ABOUT

From a young age, I was no stranger to the world of weight loss. At just 8 years old, I was the youngest participant in my local Weight Watcher’s meetings. Every week, I found myself in a room filled with women who had spent their lives battling weight issues. Looking back, I now recognize the same struggle that plagues women globally.

It was the early 80s, and Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and the Diet Center were the latest trends. Over the next four years, I became a consumer of their weight loss products and services. My weight and size were frequent topics of conversation during summer family trips to South Carolina. The women in my family felt comfortable commenting on my body, often pointing out how big my hips or chest were. These comments led me to overconsume food to soothe my hurt feelings, even though they didn’t realize the impact of their words.

Throughout my childhood, I was always a bit bigger than most girls in my class, though not necessarily “fat.” I stood taller and had a larger frame, often matching the height of the tallest boys until about 7th or 8th grade. I was athletic, participating in sports like tennis, basketball, volleyball, and even marching band. Despite my active lifestyle, the thought of being overweight lingered in my mind, leading to an unhealthy and often mean body image.

This struggle with body image and weight continued into my 20s and 30s. University was particularly challenging, as I tried to manage my weight amidst stress, depression, and emerging anxiety. At the time, I didn’t understand anxiety and coped by eating or overtraining. It wasn’t until years later, with the knowledge I gained, that I realized my rapid weight gain during childhood was linked to steroid treatment for a severe case of strep throat. This, combined with dealing with sexual abuse, led to decades of overeating and bouts of deep depression and anxiety.

Fast forward to today, I have found that fitness is my medicine. It helps me manage stress, depression, and anxiety, keeping me in a safe place to handle life’s challenges. Fitness has been the only remedy that has worked for me, unlike psychotropic drugs like Xanax, Zoloft, and Paxil. It has kept me from bouncing in and out of depression and the weight gain associated with it. Most importantly, fitness gives me the emotional balance to deal with past trauma. It is my antidote to the blues.

I discovered that using fitness to heal, rather than to lose weight, was the key to shedding fat and keeping it off. Now, I help women quit dieting for good, enjoy a healthier lifestyle, and embrace a stronger, more vibrant self. Fitness is not just about the body; it’s about the mind and soul. I train to remain sane, and I am here to help you do the same.