Where’s the best place for listeners to connect with you?: Instagram @feenominalmachine

Describe your weight loss journey.: I have been overweight most of my life but especially starting in middle/high school. So the weight slowly started to gain and through my late 20’s the scale slowly kept going up until I hit over 400. I wasn’t able to be weighed on the doctors scale, my first doctor wanted to send me to so many specialist but I wanted a second opinion. So went to a second doctor and I still was over 400 but he let me do it on my own so long as next time I came back I would be the weight he asked. I was and so we did 6 months appointments for a couple years with each time hitting those goals. Until eventually I got down to I wanna say 350 and then I finally was able to get yearly appointment. Started off with weight watchers, eventually moved to and currently on itrackbites which is now known as Healthi. My workouts started with walking and eventually I completed 5k,10k, and eventually even a half marathon. Eventually after running began strength training. Got my body down to 253 but then Covid hit and eventually gained about 20-30 lbs. Maintained 270’s for about a year then this spring/summer I let it get away from me and hit 295. This scared me so much. I realized I just let myself go. I wasn’t following nutrition, wasn’t really working out, just living life on the fly and also had a lot of family vacations. So now slowly starting to get back down. The vacation weight came down quickly but now tracking and everything has truly helped the body bounce back.

What’s a skill you developed as a result of working through your weight loss process?: One thing I’ve been able to do is through this belief in self, I have been able to be more open/honest about my journey on who I was/who I am. This has helped me realize a lot about me and helped me not only relay myself to others but also, made me realize how my diagnosis of adhd has helped me through my life and really helped me on this journey to become me. Whereas others saw it as a disability all my life, through this journey I have seen it as an endless possibility.

What has that skill led to outside of weight loss?: Honestly, through the discovery of this, it has helped me love people more. Because I love who I am, it has made me more accepting of others and their lifestyles. I use to judge a lot of people because I was unhappy with who I was. So now that I have happiness with self, I love hearing about others stories, their beliefs, what they are going through and how they got to where they are. Really I just like hearing stories.

What advice would you give to someone working through their weight loss journey?: 1st off, in the start, take body photos. You are absolutely going to hate those photos. Not because there is anything to hate, but this may be the first moment you are real and raw with yourself. This is your starting step. Also, be open/honest about your journey. Make people tired of hearing about it. This will help you be accountable to yourself and to them. Finally, this is a lifelong roller coaster journey. It will have its ups and downs. Highs and lows and even loop de loops. Stay buckled in. Don’t get off the ride just because it isn’t going right! You are worth every effort you are putting!

What's something most people don't know about you that has nothing to do with weight loss?: With my story, nothing has ever been quick. I was always told I would never graduate the 8th grade and even if I did, I would never make anything in my life. I not only graduated high school, but graduated with a bachelors degree. It took me 6.5 years but I did it. Just like with this, I will try and do anything you tell me I cannot do. It may take me longer to do them, but I will do them and succeed.