210 lbs.
size 18
32% body fat
150 lbs
size 4
17% body fat
My story
After the birth of my third child in 2007 I found myself 60 pounds overweight with endometriosis and thyroid disease. My doctor told me that the goiter growing on my thyroid would likely need to be surgically removed because it wouldn't get any better otherwise. I was struggling with postpartum depression, two incurable diseases that were very painful, excess weight, an unhappy marriage, and three toddlers to chase around. I felt hopeless.
Two years later I decided I had to make a change and lose the weight. I proceeded to go on a series of crash diets and lost 40 pounds. I managed to keep it off for a few years, but the thyroid issue made getting healthy quite difficult. I took medication for many years that increased over time but saw no improvement.
Fast forward to 2011. My joint pain and fatigue had become intolerable, so I decided to double up on my efforts to get well. I was sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. I didn't want to continue to carry around the extra weight, and my doctors had no solutions outside of medication. I was driven to be the best mother I could be to my three young children, and being worn out constantly didn't make that easy. About that time my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer, and so it was time again to make a decision: This wasn't the way I wanted to live my life. I did my research and changed my approach. I decided to eat as many vegetables as I could stand without trying to eliminate too many of my comfort foods. Being on diets for so long, I hated all the rules and shaming that came with "messing up".
By 2015 I had taken myself off my medication and my bloodwork showed that my thyroid and my hormone levels were normal. Both diseases were gone! My energy was back and I felt like myself again. A year later after a messy divorce, I took a job at The Dailey Method in Colleyville as a barre instructor. I had never really exercised regularly aside from a brief career in ballet, so this was a huge change. My body responded and the last 20 pounds melted away.
My mom passed away in 2016 and she remains a primary motivation for choosing this career path. She cleaned up her diet after the diagnosis but in the end the disease still took her. We both learned a lot through that process about how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
I know first hand how hard it is to overcome the challenges of weight loss and wellness while trying to juggle all of the daily demands of career and motherhood, not to mention the twists and turns and tragedies that life can throw at you. It took me many years to do so, but it began with a decision, and another decision, and another. My hope is that my story and my guidance can help others on their journey to health and wellness. Are you ready to make that first decision? I can help!
Ready to start the conversation with Leah? Book an appointment today!