The picture on the left was me—unhappy with how I looked and convinced that eating as little as possible was the only way to change my body. The weight came off, but it never stayed off.

Years later, I tried again—eating less and running more. The weight dropped quickly, but once again, it wasn’t sustainable. An injury eventually stopped my running and led me to CrossFit.

That’s where everything changed. I quickly learned that to be strong, I needed to fuel my body—not deprive it. My mindset shifted from wanting to be smaller to wanting to perform.

I’d love to say the story ends there, but the truth is—I still sometimes think about being smaller. My weight still fluctuates, and that’s okay. What’s different now is my perspective.

Through education, experience, and applying what I’ve learned, I’ve built a relationship with my body that’s rooted in respect—not restriction. I’ve learned to fuel, not punish. And more than anything, I’ve learned to love my body for what it can do, not just how it looks.