My Weight Loss Story
So, let's get real here, right? If you're anything like me, you've probably tried every single diet under the sun. From Keto to Whole30, and yeah, you might've even given those weight loss pills on Amazon a shot. But let's be honest, they all promise the world and deliver absolutely nothing. Can't even remember a time when I wasn't obsessed with dropping those extra pounds. It's just plain embarrassing, to be honest. Spent most of my life stressing over that stupid number on the scale.
And sure, who doesn't care about their body, am I right? I mean, I got into the whole health thing for a reason. But what I never saw coming was ditching the traditional healthcare route for something a bit more holistic.
Grew up in a household that was all about Jesus, hard work, and the idea of being skinny. After my mom passed away, things took a turn for the worse. My grandma and I used to play this messed-up game to see who could go the longest without eating. I'd go with her to those Weight Watchers meetings and get praised for being 'lighter.' And let's go back to the early 2000s, where that craziness was just the norm, you know? Didn't want to bulk up but couldn't afford to lose those curves.
Can't shake off the memories of changing in front of those girls in gym class during middle and high school. Wishing I could just magically turn into one of those "Jennys" (not their real names, obviously). I just wanted to be one of those SKINNY JENNYS. And don't even get me started on the pageant days; those girls were everything I wanted to be.
It wasn't until college rolled around, and I started learning more about how the body works and nutrition, that I realized becoming a dietitian was my calling. College life wasn't exactly a walk in the park, though. Weekends were for partying, and those 3 a.m. Taco Bell runs were practically a ritual. I'd grind through two workouts a day, burning myself out to the point where I'd lock myself in my room for days. It was like my whole life revolved around the latest diet and workout craze.
But then, I met my husband, and we moved to Virginia. That's when things started to calm down a bit. Sure, I wasn't hitting the gym twice a day anymore, but you better believe I hadn't given up on dieting. Oh man, the number of coaches I went through. One of them had me on a measly 1400 calories a day, with only 38g of fat... (cue my current eye-rolling, dietitian self).
Want first DIBS on my upcoming weight loss & metabolism boosting programs?
Sign Up HERE
So, picture this: I was at this point in my life where I just felt utterly lost. I needed something more, something to grab onto. My husband was always deployed, so I figured, why not dive into something meaningful? That's when I decided to pursue my masters in Nutrition and Human Performance.
During that time, I was introduced to a whole new realm of health—the holistic approach. I delved deep into the metabolism, seeing it through a completely different lens. Right after wrapping up my masters, I jumped straight into applying for a dietetic internship.
Let me tell you, I've tackled some tough stuff in my life, but that 1200-hour UNPAID internship was no joke. I couldn't even find time to hit the gym, and my brain was all over the place trying to cram for exams. And to add to the chaos, my beloved dog passed away, and yep, you guessed it, my husband was deployed AGAIN... The stress was just overwhelming. I felt down, depressed, and constantly on edge.
Finally, I made it through the internship, but then came the whirlwind of studying for my licensing exam. I'd never been more stressed and exhausted in my life. And then, 2020 rolled around—now, I know it wasn't a walk in the park for most folks, but let me tell you, it changed everything for me.
Right before I aced my RD exam, I noticed something alarming: a sudden 20-pound weight gain in just one month. Now, here's the kicker—I'd been sticking to a low-calorie, high-protein diet and hitting the gym regularly. So, I called up the doc, and in a telephone appointment, she hits me with: "Sounds like you've been overeating and need to cut out the carbs and move more."
I mean, seriously? It felt like she was basically saying, "Hey, you did this to yourself, so deal with it and do better."
Thank goodness for my inner dietitian kicking in, because I just knew something wasn't right. I dug in and discovered I was facing WEIGHT LOSS RESISTANCE. You know, when no matter how hard you try, the pounds just won't budge. It's often tied to things like hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, sky-high cortisol levels from too much stress for too long, metabolic adaptation—you name it. And here's the kicker: once you're down that road of weight loss resistance, it opens the floodgates to a whole host of other health issues.
Listen, our bodies are smart. They send us signals every darn day, but the sad truth is, we don't always listen.
I was knee-deep in books, pouring over old lectures, and diving into every bit of research I could find. And guess what? I finally had this light bulb moment:
Weight Loss Resistance is the real, and it's hitting women like me hard. You know, those of us who are always pushing ourselves, striving for more, just wanting to feel good in our own skin, inside and out. We're tired of the endless dieting, tired of feeling like we're not in control of our own bodies.
So, step one: Master My Metabolism. That meant taking a good, hard look at my whole lifestyle. Figuring out where I needed some help and where I was already doing okay. Basically, it was all about finding that balance across the board to keep my metabolism firing on all cylinders.
Next up: Master My Nutrition. Now, we've all heard about the whole "calories in, calories out" thing, right? Well, turns out, that works fine... until it doesn't. When you're dealing with metabolic adaptation, that old method gets tossed out the window. You've gotta relearn how to eat, what to eat, to get your metabolism's communication systems back online and kicking.
And now? Finally, I'm ready to share my metabolism method, especially when it comes to nutrition. It's time to pass on what I've learned and help others take charge of their own metabolic health.
If you wanna get DIBS on when I’m teaching my Master Your Nutrition program, sign up HERE
