How Kayla Sanders Transformed Her Body And Her Life!
Oxygen|Jan/Feb 2018

Mother, career woman and wife Kayla Sanders can now add “cover girl” to her list of accolades. Here’s how this Oxygen Challenge 4 participant took control of her health and completely transformed her body — and her life!

Lara Mcglashan, MFA, CPT
How Kayla Sanders Transformed Her Body And Her Life!

Kayla Sanders is the cover girl who almost wasn’t. Even after training and eating clean for 90 days, losing 45 pounds, and getting compliments left and right, she debated about submitting her “after” pictures. “We all have an inner critic who instills you with doubt, and I didn’t know if I wanted to put myself out there,” she says. “Thankfully, I am surrounded by a great tribe of women who empower me because I would not be on the cover of this magazine otherwise. I also have two little girls looking up to me — Makena is 13 and Levi Grace is 17 months — and here I am doubting myself. They saw me working hard, and then what kind of example do I show them if I don’t submit my photos? I had to be bold for them as well as for myself!”

THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Sanders had signed up for Oxygen challenges before, but she had never actually completed one. But this time, she believed, was different: She had gained 60 pounds during her pregnancy, and because of her nutrition choices, she hadn’t lost much of that weight, even with breast-feeding the baby. She was horrified by the photos of herself and her body at Levi’s first birthday party, and one day at work, she had a revelation.

“I am in cardiac surgery sales, and I see patients day in and day out who are on the table having heart procedures,” she says. “There is so much we can control with diet and exercise, and it dawned on me one day that I know better. I lost my father to heart disease, and I knew that I could not be the person on that table! Something had to shift, and I had to do better.”

HOMEBODY

This story is from the Jan/Feb 2018 edition of Oxygen.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Jan/Feb 2018 edition of Oxygen.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OXYGENView All
Work Hard. Be Nice To People.
Oxygen

Work Hard. Be Nice To People.

This is the mantra of trainer and social media mogul Claire P. Thomas. And as we found out, it suits her to a tee.

time-read
10 mins  |
Fall 2021
The Power Of Suggestion
Oxygen

The Power Of Suggestion

Though the media makes it out to be voodoo, hypnosis may be your secret sauce for success.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Test Your Fitness Levels
Oxygen

Test Your Fitness Levels

Exactly how fit are you? How do you measure up? Find out with these next-level self-trials from Autumn Calabrese, Beachbody trainer and author of Lose Weight Like Crazy Even If You Have a Crazy Life (Galvanized Media, 2020).

time-read
4 mins  |
Fall 2021
Ankle weights
Oxygen

Ankle weights

Does this ‘80s staple still have a place in modern workouts? Our experts weigh in.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)
Oxygen

THE POWER CLEAN (Discover this dirty little secret for better functional fitness.)

OLYMPIC LIFTS ARE A VALUABLE TOOL FOR IMPROVING STRENGTH and athletic performance — and as a side bonus, they also help develop crazy-good muscle shape, size, and definition. In fact, one could argue that the power-clean portion of the clean-and-jerk is the best exercise ever devised. “The clean is a functional movement used [routinely] in everyday activities,” says Aaron Viscounte, CSCS, head coach and manager at Summer’s Fitness Inc. in North Canton, Ohio. “We use aspects of the clean to pick up a box and put it on a shelf, move furniture or even go grocery shopping.” During a power clean, the barbell travels from the floor to the “racked” position at shoulder level and back down again. We tapped some elite trainers for their step-by-step expert advice on making the most of every rep.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall 2021
The science of happıness
Oxygen

The science of happıness

WHY DOES A GOOD WORKOUT MAKE YOU FEEL SO MUCH HAPPIER? TURNS OUT, IT HAS AS MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR HEAD AS WITH YOUR BODY.

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall 2021
THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES
Oxygen

THE [ABCs] OF GREAT GLUTES

Improve athletic performance and perfect your posterior aesthetic with these 18 awesome exercises.

time-read
9 mins  |
Fall 2021
Three's the charm
Oxygen

Three's the charm

After the birth of her third daughter, Lindsay Raynne vowed to get healthy.

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall 2021
Keep your head in the game
Oxygen

Keep your head in the game

Adding a few targeted ingredients to your otherwise healthy lifestyle is a yes-brainer when it comes to maintaining your mind.

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall 2021
Recovery Discovery
Oxygen

Recovery Discovery

The fitness space is flooded with products, potions and protocols promising to optimize your recovery from training. See what science has to say about some of the most popular applications.

time-read
9 mins  |
Summer 2021