Meet Heather!

“I have struggled my entire adult life with “dieting”. I started in high school drinking weight loss shakes, ultimately transitioning into several fad diets that restricted and/or eliminated certain foods or food types through my 20s and 30s.

By 2013, I would no longer even look at myself in the mirror. After hitting over 200 lbs on the scale, I stopped weighing myself altogether. I tried working out and eating healthy, but honestly I had no idea what I was doing.

A coworker encouraged me to try CrossFit, which I eventually did. After a few horribly wonderful months of CrossFit, I realized my health also needed to be addressed in the kitchen. Once I started eating better, I started feeling better, thus beginning my new me.

I lost 70 pounds by 2014, and as I approached my goal weight, a magic number I had in my head that would instantly make me comfortable in my own skin, I started to realize this goal was not what I expected it would be.

After 5 years of dieting, I realized I had no idea how function outside of a “diet”. I began yo-yo dieting the same 10 lbs, and was very frustrated with my body image and performance. I would cut down and dislike what I saw, especially when my numbers were now below that magic number I thought I wanted.

I watched several friends have success with AIM, and was drawn to the support it offered. I needed someone to help me refocus what I was doing and why I was doing it.

I joined the Spring Challenge In 2019, and it blew my mind. I had someone there to help me battle that nasty voice in my head, and set me straight when I couldn’t. My journey with AIM was not just about weight loss. My journey has been more about healing from a cycle of decades food abuse and body shame.

I’m now 6 months in with AIM and down to a weight I haven’t seen since freshman year of high school. I still sometimes hear that nasty voice in my head telling me I am not enough, but I am now better equipped to dismiss that as my old self, not who I have become. I feel so fortunate because the coaches have provided me with endless perspective and support (in and out of gym and kitchen) and for that I am grateful.”