Chelsea and Derek spent the past 12 months transforming their eating habits, health, bodies, and lives with personal help from a PN coach. And now? They’re our latest Grand Prize winners. See how we surprised them with $25,000 each, and meet the rest of our January 2018 Precision Nutrition Coaching winners.
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Every six months, in our Precision Nutrition Coaching program, we give away $125,000 to the men and women who have the most incredible, inspiring body transformations.
Yep, that’s $250,000 a year.
What’s different about this round?
Our most recent transformations were so inspiring — and the response from voters was so huge — that we decided to give out even MORE money.
And, today, you’ll meet our amazing winners.
These folks started working with us in January 2017 and, over the course of the last year, completely transformed how they eat, move, look, and feel.
They lost weight, gained strength, boosted their health, and inspired their friends and families.
Even better, they did it without diets, fads, or crazy workout routines.
Each person simply committed to making a change, stayed consistent, and used the accountability and support of one of our dedicated coaches.
- Meet Chelsea, our Women’s $25,000 Grand Prize Winner
- Meet Derek, our Men’s $25,000 Grand Prize Winner
- See photos of all January 2018 Women’s winners
- See photos of all January 2018 Men’s winners
$25,000 Grand Prize Winner: Chelsea
Lost 41 lbs and 43 total inches!
![](https://assets.precisionnutrition.com/2017/12/womens_finalists_january2018_83358.jpg)
- Age: 34 years
- Weight Lost: 41 lbs (from 183 lbs to 142 lbs)
- Total Inches Lost: 43 inches (from 247 inches to 204 inches)
Chelsea wanted her old self back.
The person who could run without pain, who could compete in triathlons, and who felt… attractive.
In the past, Chelsea was fit and active. She was the captain of her high school tennis and basketball teams, and regularly competed in races and triathlons during University.
But approaching her mid-30s, Chelsea took stock. Somewhere along the way, things had changed. Injuries (and subsequent surgeries) had stopped her from doing the sports she loved.
With reduced physical activity — her go-to way to de-stress — food had become her source of comfort. Weight gain had followed.
With the added weight, even once her injuries had healed, Chelsea had a hard time running. “At best, I could only run-walk, and my back spasmed,” she explains.
It was clear to Chelsea that she needed to make changes, but as a busy lawyer working two jobs, it wasn’t easy to prioritize things like nutrition, stress management, or sleep.
“I felt a bit ‘lost at sea’ with myself, and I had no clear plan for where to go.”
She knew she needed some guidance. But she also knew it needed to be sane and sensible.
Chelsea has zero interest in “woo-woo” weight-loss secrets, diet crazes, or counting calories.
When it comes to health and fitness, Chelsea is, in her words, “skeptical”.
In fact, it’s her lawyer-like skepticism (paired some well-honed research skills) that led Chelsea to Precision Nutrition Coaching.
“I chose PN because it’s well-researched and science-based,” Chelsea explains. “As a lawyer, that’s important to me.”
When Chelsea signed up, she was excited. She appreciated the program’s structure and accountability. And the simplicity of some of the practices, like “eat to 80% full” helped her start improving her nutrition right off the bat.
In fact, very early in the program, Chelsea realized something important.
“Perfection” was not an option.
With her busy schedule, Chelsea couldn’t keep up with every lesson. In fact, at one point she was thrown right off course.
“About halfway through the program, I missed about 2-3 weeks of the daily lessons. I thought, ‘I’ve blown it, I can’t do this anymore, I’ve got so much on my plate with work’.”
Luckily, Coach Toni helped Chelsea keep moving forward. “With her encouragement, my focus became this: just continue to show up.”
Chelsea adds, “I learned that you don’t have to do absolutely everything in order to succeed. It doesn’t matter if you miss a habit. You just have to keep coming back.”
So that’s what she did.
As the months went by, things started to change.
Pounds fell off. Her mobility got better. And Chelsea started to run again — now, without pain or injury.
“During the summer, I completed two triathlons and two races, after not being able to do any for about three years. I was so proud of myself.”
Her relationship with food improved, and she now enjoys cooking dinner as a way to unwind at the end of the day.
“I’m just really happy,” she says. “My mental outlook is really good.”
Chelsea had once imagined running along a beautiful beach, feeling fit and confident.
In Precision Nutrition Coaching, there’s a lesson that asks you to imagine a ‘destination postcard’ — a picture in your mind of where you want to be at the end of the program.
Chelsea envisioned herself running on a beach.
