She Lost 65 Pounds and Swam 10K Across Open Water

Coaches Notes:

Two years ago, Hilda came to us carrying a dream she had almost let go of.
For years, she wanted to complete the legendary open water swim from Cancun to Isla Mujeres — a 6-mile crossing her father had successfully completed several times himself. But life happened.

Between raising kids, building a successful real estate career, maintaining a busy social life, and dealing with ongoing health struggles, that dream slowly faded into the background.

At 42 years old, Hilda was:

Frequently ending up in the hospital
Taking blood pressure medication and statins
Overweight
Exhausted
Feeling disconnected from her health and fitness

Then she met one of our coaches, who also happened to work as an ER nurse. That conversation changed everything. Soon after, Hilda enrolled in our Swim Evaluation program, which includes 3 months of coaching, to see if pursuing her dream was even possible.

The truth?

The beginning wasn’t perfect. Her swimming improved, but consistency was difficult. Like many high achievers, balancing training with work, family, social commitments, and recovery was a real challenge.

But instead of quitting, she leaned deeper into the process.
She joined our Nutrition Essentials program and began focusing not just on swimming but on her entire lifestyle:

Nutrition
Recovery
Sleep
Stress management
Sustainable habits
Life/training balance

And little by little, everything changed. Not through perfection. Through consistency. Through the 80/20 approach we believe in at Full Circle Coaching.

The Results

In 2025, Hilda:

Completed the 10K El Cruce open water swim in just over 6 hours
Finished the brutal 8-mile Alligator Lighthouse swim
Became a triathlete
PR’d the Miami 13.1 Half Marathon
Lost 65 pounds
Got off ALL medications

But the biggest transformation wasn’t physical.

She completely changed her identity, habits, and lifestyle.
Instead of relying on another prescription, she chose to build a stronger body and healthier life.

Her transformation was so inspiring that I awarded her our 2025 Athlete of the Year medal. And honestly? She inspired me just as much.

In fact, Hilda motivated ME to complete both of those open water races alongside her, races I had never done before myself. That’s the power of commitment.
You don’t need to be perfect to change your life. You just need to start.

And the most exciting part? She’s just getting started.

Hilda is now training for a 12-mile open water swim around Key West and has officially registered to swim the English Channel within the next two years.

Let that sink in.

Just two years ago, she was struggling with her health, frequently in the hospital, taking medications daily, and unsure if she could realistically pursue her dream.

Now she’s preparing for one of the most iconic endurance swims in the world. That’s the power of consistent action, sustainable habits, and believing that your best chapter is still ahead of you.

We couldn’t be prouder of her journey and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.
Thank you, Hilda, for trusting the Full Circle Coaching process and becoming such a powerful example of what’s possible.

If you’ve been putting in the work but feel like something is missing. Whether it’s structure, guidance, or clarity, this is exactly the kind of transformation we build together.

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About Coach Erinne Guthrie Erinne has been a USA Triathlon Level II Certified Coach since 1999 and the Chief Motivating Officer at Full Circle Coaching since 2010. She’s been empowering triathletes since 1997, combining her experience as a CHEK Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 3, USMS Master’s Swim Coach, Metabolic Efficiency Specialist, and more.