28 May Nutrition Spotlight Client Interview, Emily
Emily shares her experience working together and the amazing changes she has made!
What were your biggest nutrition struggles in the beginning of us working together?
My whole life revolved around food and my weight before I started working with Jennie. I would yo-yo from one fad diet to another, never finding a way to sustain my weight. My only marker for success was weight loss and seeing the numbers on the scale go down. When I was in “diet mode,” I would obsess about the foods that I could or couldn’t eat. I would feel nervous about eating around other people. And when I would inevitably “fall off” the diet, my weight would skyrocket quickly and I would feel terrible about myself.
What were your biggest frustrations about your nutrition history (past)?
My belief that there was a quick fix and easy solution for weight loss. I have struggled with a horrific body image since as young as 10-years-old, and there was a deep-rooted belief that if I didn’t maintain a certain weight, I was a complete and total failure. I never understood the connection between the full health picture and my body. I believed the only solution to weight loss was extreme restriction and intense workouts that left me beyond exhausted. But looking back, I think it’s safe to say that on a subconscious level, my biggest frustration was the inherent belief that if I didn’t “punish” myself when I didn’t see results that I was looking for, I truly deserved to feel all of the negativity in my mind about my body image and myself.
What was your experience and first breakthrough working together?
Jennie and I have worked together for a year and a half. I think that my biggest break through for me, personally, was that I needed so much more time than six months to learn how to adapt a healthier mindset for my entire well-being. Working with Jennie was the first time that someone told me that quick results (i.e. just a significant, fast weight loss) were not going to bring me the inner peace that I needed to have long-term success.
How is your nutrition, health and mindset now?
I feel like I am a different person in the best way possible than before I started working with Jennie. One of the biggest compliments I receive from friends and loved ones is that I seem like I am so much more at peace with myself and that there is an aura about me that exudes less anxiety than ever before. I now know that there are SO many health markers that determine success other than weight loss. My sleep cycle has naturally improved. My daily anxiety has significantly reduced. The starvation I would feel when I was on a diet is non-existent because I’ve learned the proper nutrition to keep my body nourished throughout the day. And I think, most importantly, Jennie has taught me that it really is okay to have a day that doesn’t feel great or that may be difficult because it’s genuinely a part of the human experience. Using the tools we’ve built together, I no longer dwell on those days for weeks at a time, but rather take some time to sit with the feelings and move on in a healthy manner.
What overall positive changes in your health and well being have you noticed since starting the program?
While I have experienced weight loss, there is SO much more that I consider even better positive changes in my health since starting my work with Jennie. I feel more at peace with myself and have a greater confidence in all parts of my life–both personal and professional. I recognize my limitations of when I need rest. I can walk longer distances at a comfortable pace because movement has become more integrated in my life as a way to make me feel better, not just torture for burning calories. I’ve experimented with new foods and found a healthy way to meal prep that doesn’t cause obsessive calorie counting. My energy is the best it has ever been, even despite some health issues that cause severe fatigue. Overall, my entire life has improved because of Jennie.
How would you describe Jennie as a nutrition coach?
Jennie is the kindest, most thoughtful and non-judgmental person that I’ve ever worked with in the nutrition space, including other registered dietitians. She is the best investment that I’ve ever made in myself and when I consider the money that I’ve spent on other fad diets or individuals who didn’t have my best interest, I know that it has been worth every penny to work with her. She is constantly responsive and has a gentle approach that makes you look at yourself in a more compassionate way. I appreciate that she has really taught me about nutrition science in a way no one ever else had explained it to me. Her approach of making attainable changes between our sessions was instrumental in the larger changes that have taken place. I cannot ever begin to express the most sincere gratitude that she came into my life at such a difficult moment and helped me work through that hard time. I appreciate all that she has done for me!
I am so grateful for Jennie’s support and as I continue to work on losing some more weight, and I know that our work together will prevent me from doing it in an unhealthy and unsustainable way.