My Wellness and Weight Loss Journey: Learning to Love My Story

I swear I was born hungry. I don’t remember ever feeling full growing up. I came from a wonderful family, was active, and had every opportunity — but I always felt different. My sisters, just a year apart on each side of me, were cheerleaders, homecoming queens, and everything I thought “perfect” looked like.

Me? I was the one in band, which I actually loved, but I couldn’t help feeling less than when I looked in the mirror. I wasn’t “fat,” but compared to the other kids, I was always a little heavier. That’s when the quiet, lifelong battle began — the one between who I was and who I thought I should be.

The Cycle of Trying Everything

High school turned into college, and then adulthood, and I kept chasing the next diet, the next promise, the next “this time it’ll work.” And for a while, it always did. The weight would come off — but eventually, it would come back.

With every restart came a new wave of guilt, shame, and loneliness. It wasn’t just about the food or the scale; it was about never feeling good enough.

When I was diagnosed with PCOS during my fertility journey, it added another layer of frustration. I was so grateful to eventually carry a healthy baby, and during that season, I didn’t care about the weight — I just wanted to be a mom. But after the baby came, those familiar feelings crept back in. The diets, the cravings, the self-criticism. Then came baby number two, and everything changed.

The Moment That Changed Everything

It was one Sunday morning, getting ready for church. My youngest had just turned one. I stood in my closet surrounded by clothes that didn’t fit, tears streaming down my face, feeling completely defeated.

And then, looking in the mirror, I asked myself a question that stopped me cold: “How can I raise two daughters to love themselves if I can’t love me?”

That was my breaking point — but also my turning point. I drew a line in the sand that day. Something had to change.

Not another diet. Not another quick fix. A real, lasting change.

But if I’m being honest, I didn’t feel strong or inspired in that moment — I felt like I was drowning. Like “normal” people could be in a pool, swimming and moving forward, while I was under the water — desperate for air. I didn’t need someone to swim for me. I just needed someone to throw me a device, a tool, something to help me get my head above water so I could finally take the strokes to move forward myself.

At that moment, I had nearly 100 pounds to lose — and I had no idea where to even start. I just knew I couldn’t stay where I was.

The Shift: From Punishment to Healing

That year, I made a promise to myself — not just to lose weight, but to finally understand me. For the first time, I started digging deeper into why I was eating the way I was.

Food had been my drug of choice — my coping mechanism, my comfort, my celebration. It was where I turned for stress, boredom, joy, and pain. Everything revolved around food, but I had never stopped to ask why.

I began reading, listening to podcasts, and working on my mindset. I started peeling back the layers of old habits and old wounds. I realized my struggle wasn’t just physical at all — it was emotional, mental, even spiritual.

I started moving my body for my mental health, not as punishment. I started eating in a way that helped me feel better, not just look different. And for the first time, I began to see glimpses of freedom — not from food or the scale, but from the patterns and shame that had followed me for decades.

Slowly, I began sharing my story with other women who were struggling too. The more I talked, the more I healed. The more I listened to them, the more I realized: we’re all craving the same thing — to feel seen, understood, and supported.

Finding Purpose in My Story

When I joined NeoWell, I didn’t realize how beautifully my personal journey would align with my purpose. Now, I get to help others on their wellness and weight loss journeys — not from a place of perfection, but from experience and empathy.

I love listening to my clients. I love hearing where they are, what they’ve tried, and how they feel. Because I know that loneliness. I know that desperation to finally feel good in your skin. And I also know what it’s like to come out the other side stronger, healthier, and more confident than you thought possible.

I used to feel angry and ashamed of my story — now, I’m incredibly grateful for it. It made me who I am. It gave me purpose. And it allows me to walk beside others who are ready to change their own story, too.

Your Turn

If you’ve been chasing diets, battling your reflection, or wondering if you’ll ever feel like yourself again — please know, you’re not alone.

Your story isn’t over. And your next chapter could be the one where everything starts to change.

Let’s talk. Let’s make this the season you start loving your story again. 

👉 Book a call or visit NeoWell to start your own wellness journey today.

Can I add a picture to a blog??? If so - I would like to add a picture

This will go for weight loss / wellness at NeoWell