No quick fixes. No fad diets. Just the real, honest, sustainable lifestyle story behind one of the most transformative decisions of my life.
I am 46 years old. And almost thirty years ago, a guy named Ryan called me a fat cow at a party.
I want you to sit with that for a second — because I did. I sat with it, I cried over it, and then I did something with it that changed the entire trajectory of my life. Instead of letting those words crush me, I let them light a fire. And 75 pounds later, I realized that my biggest hater had become my biggest motivator.
As Kobe once said: haters are fuel. He was right.
The most painful moments of our lives don’t define us — our response to them does. That humiliation, that anger, that sadness? I channeled every single bit of it into showing up for myself every single day until I became the person I always knew I was. If someone has ever made you feel less than, I need you to hear this: you are NOT what they said about you. You are what you decide to do next.
I genuinely thank Ryan today. Without him, I’m not sure I would have found the fire I needed to change my life. Use their words as rocket fuel and let your results do the talking. Your comeback story is just getting started.
The Real Story: No Quick Fixes, No Fad Diets
Here is what I did not do: I did not do a juice cleanse. I did not cut out entire food groups. I did not take a pill, follow a celebrity diet, or do anything that I couldn’t sustain for the rest of my life. What I did was make a lifestyle change — slow, steady, sustainable — and that is the only reason I am sitting here nearly 30 years later still maintaining that 75-pound weight loss.
And right now? I am on another weight loss journey to lean out even further — and I am already down almost 30 pounds using the exact same principles. Here’s exactly what I did then and what I’m still doing now:
1. Started by Assessing Where I Was
Before I did anything else, I took stock of where I was — weight, measurements, how I felt in my body. No judgment, just honest data. You cannot map a route if you don’t know your starting point.
2. Calculated My Macros
Understanding macros — protein, carbs, and fats — was genuinely game-changing. Once I understood what my body actually needed to function and lose weight, I stopped guessing and started eating with intention. [Use my macro calculator] — plug in your numbers and let the data guide you. Knowledge is power, and this one tool changed everything for me.
3. Wrote Down Everything I Ate in a Food Journal
This is the step most people skip — and it is the one that makes the biggest difference. Writing down everything you eat creates awareness, accountability, and pattern recognition that no app can fully replicate. I am currently using the most incredible 90-day weight loss journal — and it is so much more than a food tracker. It includes goal-setting pages for your desired weight, fitness objectives, and meal plans; workout and meal tracking sections; motivational tips and daily affirmations; space for personal reflections and inspiration; motivational quotes; and workout tips. It is the most comprehensive, beautiful tool I have ever used on a weight loss journey — and it’s a huge part of why I’m already down almost 30 pounds on this current journey. [Grab your journal here]
I still eat a balanced diet loaded with fresh fruits, vegetables, and tons of water every single day. Do I splurge? Absolutely. Do I cheat? You better believe it. But I balance every indulgence with extra movement, extra water, and a return to clean eating the very next day. No guilt. No spiral. Just balance.
4. Started Moving My Body — and Never Stopped
I started by walking laps around a track. That’s it. Just walking. And then one day, almost without realizing it, I was running. I went on to run several marathons — including the Disney Marathon and the LA Marathon in my very first year in Los Angeles. Me. The girl Ryan called a fat cow at a party.
I still work out almost every single day — even on vacation. ESPECIALLY on vacation. This is the part that people find most surprising, but it’s also the most important: fitness has to become a non-negotiable part of your identity, not a temporary inconvenience. It’s not something I do to lose weight anymore. It’s just who I am. And that mental shift is everything.
5. Surrounded Myself With Like-Minded People
This one is underrated and I will not let it go unmentioned. The people around you either lift your goals or they quietly undermine them — and I chose to surround myself with people who made it easy to stay on track. I have a workout buddy who I vent to, train with, and get motivated by to this day. Community is not optional on a long-term wellness journey. Find your person.
6. Daily Affirmations and Gratitude Practice
Every single morning, I affirm who I am becoming. I express gratitude for the body I have right now — not the one I used to have, not the one I’m working toward, but this one, today. The mind-body connection is real, and treating yourself with kindness and intention is just as important as any macro calculation or workout plan.
I am enough. I am worthy. I am beautiful.
The Bottom Line: This Is a Lifestyle — Not a Diet
Nearly thirty years. 75 pounds. Maintained. And currently down almost 30 more on this new journey — because the habits never stopped. If I can do it, absolutely anyone can. Not because I had a perfect plan or incredible willpower, but because I made a decision, built sustainable habits, and refused to quit.
Start where you are. Use the tools — the macro calculator, the journal, the workout buddy, the daily affirmation. Show up for yourself on the hard days. And if someone has ever said something cruel to you about your body — use it. Channel it. Let it be the rocket fuel that launches you into the greatest version of yourself.
Ryan, if you’re out there — thank you. I mean it.
Ready to start your own journey? Grab your 90-day journal and calculate your macros. You’ve got this.
