"Today marks 1 year that I’ve really tried to get healthy. I’ve always been impressed at people who chip away a little bit every day at a goal. I’ve realized that that’s exactly what it takes. The discipline and choices that have helped me change have been hard and I’ve had better days/weeks and harder days/weeks, many of you know this more than I do!

I have always been active, sometimes more than others. I’ve biked, ran a marathon, done 2 1/2 Ironman. Yet until I saw these pictures (about 220) I didn’t realize I was so far from where I wanted to be. We came home from Jamaica and I decided what I was doing wasn’t working and joined CrossFit Liberty Lake. I worked hard. Went regularly, got a bit stronger. And a year later, I was referred to a nutritionist, Amy Wearne Paulson with AIM Nutrition Coaching. I was a bit offended. After all we both graduated in exercise science, and I’m a freakin doctor for gosh sakes. But I looked in the mirror and really hadn’t changed much, so I let go of my pride and figured if what I was doing wasn’t doing it, let’s try a different angle. Working with AIM changed my world and it taught me that I didn’t have to starve to lose weight, I just needed to eat the right things. I still don’t fully understand the magic of AIM, but it’s worked. Now don’t get me wrong, I realize there are many ways to lose weight, and if you have a way that works, congrats! For me this has been a beautiful fit. No starving, nothing extreme, no cutting this or that out, just finding the right balance. No pills or meal replacements. Just good ole fashioned food from the grocery store. I’ve had times of impatience, weeks with little to no change. But I’ve been reminded that lifestyle changes usually aren’t dramatic, but if done right, they last. I’ve maintained this 30 pound weight loss for a few months now. I’ve marveled at how little I changed when I only changed my “exercise”, when I changed my nutrition however, the changes were way more rapid and dramatic. No doubt the combination of the two is ideal! Thank you to Coach Chris and all the other coaches and all my Crossfit family who has cheered me on, and AIM Nutrition Coaching, for supporting and encouraging me when I needed it, and reminding me at times that effort has to match expectations, or you’ll never get where you want to!