For my very first blog post, I thought I would tell you a little about myself. I was born and raised in beautiful Washington state and still reside within 10 miles of where I grew up.
My journey toward healthy living isn’t unusual or uncommon. Like many others, I have struggled to make healthy choices and to maintain a healthy diet. My knowledge has evolved as I have acquired more education, but the journey is a continual one.
Let me take you back a few years, 38 to be exact. I was an average kiddo, a little chunky and round, the youngest child of three with recently divorced but amicable parents and beginning to put on a few more pounds than necessary. A loved one came to me one day and informed me that I was getting a “little heavy” and that I should start to watch my weight before it got out of control. Although the intensions were good, I was a pre-teen girl who was now very self-conscious of how she looked. What transpired within the next few years was a total body and mind transformation.
Long story short, I became anorexic, bulimic, and addicted to exercise. This went on for about a year when health problems started to arise. My mom was made aware of the problems and tried to help me physically overcome anorexia; however, I was never given any psychological help. I began to eat and gain weight, knowing nothing about nutrition—aside from the fact that the less I ate and the more I exercised, the skinnier I would become. I eventually gained back too much weight and the constant dieting cycle began.
Fast forward a few years, and things began to level out for the most part. I was a healthy weight, ate relatively healthy food and in moderation, but never, ever felt like I looked good enough. And this is a common theme among most women: We never think we look good enough, and it is a constant mental struggle.
Exercise was something that has been a constant in my life, and I am very grateful. I enjoy exercise, and I don’t do it in excess. Just 20–60 minutes a day. What we eat has more to do with our body composition than exercise. Have you heard of the 80/20 rule? It claims that our body composition is determined by 80% what we eat and 20% exercise.
Exercise and healthy eating became my passion and my hobby. I enjoyed learning about nutrition and exercise, and I studied it intensely. My career path followed my passion to an extent. I managed a health club and was surrounded my likeminded individuals. I also worked as a weight loss consultant for a large weight loss company. But all along, what I really wanted to do was start my own business, helping people exercise the proper way without hurting themselves and to get results without hours on end at the gym or on the treadmill. I wanted to show others that exercise can be fun, rewarding, and result-oriented. I also wanted to show that healthy eating is not boring or difficult. Whether you enjoy cooking or not, whether you have limited income or not, healthy eating is doable.
And so I started TMC To Health (Time, Motivation & Commitment to Health) and began helping women find balance and learn how to eat, how to exercise, and how to bring their hormones back into balance so that their bodies could lose weight. It isn’t always about calories in / calories out. Sometimes, hormonal or other health-related issues block our bodies from losing weight. This can be very discouraging and demoralizing. I help women to find out what is going to work for them so they can see results by breaking unhealthy habits and creating new, healthy ones that make them feel their best.
I have not mastered the art of self-acceptance and love, but I am a work in progress. I want to do what is the healthiest for my body. Not just for looks, but because I feel better when I do. I am continually learning and growing, and I hope you are too. I don’t want women to strive to be perfect; I want women to feel good in their own skin and to take care of themselves as if they are a precious stone—because you are!
To find out more about what you can do to become more physically active, contact me via email or my online form to set up a free consultation.
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