Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m a mom to a happy 3 year old girl, and I’ve been married for 6 years to my husband, Greg. We live in Lakeville, MN but Tacoma, WA will always be my home! Since losing weight I’ve developed a love for running. 4 marathons, and 20 or so half marathons. Im training for The Chicago Marathon, and The NYC Marathon this fall.
What did your life look like before Stronger U?
I struggled with my weight since I was in elementary school. Food was always how I gauged my happiness level, and it was something that I was constantly thinking about. At my heaviest, I weighed 275 pounds. I used WW for a long time, and although I was successful I had a really hard time keeping the weight off, and I usually ended up gaining more weight each time. I looked at exercise for a long time as something intimidating, and almost punishment in some sense.
Stronger U has helped show me that no matter how much I run that I cannot outrun a bad diet and that I still needed to be mindful of my food choices, and plan ahead. Now I think of my daily macros like I would balancing a checkbook. It’s really helped me.
What does your life look like now?
I look forward to so many activities and events that I used to dread: summer especially. I never wanted to wear shorts or anything short sleeved so I would be the person wearing a sweater and jeans in 90-degree weather.
I look at exercise as something that I get to do, and I look forward to it. Food doesn’t control me anymore. I eat EVERYTHING within reason (most days) and if I decide I wanna eat 3 desserts one day- great! Does that mean I’ll do that every day? Nope, but I’m slowly figuring out I don’t need to punish myself for any food choice. I can eat anything and that’s what has changed the game for me.
Where did you hear about Stronger U?
The Peloton Community. In the Peloton Moms Facebook group.
Why do you think Stronger U worked so well for you compared to other programs or diets?
Because no food is off-limits. I’m the type of person where if I limit myself it really backfires and causes me to eat everything all the time. Stronger U and its program has shown me that you can and should enjoy all food.
What was something you regularly ate while on Stronger U that people wouldn’t expect you to eat on a diet?
Butterscotch dilly bars from Dairy Queen. I had one of these pretty much daily for months.
Did Stronger U have any impact on your training? Or did Stronger U have an impact on your decision to start exercising or training for a sport?
I followed Stronger U while training for a Virtual Marathon last fall. Prior to that, I had always told myself I needed so much food after my long runs. It’s true you absolutely need to refuel and make sure you’re eating. Especially enough carbs but it didn’t need to be eating as much as I thought that I needed in order to perform well, and make it through those long runs.
Did you have any favorite non-scale victories to share?
Being excited to keep spending money on new clothes because mine were getting too big!
Has Stronger U improved your overall quality of life? If so, how? *
It’s absolutely given me more opportunities to enjoy life: the bigger things, and the small. It’s helped my mindset so much.
If someone is thinking about joining Stronger U, what advice would you give them before beginning their journey?
Be completely honest with your coach. No one is going to judge you for anything, and the coaches genuinely want to see you succeed, and they can’t do that if you’re silent, or not telling them about what’s going on in your life. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions, and share victories and defeats in the Facebook group. The community is incredibly kind, and there to cheer to you on, and help so definitely use them!
Would you like to give a shoutout to your coach, SU staff member, or community member?
My coaches (Ben and Chastity) have been outstanding, patient and have each brought so many wonderful things to the table. I’ve appreciated their support so much, and I can’t tell you how much having them in my corner has helped me throughout this process.
