THE STORY OF THE 50 POUND FRIEND
Once upon a time there was a young girl who learned at a very young age that the only "constant" in her life was food. When my parents divorced at age 4 my entire life was thrown for a loop, shuffling to new homes, new schools, going to my dads one week and moms the other week. The only thing that I found comfort in was food, it was the one thing that was with me through all the chaos of the back-and-forth. I didn't need an imaginary friend, I had food. I was then bullied for my weight in school and food became even a greater crutch to my already broken self-esteem. Throughout my life lies have been spoken to me. In 3rd grade from a friend asking about my weight "how did you get like that?" As a young preteen a stranger spoke to my face "if you lost weight you would be so pretty." My nickname from my mom and sister growing up was "chub nut". Insert unhealthy relationship with self and food.
Fast forward into my teens where for almost a year I was anorexic (lost all my weight and then some) and used food to control my emotions. If I could only keep people admiring the way I looked they would think I was happy. After I started eating again I gained back more and more weight and that began my struggle with the same 25 pounds yo-yo into adulthood. Dieting to restrict calories and then binge eating so much in one sitting I would feel sick for hours. When I got pregnant with my first child I believed that FINALLY I CAN EAT WHATEVER I WANT and not have to diet!! I have permission to do as I please.
After all my kids were born and I found myself at the highest weight of my life 193, I hit rock bottom. I started dieting and exercising like crazy and lost 30 pounds. But because I always used the diet and exercise to control the outcome if I stopped for any reason the weight would creep back in. I didn't know how to maintain a weight without calorie restricting and militant exercise. I was never fixing the REAL problem. I wasn't willing to change for good. I didn't want to lose the things I love, I didn't want to lose the one friend (food) that was there with me my entire life. I didn't want to be alone!
In 2020 I tried one more diet and actually had success for the first time in 15 years and I lost 30 pounds putting me at the lowest I had been since before my kids were born. When I stopped that diet I gained back 10 pounds. Determined to not allow this to be another failure in my life I decided that I had to make some bigger changes. I needed to break up with food for good. I needed to let go of everything that was holding me back. I decided to quit my full time job and go back to school to become a health coach. This set me on a whole new track of self discovery and working through my relationship with food. Emotional eating had taken root at a young age and in my 40's it was being unrooted.
The greatest joy of my entire existence is helping my clients be set free from the bondage of food. I wish I would have found this freedom sooner but I would not be the woman I am today if it wasn't for those moments, for the learning, for the growth. I am a real life coach that knows that slow and steady always wins the race!! When we go to fast out of the gate we lose steam for the long race ahead. There is no quick fix or pill you can take (trust me I've tried them all). It takes daily showing up for yourself and daily choosing YOU!! Setting your mind on truth and discovering what your truth really is. An excuse will always be there to meet you, to tell you it's not the right time or you're not worth it or maybe tomorrow. Take hold of TODAY, you will do it.
If you find yourself somewhere in my story or you have a story of your own and you need support. Reach out for a complimentary "GET YOUR HEALTH BACK FOR GOOD" Strategy Session