIdahoNews.com.?“Little things like going for a 30-minute walk and incorporating an active lifestyle,”?she added. Gradually, her body adapted to the changes, and she increased the intensity of her effort. After a while, Ward got into hiking, cycling, dancing, and Zumba.

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The various forms of cardio-dominant workouts have helped the 45-year-old shed a whopping 200 lbs. Currently, Ward weighs 150 lbs. and is in competition-ready shape. The Zumba instructor put on considerable muscle to compete on stage. However, Brittany Ward doesn’t plan to remain at 150 pounds for the long term. While she cut down to 150 lbs for her NPC Bodybuilding contest, Ward believes the weight isn’t sustainable.

Ward thriving on “little” goals

During the interview, the bodybuilding enthusiast said maintaining 150 pounds would require extreme dieting. The bodybuilder is already limiting herself to consuming 920 calories to get shredded for her competition. Instead, the 45-year-old aims to maintain her body weight at 180 lbs, as sustainability and gradual progress is her motto.

The Zumba instructor took her time to get where she is today. As a result, Ward hasn’t run into any major health issues despite shedding 200 pounds. When asked about what Ward would tell those looking to lose weight, she had an endearing message.?”Little goals… Don?t make them big; they don?t have to be big. You have to be patient,”?she said.

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What did you think of Brittany Ward’s inspirational weight loss and fitness journey? Let us know in the comments.