"I’ve been overweight for most of my life. I started my first diet when I was just 10 years old, and for the next 28 years, I was a yo-yo dieter—losing weight, gaining it back, never able to maintain it for long.

After my second child was born, I made a big decision. I didn’t want to raise my kids with a mindset rooted in body shame and restriction. So I ditched dieting altogether. Instead, I threw myself into learning everything I could about intuitive eating and body acceptance. For the next several years, I was a healthy and mostly content fat person. I focused on joyful movement—hiking, dancing—and just living my life.

Along the way, I discovered intermittent fasting. It turned out to be a great fit for me. It helped me maintain my weight and even lose some. But even with this new tool, I couldn’t get beyond about a 10% weight loss.

Then things got harder.
As I moved through my late 40s and into my 50s, my body started changing again. I lost my gallbladder. My job became increasingly stressful. And my weight climbed higher than ever before.

The real turning point came in the summer of 2024. I went kayaking with my teenage daughter, and every time we had to get in or out of the boat, I needed help. That’s when I realized how physically limited I had become—and I knew I needed to take control again.

I decided to join HealthyWage to help keep myself motivated and accountable. I committed to a year-long goal, using a more structured intermittent fasting approach—mostly alternate day fasting—and I started strength training again for the first time in years.

Slowly, I began to feel big changes in my body. I was inspired to keep going.

And I did.

I’m happy to share that I reached my goal in just under 12 months—and I feel healthier than I have in years."