Then, the relationship imploded, he left, and I found myself with no job and a whole bunch of unpaid bills.

I quickly scrambled to find a job to be able to support myself and was working out 5 days per week. But the stress that I was under kept mounting and I turned to food and alcohol as the way to soothe the pain.

For the first time in my life, I was just packing on weight and noticed my body really changing for the worse. However, I was in complete denial. Since I was working out consistently, I told myself it was muscle as I would continue to buy bigger and bigger clothes. What stood out to me more was the toll that it took on my mental health.

My anxiety and depression kept getting worse. I wasn’t sleeping. And I had gained about 40 lbs over the course of that year.

Have you ever been so disappointed in yourself that you hide from pictures and can’t even look at yourself in the mirror? Yeah, that was me.

It got to the point where I was so sick and tired of living that way and not even feeling at home in my own skin that I decided enough is enough. In November of 2018, I made the decision that I was going to compete in bodybuilding.

My trainer at the time was hesitant to agree because I was so far away from where I needed to be to compete. But he reluctantly agreed and I got to work.

He gave me a nutrition plan to follow and I started feeling better. I stayed consistent and ended up competing in my first show after losing over 40 lbs. Afterwards, things went a little sideways but I regrouped, followed the plan again, and competed in my second show.

During that time, I really had to assess the role that alcohol was playing in my life. Using it to self medicate every day was no longer serving me. Not only that, but going through that process led to a major “a-ha” moment with nutrition.

I finally had discovered the power of nutrition to shape my body the way that I wanted. But more importantly, I noticed the impact that it had on my mental health and well-being. I no longer felt the need to self medicate. I noticed significant improvements in my anxiety and depression.

I felt in control for the first time in a very long time.

And I wanted others to feel that same feeling. So I poured into nutrition education and began helping others. I honestly had no intention of starting a nutrition coaching business. I simply wanted to help people escape the uncomfortability of their body and the uncomfortability of their brain. I didn’t want anyone to feel the way that I felt.

Once I started sharing my own journey, I was attracting individuals who had a similar story to mine and were tired of settling for less than they deserve.

To this day, I still share openly about my own mental health and the role that nutrition and wellness can play in feeling comfortable in your body and in your brain.

I know how damaging fad diets and diet culture were to me in my own journey so you’ll often hear me speak out against those things. I believe in routine, quality nutrition, and mindset to change your life.

And I know it can be done because I'm living proof.