She decided to schedule a trip to Hawaii for the end of the program. She booked it months in advance, and thinking about it became a daily source of motivation.
When the vacation came, it was every bit as good as she had imagined. There she was, on the beach, running, feeling awesome and attractive. The trip also included a last-minute travel companion — her new boyfriend, whom she started dating during the past year.
Her destination had arrived.
Her advice for others who have their own “destination” they want to get to?
“Don’t do be concerned with doing things perfectly. Just keep showing up.”
Want to get results like Chelsea? Learn more about the Precision Nutrition Coaching Program for Women.
$25,000 Grand Prize Winner: Derek
Lost 41 lbs and 18 total inches!
![](https://assets.precisionnutrition.com/2017/12/mens_finalists_january2018_86298.jpg)
- Age: 37 years
- Weight Lost: 41 lbs (from 188 lbs to 147 lbs)
- Total Inches Lost: 18 inches (from 229 inches to 211 inches)
Derek already “knew what to do”.
A former athlete who’s competed in wrestling, boxing, and MMA, Derek had plenty of experience staying fit: Count calories, pay attention to macros, work out enough, and his weight would get to where he wanted it to be.
But at 38, Derek’s daily life had started to make his fit-and-healthy athlete days feel like a distant memory. The father of three leaves for his demanding job as a pipeline inspector at 3:30 in the morning, not to return until 5:30pm. In addition, he’s dealt with six knee surgeries, arthritis, and chronic pain.
For years, Derek let these challenges be “a good excuse to just eat food and watch TV.”
“On the drive home, I’d tell myself I’d workout when I got home. But the moment I stepped through the front door, I would have already given up,” Derek recalls.
If he really wanted to lose weight for a special occasion or holiday, Derek could do it… temporarily.
“I’d cut calories and work out more, but then I’d just gain the weight right back. It was embarrassing.”
One day, Derek looked at a health app he’d been using to log his weight for years. In one chart, he saw his whole weight loss history. It looked like a rollercoaster.
“I knew I needed accountability, consistency, and sustainability.”
Derek had been following Precision Nutrition for a while, and got a lot out of the free information and resources.
Still, Derek couldn’t help feeling like he already knew everything that Precision Nutrition Coaching could possibly teach him. Could he put his own preconceived notions on the shelf and trust the PN approach?
He decided to go for it. “I thought, who knows, I just might learn something.”
Derek didn’t expect what happened next.
“I learned, and re-learned, the fundamentals of health and fitness, in a way that really changed me,” says Derek.
For example, he once would have considered basics like ‘eating slowly until satisfied, not stuffed’ too rudimentary, but now they became guiding principles that helped him stay consistent.
Another simple but powerful concept: doing things ‘just a little bit better’.
“I am typically that ‘all or nothing’ guy, but PN taught me how to make things just a little bit better,” explains Derek. “And the guilt was off me; If I screwed up, I just kept going.”
It wasn’t always easy to stay the course.
For a while, he hit a plateau, and frustration started to creep in.
That’s when Derek reached out to Coach Zach, who helped him make a few small tweaks, and reminded him to stay the course.
Once again, Derek stayed steady. “It seemed like every time I was wavering, the daily lesson would speak to me and give me exactly what I needed.” So he kept going.
That steadiness and consistency added up to amazing results.
Derek is thrilled at the changes.
“I’m a happier person. I look good, I feel good, I don’t ache all day anymore. And the pain in my knees is getting better all the time.”
He adds, “I’ve been to an elite level of athletics, and this is the best I’ve ever felt or looked.”
For Derek, the best part is beyond the finish line.
“I would usually rush from the start to the finish line. But now, there is no finish line. I look forward to my workouts and continuing to live the habits I’ve learned.
I feel like a new me. It’s exciting.”
Want to get results like Derek? Learn more about the Precision Nutrition Coaching Program for Men.
Meet our other Women’s winners:
Heather
$10,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 44 years
Weight Lost: 28 lbs (185 lbs to 157 lbs)
Total inches lost: 26" (235" to 209")
This program forever changed my relationship with food. It’s hard to name all the ways in which my life has been improved because of Precision Nutrition. It’s been a year of true growth and enlightenment.
- Heather
Bernie
$10,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 67 years
Weight Lost: 42 lbs (183 lbs to 141 lbs)
Total inches lost: 33" (241" to 208")
I have always loved to eat, and my body used to be proof of that. Over the past year, the PN program changed the *way* I eat, changed my brain, changed my body, changed my whole approach to food and exercise. I still love to eat, but now I'm in the best shape of my life!
