The Journey Into Health

"I’m okay." "I feel fine." "I’m happy with where I’m at." These were the words I said out loud, but deep down, I just wanted to feel comfortable in my own skin again. I wanted to feel truly happy and healthy. I thought I was doing well, but in reality, I was far from it. Physically, I was struggling more than I realized. Mentally, I was in a slump. It was time to change.

In June, I decided it was time to take my health seriously. The negative effects of my lifestyle were becoming impossible to ignore. My asthma was worsening, pain in my body had intensified, depression an d anxiety were trying to take hold, exhaustion hit me easily, my stomach ached constantly, my eating disorders were creeping back stronger than I’d like to admit, and I was battling PCOS. I didn’t feel good about myself in so many other ways. For the first time, my anxiety against my body was not related to my scars but to more than that.

That's when several people at my church introduced me to Sharp Fitness. Initially, I was skeptical, but I decided to talk to Andy—after all, the worst case would be that I wouldn’t commit to the program. I had hope, but it was cautious hope. You see, just a few years ago, I was on medication to lose weight. It was a medication that wasn’t good for me, but I took it anyway because I was desperate. At the time, even losing a few pounds improved my skin and made surgeries easier. But that was all it did. At my heaviest, I had lost nearly 70 pounds, but the weight was slowly creeping back. I had tried everything to lose it. Being burned at age four led to eating issues because I needed extra nutrition to grow and heal. On top of that, I had frequent steroid shots and medications that caused weight gain. The pain I lived with made losing weight impossible, so instead of shedding pounds, I gained and gained. I tried every diet, from elimination diets to shakes and supplements, as well as medications and even discussions about surgery. Nothing worked. So, I was cautious this time. I knew I needed to make a change, to find a healthier path, and to feel like myself again.

Andy immediately convinced me to give it a shot, and I signed up for six months of coaching under him. Little did I know, this decision would change my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

In the first couple of weeks, I lost 10 pounds. Then I got off track but never lost my drive. Camp and surgery didnt get in my way of victory in this. It took dedication and willpower to say no to things i loved for comfort and fun. It meant really staying focused on my health and whay the impact was going to be. It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done for my health. But the results? Absolutely worth it.

The numbers themselves are incredible. Honestly, I’ve forgotten some of them, so Andy can fill in the details. But I know this: I lost 55 pounds. My BMI dropped from 40.5 to 31.0, and my body fat decreased from 51.5% to 36.6%! That's stats on my scale that I can't dispute. While those numbers are a reflection of the hard work, the true transformation goes beyond what the scale can show. Here are five major changes that have happened:

• I can sit up straight! For YEARS (I’d estimate over 10 years), I couldn’t maintain good posture because the weight caused tightness that made me bend over. It was painful and caused many issues. My spine was always out of line and I couldn't walk properly most of the time. Now, I can sit up straighter without as much pain AND can walk properly 90% of the time.

• My stomach isn’t in constant pain anymore. I’ve struggled with stomach issues since childhood, but since improving my diet, I haven’t needed acid reflux meds. My stomach just feels better in general.

• Fewer headaches. I’ve battled constant headaches since high school, but now they’ve become much less frequent—a huge win for me!

• My skin is clearer. As a burn survivor, skin issues have always been a daily battle. But by nourishing my body with the right foods, my skin has improved. Less irritation, less pain, and fewer lotions needed—what a relief!

• I’m finally overcoming my eating disorder the right way. I’ve struggled with binge eating, purging, night eating, and starving myself. My body was never able to regulate how I ate, and it was toxic. Now, through a shift in my mindset, I’m able to fight this battle without self-blame or guilt. If a bad day happens, I can get myself back on track easier and not allow it to turn into a habit!

The past six months have been incredibly difficult. Giving up so much hasn’t been easy. But every sacrifice has been worth it. Andy has helped me uncover my true strength and guided me toward what works for my body. He didn’t do it with harshness but with care and encouragement. I needed someone to show me love, not to yell at me. There was even a moment that I had been hiding the true reality from Andy and when I told Him, he simply said okay let's get you back to where I know you can be. He didn't condemn but uplifted. I needed to surrender this journey to God, and that’s exactly what I did. I began this journey with fasting and ended it with fasting, and throughout it all, the Lord was incredibly faithful.

Cheat days didn’t spiral into cheat weeks. Instead, they became moments of weakness, opportunities for growth, and reminders to do better. Every time I wanted to quit, I was reminded of why I started. People began to notice the changes, and I could feel it too. Mentally, I became stronger and healthier. Depression lifted. My anxiety lessened. Brain fog became a thing of the past, and I felt more like myself again. Spiritually, I grew. I learned what true sacrifice meant. Physically, I grew smaller and stronger. My cravings disappeared and, when they resurfaced, I was able to fight them off.

Six months was all it took to transform my life. Six months to realize my potential. Six months to create a new lifestyle I can continue to fight for. I can’t express how grateful I am for this transformation and how excited I am to see what the next breakthrough will be as I continue to live this out and fight for myself. I have gained confidence to wear clothing id never would have before and to show my true colors. It has been a huge change!! I don't have enough words to say how this changed my life and I'm sure I'll have more to say. BUT for now, let me just end with this:

If you are wanted to change your life, it takes dedication, commitment and sacrifice. It won't come easy and you need support to make it lasting. Even if it's simply asking for prayer or texting daily or sending your vulnerable messages to someone, it needs to be done in community to hold you accountable. So take that leap of faith, change your outcome and never doubt your strength. You can do this even if it seems hard. You can change your life by simply saying yes.

More to come! Ask questions if you'd like. I'm happy to share more :)