Ratnayaka believes that life-altering changes are due to a change in mindset.
Sandeepa Rathnayaka, an engineering manager based in Columbus, Ohio, won the top prize in a bodybuilding competition. conversion She said she will compete in October after losing more than 120 pounds in three years.
Ratnayaka attributed her life-changing physical changes to a major change in lifestyle mindset, which she said helped her battle lifelong depression.
Ratnayaka told “Good Morning America” that after weighing 253 pounds in 2020, a trainer at a local gym opened her eyes to a series of lifestyle changes, which led to her losing more than 120 pounds and finally losing weight. He said it also helped him achieve a long-term healthy mental state. .
Ratnayaka said she was sexually abused when she was nine years old, and that the incident caused long-term trauma that led her to rely on different coping mechanisms.
“Throughout my childhood and teenage years, I relied on food for emotional comfort and as a coping mechanism,” Rathnayaka said.
Ratnayaka said justice was never served for her sexual abuser.
“That was one of my biggest childhood traumas. I felt vulnerable.”
In addition to depression and severe weight gain, Ratnayaka developed allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, which worsened the asthma symptoms she had had since childhood.
After hitting “rock bottom” in 2020, Rathnayaka says the guidance and relationship she developed with personal trainer Paul Renals helped her make lifestyle changes that resulted in major changes and helped her find emotional stability. He said it was helpful.
“I didn't believe in myself. So I started believing in myself because of him,” Rathnayaka said.
She said Reynolds introduced her to a holistic approach to health and wellness.
A 36-year-old man said: nutritionexercise, meditation, and breathing exercises all helped her heal “from the inside out.”
Ms. Rathnayaka said Mr. Renals helped her develop ways to recognize her “triggers” and change her habits when she encounters them.
“She didn't understand how her emotions were allowing her to go back to her habits,” Renals said.
The personal trainer said she noticed that Rathnayaka was uncomfortable in a gym environment and was easily distracted by the idea of other gym-goers looking at her, and Reynolds asked her about it. At the time, she said she attributed this to childhood trauma.
In addition to exercise, looking at stress and sleep patterns is essential in personal training, Reynolds said.
“I wanted to show her the value of investing in training and what it can do.”
Her investment paid off in spades as Rathnayaka won the women's makeover title at the Summer Shredding National Championship, a bodybuilding and makeover competition held in Houston, Texas, last October.
“You can make absolutely incredible changes happen naturally,” Rathnayaka said. “All you need is the right guidance, and working with a qualified coach will help guide you through a holistic approach to health and wellness.”
Throughout the training process, Rathnayaka and Renals report that the two also developed a romantic relationship.
“I consider him my soulmate. Like I really found love,” Rathnayaka said, adding that a key component to that was learning to love herself.