- Bernie
Annie
$2,500 Women's Winner:
Age: 33 years
Weight Lost: 22 lbs (159 lbs to 137 lbs)
Total inches lost: 19" (221" to 202")
Health, as it has been said over the years, is a journey, not a destination. PN has helped me hone the tools necessary to navigate it: consistency, resilience, and a strong support network.
- Annie
Germaine
$2,500 Women's Winner:
Age: 54 years
Weight Lost: 41 lbs (225 lbs to 184 lbs)
Total inches lost: 30" (267" to 237")
My PN year has influenced every aspect of my life. I weigh less, I move more, I eat more consciously, I plan ahead, I use my time more efficiently, I forgive myself more, I get things done, I take better care of myself, I know more about myself, I think more positively, I say 'no' more. I have also influenced my family and friends, and I stand taller. Through small, focused, consistent daily actions, I did the work to make this happen! I am so grateful to have discovered this program.
- Germaine
Julie
$2,500 Women's Winner:
Age: 36 years
Weight Lost: 32 lbs (162 lbs to 130 lbs)
Total inches lost: 28" (226" to 198")
A year ago, I found an undernourished and overindulgent self, looking bewilderedly at a personal life that I had paused while dealing with a traumatic experience. PN taught me how to nourish my whole self with small, daily choices that build a life rooted in my values, and – no matter what comes my way – I am never going back.
- Julie
Karin
$2,500 Women's Winner:
Age: 53 years
Weight Lost: 84 lbs (280 lbs to 196 lbs)
Total inches lost: 55" (293" to 238")
I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I expected to lose weight and get healthier and I have done just that. I didn't expect to gain back some confidence, because I didn't even realize I had lost it. I didn't expect to be taking pride in my appearance either. When I look at my starting pictures and my last set of progress pictures you can see the change on my face. Now it's radiating joy.
- Karin
Sherry
$1,000 Women’s Winner:
Age: 47 years
Weight Gained: 14 lbs (102 lbs to 116 lbs)
Total inches gained: 17″ (167″ to 184″)
PN Coaching gave me the tools to transform my life. It taught me the importance of consistency and how taking small daily actions would bring me closer to reaching my goals. Over time, those steps ultimately changed my life. It went far beyond helping me with my health and fitness goals. It has made a positive impact on all aspects of my life.
– Sherry
Erin
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 35 years
Weight Lost: 48 lbs (222 lbs to 174 lbs)
Total inches lost: 35" (267" to 232")
Through PN, I've learned to take small, seemingly insignificant decisions and actions much more seriously, and use them to empower myself. Before I might have thoughtlessly consumed a cookie at work or a beer after – “it’s just one, one won’t hurt!” Now I look through a long-term lens of living with the physical and emotional impact of thousands of those small actions, added up over time (which is, in fact, what brought me to PN). Rarely will those little things be worth any guilt, short-term physical symptoms, or longer-term loss of fitness or willpower. Better not to engage the enemy at all. It's about mental and emotional survival skills – not just self-control but, more importantly, self-compassion.
- Erin
Judith
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 57 years
Weight Lost: 23 lbs (139 lbs to 116 lbs)
Total inches lost: 18" (207" to 189")
PN coaching has helped me exceed the expectations I had. I truly have become a better version of myself, and will continue growing as a result of everything I've learned this year.
- Judith
Emily
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 41 years
Weight Lost: 7 lbs (164 lbs to 157 lbs)
Total inches lost: 12" (229" to 217")
PN goes beyond teaching you nutrition and better eating habits. Through this year, I've learned to listen to my body and make the choices that are right for me.
- Emily
Deborah
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 67 years
Weight Lost: 33 lbs (157 lbs to 124 lbs)
Total inches lost: 35" (222" to 187")
The Precision Nutrition program provides so many surprises and the approach sneaks up on you somehow. Using tiny incremental changes, and emphasizing the positive, I was provided the opportunity to conquer some important challenges: lose weight, get lean and strong, and dig deeply into longstanding struggles with emotional eating. It has been an amazing journey.
- Deborah
Kayla
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 39 years
Weight Lost: 32 lbs (190 lbs to 158 lbs)
Total inches lost: 39" (228" to 189")
This year, Precision Nutrition has been much more than a nutrition coaching program for me. It has helped me begin to undo over thirty years of extreme diet and exercise, learn to relax, build healthy, lifelong habits, and learn to ACTUALLY love my body for the strong and powerful thing that it is!
