BEFORE MY TRANSFORMATION
I’ve been on a diet since I was 11. My weight has fluctuated nearly my entire life. After my daughter, Sophia, passed, my weight continued to creep up.
It is important to me that when I share my testimony, when I tell people about God, how my faith has grown and how He sustains me in the aftermath of Sophia’s cancer and death, they don’t look at me and see a woman who is seeking comfort in food rather than God. I’ve always been an emotional eater, and all of my emotions were delicious (happy, sad, joyful, bored, stressed — you name the emotion, and it was delicious).
I knew I had to be the change I wanted to see. I knew I had to be intentional about taking care of this body that God gave me, so I made the changes and am doing the hard work.
MY GOAL
My goal was to be the best version of me that I can be.
WHAT I DID
The first thing I did was join a fitness studio. My instructors constantly challenge me, believe in me and encourage me. The other members are equally supportive.
Finding a place where you are being cheered for is huge, and I believe it made all the difference for me. I committed to working out consistently and have done so for almost a year. I’ve also changed my eating habits and am making healthier choices for fueling my body.
HOW IT WORKED
The biggest change for me was seeing the inches drop off. I’ve lost nearly 30 pounds and 28 inches total. The inches seemed to change more quickly than the actual pounds coming off. I’ve also dropped 3-4 sizes in my clothes, depending on the piece. I’m watching my body transform, and it’s exciting!
THE MOST DIFFICULT PART
Making it a priority was most difficult in the beginning. My days are busy, and I’m often pulled in many directions at once. I wasn’t sure how to make it work with my lifestyle.
I quickly found that once I made it a priority, it was easy to work it into my life. Now, it’s just a part of my daily routine that I look forward to and love. I also have a huge sweet tooth, so the struggle is real!
HOW I FEEL ABOUT MYSELF TODAY
Great. I feel great! I am a tough girl, and I feel as strong physically as I am emotionally and spiritually. I’m also proud of myself for staying committed and putting in the hard work.
MY ADVICE FOR OTHERS
You can actually do anything you set your mind to, and you’re worth the hard work to get it done. Surround yourself with people who will be partners in accountability and cheerleaders for you. I’m blessed to have a great group of accountability partners and cheerleaders, and I encourage everyone to find their crew, too. Don’t give up. You will have bad days and off days; just keep moving forward. You can do it!