I would like to start out by saying; there are no quick fixes. Anything you desire long-term, does take time to achieve, and time to maintain. For years, I wished I could find a fitness routine and stick with it. Sadly, that hadn’t been the case for me. Diet and exercise were foreign words, and I often preferred to complain about my lack of motivation than to do anything about it. In my teens and twenties, I had the luxury of never having to step foot into a gym. Fortunately, good genes blessed me with a naturally athletic build. However, during my mid-twenties, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism.
Having an under-active thyroid gland meant that I would face unexplained weight gain and constant fatigue in the near future. It was when my alcohol consumption increased, during my early thirties that I truly suffered with my weight. I was 20 pounds heavier and extremely unhappy with my body. To deal with my current state, I drank more. At this time, I began to develop (what I later found out to be) hormonal acne. Bad skin and feeling “fat” triggered a deep depression. I’ve included a photo below of what I looked like in early 2017. It’s kind of scary to share this, because I so often relied on Photoshop to hide myself, but that was the real me.
I was ill-equipped to deal with what I was going through, and didn’t really see a way out. I remained this way for another year, before I saw the light. On October 8, 2016 I got sober. Sobriety was the answer to my prayers, not only because I thought I found a way to lose weight, but also because I needed to change my life. Everything I did up until that point was without courage. I pitied and shamed myself for so long that any hope I had was an illusion. But, the day I decided to put down the poison I so happily drank, I finally gave myself the opportunity to grow.
Nothing happens overnight. I have been on a two-year journey of constant evolution. It has been painful and exhausting, but I did it for me. One of the prayers I had for myself while I was getting sober was, to be that girl who get’s up in the morning to workout. With time and patience, that dream came true. I prayed about my weight, and feared I’d get stuck in the rut I was in, but one day that too, changed. Through switching physicians, I accidentally (although I don’t believe in accidents) remained on a high dose of my prescribed medication, for too long. This resulted in my hypothyroidism turning into a false hyperthyroidism.
After losing those 20 pounds, I started to feel hopeful. I began pushing myself to become active, and through that, attracted partnerships with SoulCycle and Equinox. Today, I visit SoulCycle regularly, and squeeze in Power Yoga at Equinox. I take classes at New York Pilates and XtendBarre, and practice eating well, on a regular basis. I even ran a 5k race with Nike. At the beginning of this post, I started out by saying; there are no quick fixes. You have to find the willingness to try, and the strength to keep going. Once you’re there, nothing can stop you.
And hey, if you find yourself at SoulCycle in New York, feel free to message me on Instagram. I would love to take a class together!
I’M WEARING
Beyond Yoga Plush Angled High Waisted Leggings, Beyond Yoga All In Racerback Bralet, AE White Denim Jacket (similar), Nike Air Max 97
Soo proud of u! Keep pushing thru dreams do come ture it wait takes time n patience!
Thank you so much, Doris! I truly appreciate your kind words. xx
You are stunning! I’ve followed you for a while now and always thought you were beautiful and love your content. Love this post, keep it up girl
Thank you so very much! Ugh it makes me so happy to connect and feel that my message was received.