- Kayla
Darlene
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 49 years
Weight Lost: 35 lbs (196 lbs to 161 lbs)
Total inches lost: 36" (243" to 207")
PN took me from a hopeless state, broke my challenges down into bite-sized pieces, uncluttered my mind, and simply helped in the healing process that has allowed me to lose weight and gain a life full of active living.
- Darlene
Tawny
$1,000 Women's Winner:
Age: 43 years
Weight Lost: 34 lbs (184 lbs to 150 lbs)
Total inches lost: 22" (232" to 210")
I went into PN wanting a new body. I now have a new brain, a new outlook, a new life!
- Tawny
Meet our other Men’s winners:
Rob
$10,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 36 years
Weight Lost: 49 lbs (217 lbs to 168 lbs)
Total inches lost: 32" (240" to 208")
Before Precision Nutrition I was putting my career ahead of my health, and it was taking a huge toll on my mind and body. After several attempts with poor diet plans and bizarre exercise strategies, I decided to commit to a year with PN. Right from the start the PN coaches understood where I was coming from, and with their lessons and habits, taught me that by making a few small changes every day, I could reap huge rewards. Both the physical and mental transformation has been overwhelming. I am happier and healthier than I have ever been in my adult life, and it feels like I am finally in control.
- Rob
Will
$10,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 31 years
Weight Lost: 56 lbs (232 lbs to 176 lbs)
Total inches lost: 43" (254" to 211")
PN has done more for me than just change my nutritional habits. It has altered my perception of life and how I want to live it. PN freed me from a lot of the things that have held me back both physically and mentally.
- Will
Randy
$2,500 Men's Winner:
Age: 32 years
Weight Lost: 78 lbs (251 lbs to 173 lbs)
Total inches lost: 49" (269" to 220")
PN Coaching this year has been an amazing and life-changing experience. PN has taught me to shift from 'all or nothing', 'on the bus/off the bus' thinking to a 'small but consistent' mentality with the opportunity to wipe the slate clean at any time. Friends and family have asked what the 'secret' has been in my transformation... the PN secret for me has been 'a little more, a little better', one day at a time, today better than yesterday.
- Randy
Donald
$2,500 Men's Winner:
Age: 44 years
Weight Lost: 51 lbs (246 lbs to 195 lbs)
Total inches lost: 28" (262" to 234")
As I recovered from surgery and reached my goals this year, Coach Calvin and PN taught me more than nutrition. I attained a level of confidence I never thought possible in other areas of my life that will go on to benefit me, my family and friends for years to come. Thank you.
- Donald
Kenneth
$2,500 Men's Winner:
Age: 35 years
Weight Lost: 21 lbs (181 lbs to 160 lbs)
Total inches lost: 11" (220" to 209")
Precision Nutrition has, hands down, been the most important decision that I have made this year. It has tremendously impacted my overall health and wellness, skyrocketed my energy level and even helped me become more adventurous in the kitchen!!! Highly recommend!!!
- Kenneth
Kelly
$2,500 Men's Winner:
Age: 46 years
Weight Lost: 65 lbs (255 lbs to 190 lbs)
Total inches lost: 37" (264" to 227")
Precision Nutrition has shown me that getting healthy doesn't have to be a painful experience. My concern was that it was going to be a long, difficult challenge, but this was not the case. I've had to make some difficult choices to remove some bad habits out of my life so that I can be healthier dad and husband. This past year has truly been an eye-opening experience.
- Kelly
Trevor
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 28 years
Weight Lost: 40 lbs (218 lbs to 178 lbs)
Total inches lost: 27" (251" to 224")
Working with PN this year has been one of the best experiences of my life. PN has helped me make some huge changes in my habits and lifestyle without ever making me feel overwhelmed by what was asked of me. I've been able to create a new normal for myself that's healthier than before.
- Trevor
Smitty
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 59 years
Weight Lost: 62 lbs (307 lbs to 245 lbs)
Total inches lost: 40" (294" to 254")
This year was beginning of a journey that will last until my body leaves this planet. Over the past year PN has been my constant companion, and a very good one: there to help when needed, not overbearing or forceful. PN has been my mentor, preparing me to continue my journey after we part ways. Thanks to PN, I have gained the wisdom and confidence to carry me forward. And as an added reward, I lost some excess baggage that I no longer have to carry on my journey.
