Meet Trailblazer Brianna Marzett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brianna Marzett.

Brianna, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was embarrassed to attend family gatherings or run into people I knew. ALL my life, my family has commented on my weight whether I’d gained or lost. This time, they would just stare in totally shock every time I visited. I actually told my brother my weight, and he said, “Tootie (Family Nickname), you weigh more than me. How?”

I felt myself slipping back into feelings of depression similar to what I experienced in 2011 when I had to withdraw from my senior year of undergrad. I knew my situation was serious when my doctor put the words “morbid obesity” under active conditions in my medical profile. At the time, I simply went in to see the doctor for a respiratory infection.

I knew it was now or never, so I fully committed. In May 2017, I joined Reggie C Fitness of Houston, TX. The program focus on clean eating, weekly cardio, boot camp classes, coaching and focusing on a consistent workout schedule 5-7 days a week.

On May 1, 2017, my weight was 287 pounds at 5’3″ and in just under 11 months at the end of March 2018, I had lost more than 140 pounds at Reggie C. Fitness alongside side the best accountability partner I could EVER be blessed with my cousin, Tyler Oakes. She too also lost more than 75 pounds during that 11 month period.
The journey sparked about a deeper desired I had always had, which was to empower others to evolve mentally, physically, and spiritually and to journey the ultimate path of total wellness.

Following my personal weight loss journey at RCFITNESS, Reggie Collier, the founder of RCFitness, an all-women fitness facility, extended an opportunity for me to intern at the same facility where I obtain a new lease on life. During my year of interning, I was able to obtain my Certified Personal Training certificate, shadow members of the Transformation Team in their capacities, assist with training classes and shadowing the founder himself as he facilitated training classes and fitness challenges taking place at the gym.

Find the balancing as an educator by day and interning at night became an interesting marriage, but it worked.
Today, I have the roles as a fitness instructor for an upper-body class called, “Zing” and lower body class called, “Derriere.” During these classes, as a team, we provide a boot-camp style class and a rhythmic dance element that targets that zoned area. In May of 2019, I was extended the role of being an accountability coach for the 60 Day Challenge, which is an accelerated fitness challenge and one that I had done the previous year. During this time, I was able to journey alongside 80 plus amazing women as they took on the challenge. During this time, I witnessed these women pushed themselves past their own perceived capability. By the end of the challenge, the women reached new heights, crush personal and fitness goals, and gain a new level of self-perception and accountability that extended past fitness.

What I have learned along this journey of total wellness is that life can be a beautiful battle. So, along the journey, we may need to play chess with our own mind, harbor the feelings of defeat, we may have to plan strategically to win, and practice self sacrifice, but ultimately accept that your story may be the key to the door that has yet to be open in the life of someone else watching you. This thought always keeps me motivated and lead to my personal platform, “It’s Bigger than Bri.” This is a movement to push ourselves in a selfless direction of living and create a personal shift of using our own life experiences as catalysts for other embarking of their own transformative journey. The idea of transformation is the evidence of human redemption and resiliency and it should be empowerment for others. Just know this phrase, “It’s Bigger than Bri” can be filled with anyone’s name because it is all possible and failure is not an option unless you allow it to be.

Now, I want to be an example to my students as an educator and undeserved populations as it related co-morbid diseases that being overweight can trigger. I also found it to be my mission to inspire others, especially my mom. I refuse to have the same habits that got me to nearly 300 pounds. I am committed to breaking the cycle.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This journey has not been smooth. Anytime you are dealing with a physical aspect, we are our own worst critics. We easily slip into making comparisons, feelings of defeat, and simply not feeling like your not seeing any enough progress. I realize the there is so much beauty in the struggle because it fortifies your personal foundation seemingly enough large stumbling block become so minor.

The best advice for someone on this journey is to be kind to yourself. We live in a world that is so critical towards our physical appearance that creating an atmosphere of positivity increase the person’s commitment level, self-confidence, and pure zeal to keep going forth on their journey.

Another piece of advice is that you cannot “mess up.” Yes, you may falter with your eating and even with your workouts but you will not be perfect along the journey. Just make sure to dust your self off and keep going because when you stop, it creates a mental struggle that in some way you have started back at square one, and that can be mentally defeating.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
By day, I am a special educator for grades 6th -8th and by night I am a Trainer/Accountability Coach at RCFitness I focus on motivating women to obtain their personal health and wellness goals. I am also a Co- Bootcamp facilitator at RCFitness for upper and lower body toning. As an accountability coach, I have the task of journeying with women as they commit to assigned weekly workouts, follow guided meals plans, and coach them through the highs and lows of a fitness challenge.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Instagram was a big motivator on my journey. On Instagram, many fitness influencers had gone through weight loss transformations and shared their story from their up and downs, their food regiments, workouts, and even their personal “whys” that sparked and continues to fuel their journey. The biggest IG influence was @reggiecfitness where I saw women making drastic transformations right in Houston, TX.

I was also a huge television junkie so My 600lb Life, Extreme Weightloss, and The Bigger Loser were showing that kept me hopeful that one day I too could break the chains of obesity.

Contact Info:

• Address: 9331 Stella Link Rd.
  Houston, TX
• Website: www.reggiecfitness.com
• Phone: 7138857725
• Instagram: @motivated_2t, @reggiecfitness

Image Credit:
Ken Maurice Photography

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