I’ve struggled with weight most of my life. When I was younger, it definitely made me feel different and less than other people. In high school, I tried every fad diet out there and got caught in a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting. I embarked on disastrously restrictive plans and lost a lot of weight, but that lifestyle was impossible to sustain long-term and the weight would soon come back.
My first semester of college I gained 13 kilos. I felt so overwhelmed and defeated that I honestly resigned to the fact that I was fat. I felt like my body was just a vessel, not something to be changed or owned.
It wasn’t until I graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles that I knew something needed to change. I met with a new doctor and stepped on the scale for the first time in years. I weighed 200 pounds. Heartbroken and speechless, I gave up and asked my doctor for help. I didn’t know what to do, but I wanted to heal both physically and mentally. This was when my mindset shifted. This time it was different from my previous weight loss attempts. I wasn’t just trying to get it done, I was committed to making the changes I needed to change my life. Every decision I made was in service of becoming the person I wanted to be.
I saw a nutritionist and learned the power of self-discipline.
The next day, I met with my doctor’s personal nutritionist, who recommended the keto diet. I was given a pamphlet of foods to focus on, which quickly gave me the discipline and discipline I’d never had before. I committed to the keto diet, committed to discipline, and committed to healing the emotional relationship with food that I’d struggled with my whole life.
I followed the keto diet for two years and lost my first 40 pounds. I celebrated my progress and was proud of my discipline and newfound confidence, but despite my physical gains, my mental state was suffering because I felt boxed in to a plan. Despite my physical gains, I knew I still wasn’t my best self. I’ve always been a big foodie and wanted to find a way to establish a sustainable, balanced eating pattern. Without it Condemning certain food groups.
I slowly started to introduce carbs back into my diet, but my main focus was eating whole fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. I’ve always loved learning from experts in the field, so I also started working with a new registered dietitian, Shira Barlow. Her motto is “Everything’s on the table, but not everything is worth it.” And that mindset gave me such a beautiful sense of freedom. I finally understood what worked for me and why it worked for me, and understood that I didn’t have to restrict myself, but celebrate the freedom to make good choices for myself.
After much trial and error, I feel I get the best results when I prioritize protein (about 100-150 grams per day) and fresh ingredients. That said, I no longer sacrifice myself. I follow my instincts when it comes to food: eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. I found what worked for me and made it a lifestyle for over four years, and I’ve now lost over 80 pounds.
In addition to getting nutritionally healthy, I made exercise a priority and made daily exercise an absolute necessity.
Around the same time I quit the keto diet, I started incorporating consistent exercise. I had previously tried CrossFit (there was a gym within walking distance of my home in Venice Beach) but the intensity didn’t appeal to me. So I started walking around my neighborhood in Los Angeles and slowly but surely worked my way up to walking 10 miles a day. Walking was a simple, consistent way to get exercise every day and it remains my favorite form of therapy.
Alongside the walks, I started trying out at-home YouTube workouts, where I was introduced to my now co-founder, Sami Clark. Sami’s workouts were easy, fun, and effective. I found a new inner strength I’d never known in my life and was hooked. Previously, my priority with exercise was showing up, punishing myself for overindulging, and trying to lose weight. I wanted to leave each workout feeling my best self, and I shifted my mindset to find the movement I truly craved.
As it turns out, my then-boyfriend and now-husband and fiancé of Sami Clark were middle school classmates and reunited while living in L.A. The four of us went on a double-date couples walking trip, and Sami and I quickly became best friends.
Sami’s workouts changed the way I thought about exercise. She also had a hugely engaged following on social media with thousands of women expecting more from her and we both knew we had more to offer. Sami Clark was a fitness expert with a lot to share and I had a deep love for health and strong business experience, so we co-founded Form, where we give women the tools to shape their best selves through exercise, nutrition, mindfulness and community. And I know in my heart that Form has the power to change lives, because it changed mine.
Now I train every day. For me, it’s a non-negotiable. Training supports my physical and mental health and allows me to be the best version of myself every day. It has transformed my body and strength in ways I never would have believed possible. Now I have a strong passion and purpose to prove to others that anything they want is possible. I follow the strength training schedule from Form that is emailed to me every week. The schedule consists of two days of upper body training, one day of lower body training, and one or two days of full body training. Each session takes no more than 30 minutes, and I put the workouts into my Google Calendar so I don’t have to take up any other time.
In addition to form, I go for walks every day and train with a personal trainer once a week to get out of my comfort zone, push my limits and challenge myself with new workouts.
Arms are by far my favorite muscle to work out. I love watching them grow, so I’m honestly obsessed with bicep curls. I also love pull-ups because it shows how much I’ve grown. For most of my life, I couldn’t even hold my own weight hanging from a bar, and now I can do 10 pull-ups in a row.
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These four changes were key to my successful strengths transformation.
After years of being completely disconnected from my body, I finally learned that taking action for myself every day is the highest form of self-love.Whether it’s going for a walk with my dog, trying a new healthy recipe with my husband, or intuitively listening to my body while working out, I continue to do things that make me feel great because since I began to appreciate and use self-discipline as a form of self-love, I have a whole new understanding of what I’m capable of.
I have also found inspiration and constant support within the community. Our Form community inspires and supports me every day, and their positivity is contagious. From the encouragement, wisdom, and motivation, I’ve found incredible beauty in sharing my journey and witnessing other women prioritize themselves. Our Form family is the friends I’ve always dreamed of having, supporting me to be the best version of myself.
I am also incredibly grateful for my husband. He has always made me feel so beautiful and loved. He is my biggest fan and supporter. He makes me smile and he has taught me that love is relentless.
I have embraced the idea that nothing should be limited. For most of my life, I felt trapped and defeated by strict dieting, but once I embraced the idea that what’s right (and best) for me doesn’t have to be restricted, my perspective changed.
I finally realized I could make the changes I wanted in my life and let go of old patterns. The result? Healthy habits I love, that nourish my body and bring out the best in me.
Lastly, I always think about my future self. My inspiration is who I will be in a few years time and I will continue to be there for her and make decisions that I know will help her be her happiest. My weight loss journey has given my life a deeper meaning and I am so grateful that I made the decision to achieve things that I once thought were impossible for me.