- Smitty
Daniel
$1,000 Men’s Winner:
Age: 27 years
Weight Gained: 16 lbs (183 lbs to 199 lbs)
Total inches gained: 15″ (225″ to 240″)
Precision Nutrition has had a massive impact on the way I approach health and fitness in my life, and the results have exceeded all of my expectations. The PN difference is that they understand what it takes to make lasting changes to your lifestyle that’ll keep you confident and motivated through all of life’s ups and downs. They were there every step of the way, they understand that life is busy and we’re all human, and they always knew exactly how to get me back on track when the going got tough. I finally feel confident that the healthy changes I’ve made to my lifestyle are here to stay, and so is this kick-ass body that came with it. Thanks for everything PN!
– Daniel
John
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 44 years
Weight Lost: 31 lbs (206 lbs to 175 lbs)
Total inches lost: 18" (244" to 226")
I have had so many ups and downs this year with business and my progress, but PN was a rock for me, every day...a new lesson, another workout. I loved the accountability and the consistency. PN showed me that you don't have to be perfect to get results. You can accomplish anything with hard work and consistent effort. I haven't been at this weight since I was 17. Many aches and pains have gone away. I have had so many people comment on how much weight I lost and how I look younger. I am proud that I have accomplished this and even more proud that I wasn't perfect along the way. I now know this is truly a 'lifestyle' that I can lead.
- John
David
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 51 years
Weight Lost: 51 lbs (264 lbs to 213 lbs)
Total inches lost: 27" (277" to 250")
All of my life I have struggled with my weight and overall fitness. I was very discouraged, having done many diet programs with initial success but always putting the weight back on. With Precision Nutrition I believe I finally have the toolset I need to maintain a healthy weight and to be more physically fit. I simply learned and adopted new habits that give me control my health.
- David
Kendall
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 26 years
Weight Lost: 66 lbs (294 lbs to 228 lbs)
Total inches lost: 39" (288" to 249")
It all clicked for me after uploading progress pics seven months in and comparing them to my pics on day one. I fought back tears as I realized, the man who began as a faint vision in my head was no longer a figment of my imagination. He is real. PN helped my finally see myself for who I REALLY am!
- Kendall
Kjetil
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 30 years
Weight Lost: 34 lbs (191 lbs to 157 lbs)
Total inches lost: 23" (231" to 208")
I've gone through hell the past two years, suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. I've needed support now more than ever, and the help from PN has been amazing. If you go all-in, PN will deliver a life-changing experience!
- Kjetil
Scott
$1,000 Men's Winner:
Age: 43 years
Weight Lost: 50 lbs (259 lbs to 209 lbs)
Total inches lost: 28" (265" to 237")
PN coaching improved not just my physical health, but my mental health too. This year I dealt with some of the hardest challenges at home and work, but PN coaching gave me the tools and the strength to survive and thrive.
- Scott
Meet a few hundred more Precision Nutrition clients.
To view all the men’s and women’s finalists from the January 2018 Coaching Program, click the links below.
- January 2018 Precision Nutrition Coaching for WOMEN finalists
- January 2018 Precision Nutrition Coaching for MEN finalists
To view all the men’s and women’s finalists from all of our Precision Nutrition Coaching programs, click one of the links below.
- Precision Nutrition WOMEN’S Coaching: The Finalist Hall of Fame
- Precision Nutrition MEN’S Coaching: The Finalist Hall of Fame
Of course, if you’re interested in working toward a body or health transformation of your own, consider joining our next Precision Nutrition Coaching group. We’re opening up a few spots in the coming weeks.
Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?
Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.
Over the past the past two decades, we’ve used the Precision Nutrition Coaching method to help over 150,000 clients lose fat, get stronger, and improve their physical and mental health… for the long-term… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.
It’s also why we work with health, fitness, and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.
Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list now. You'll get a free gift today, save up to 54%, and have the chance to secure a spot 24 hours early.
We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Tuesday, January 14th, 2025.
If you're interested in coaching and want to find out more, join the presale list below. Being on the list gives you three special advantages.
- You’ll pay less than everyone else. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price.
- You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.
- You’ll get a free gift—plus an inside look at the program. When you join the presale list today, we’ll send you a free 35-page ebook: Your Best Nutrition Starts Here—a complete guide to building a health plan for your body, goals, and lifestyle (no calorie-counting or restrictive dieting required). Plus, you'll get our new Enrollment Packet, giving you an inside look at the PN Coaching program, complete with stories from past clients who’ve overcome huge obstacles and achieved the transformation of their dreams, and more.
If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.
[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].
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