Meet Your Coach

When I was 9 I had my first asthma attack. My parents quickly took me to the doctor where they confirmed my diagnosis for Asthma and prescribed me with 10 medications to take twice a day. No joke. After weeks of little improvement and medications making me sick, my parents decided to press pause on the pills and implement other strategies to help me. I am blessed to say that my condition did indeed improve and I learned how to manage and avoid things that triggered my asthma. Doctors aren't bad (many of them are miracle workers!), but my body wasn't designed to digest over a dozen pills a day...

When I was 19, I found myself needing to make a lot of other health changes. It was a stressful and busy time of my life, and my lifestyle wasn't as healthy as I would've liked. My sugar cravings and boredom hunger were among the most challenging for me.

I. always. wanted. a. sweet. treat.

When I'd wake up in the morning and think about breakfast, I would crave something sweet. When I'd need a snack after school, I would want a Hershey's bar with peanut butter. When I'd finish dinner, I would want dessert. No matter how full I may have felt, sugar was always on my mind!

Most of the time, I was able to resist going down the cookie and candy isles in the store, but once it was in my cupboards ---- forget it. I lost every time to my sweet cravings. I'd occasionally go on a sugar fast, but return right back to my old habits. I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I struggled with my sugar addiction until I chose to go on a 90-day sugar fast AND fix my gut health & emotional relationship with sugar. I realized the root cause for my sugar problem came from two things: 1. Not eating enough prebiotics, probiotics, and whole grains.  2. Having emotional ties to sugar that needed to be cut off. I had to re-wire my thinking and redirect my coping mechanisms to something other than a treat.

It's incredible how I've felt since then. I don't NEED sugar anymore. Sure I'll have a sweet treat every now and again, but I'm not constantly craving or thinking about it. I've experienced significantly less bloating, upset stomach episodes, and mood swings. My emotions don't dictate what I eat like they used to and my gut has the necessary components to do its job right.

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Then there's my fitness journey! You know that kid that always wanted to play tag? Yeah, that was NOT me! Growing up, I disliked almost every sport. I did marching band in high school which was enough to keep me active and in decent shape, but in college I decided to really explore the world of fitness. I'm so glad I did. I remember taking my first weight lifting class and just falling in love with the science of how our bodies get stronger. I eventually decided to pursue my Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science. I developed a love for running and I overcame my fears of trying new sports or fitness classes whether I was good at them or not. I chose to focus on what I enjoyed despite my skill level compared to others. I eventually even trained and completed a half-marathon! But most importantly, I learned that fitness doesn't have to look the same for everyone. Through creating exercise programs for peers and teaching swim to beginners, I found a love for helping others feel happy and healthy on the inside and out. 

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I chose to continue my professional work as a holistic health coach and attend the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. As of now, I am a practicing Health Coach meeting both virtually and in-person for those looking to discover their personal health needs and make healthy lifestyle changes. I help my clients find the right health habits that transform how they feel. I love what I do!