Update Nov 2016: Joyce wrote in to let us know that she’s lost 59 more pounds over the course of the last year for a total of 102 pounds. Check out her update.
“I spent the majority of my life on a diet. Name the pills, drops or potions and I have a story to go with it. I spent so much money on diet aids that were temporary fixes. It took me hitting rock bottom to realize that I needed to fight for me… for real. I had to deal with the reason why I overate. That was the beginning of a long and difficult process of healing and self discovery. As with many victims of childhood sexual abuse, I used food to comfort and protect me and had to break that self destructive pattern. 102 lbs. later I am still learning and being aware of what triggers me and what makes me want to eat. Lifting weights and tracking macros clicked, makes sense and has worked for me. I am nowhere near done. However, I continue to do it so that I can dismantle every lie my abuser told me and every untruth that I believed. I do it for every person I encounter who is just like me. 1 in 4 girls are sexually assaulted by age 18. 70% suffer with an eating disorder. Our stories don’t end there. We will be silent no more and we will reclaim our authentic identity.”
Instagram: @whispers_of_purpose and @curve.confidence
Sept 2015 – Weight Loss Story: Joyce lost 43 pounds. This inspirational author overcame childhood sexual abuse and is working to help other women to live their lives “authentically and un-apologetically”. She shared with us how she got the help she needed to release the weight she used to shield and protect herself with for years.
I had just published my first book, Beyond The Mask, last October and had a good number of speaking engagements. My take away message was always the same, “Live your life authentically and un-apologetically.” Yet every time I looked in the mirror, I could not stand to face who was looking back at me. She was talking the talk but could she walk the walk?
When I was a young girl (4 years old) I was sexually assaulted. Not only did I lose my innocence, but also my identity. I became depressed at very young age. At about 10 years old, a boy at school asked me if I wanted to be his girlfriend and all I could think of was that he wanted to hurt me too. I made up my mind right then and there that I would make sure that no man or boy would ever find me attractive. I decided that I would eat and get so fat that nobody would notice me and if they did they would find me disgusting. That was the start of a life long struggle.
I ate to become a wallflower. I ate to protect myself. I ate when I was happy, sad or confused. As the pounds started to pack on, I hated who I was becoming and this was the pattern I had established for my life. When the pain was too much to bear, I knew I had to heal and once I was truly healed from my past and I was working to help other women heal from their pain. I realized that they were just like me. We all overate or starved ourselves as a form of protection and soothe a pain that is hard to explain. It was then that I found my WHY. I knew it was time to do it so that they could see me not just being transparent, but un-apologetically authentic.
I knew that if I was going to win the battle of the bulge I needed a program that was authentic, no gimmicks, no promises of a quick fix or an expiration date. You see I had tried it all diet pills, HCG drops and every fad diet under the sun. Even though I may have lost weight, I ALWAYS gained it back and more because I didn’t learn how to make it a lifestyle change. Lucky for me I found out about @skipfitness and decided to stop watching from the sidelines and join the team. They made it look easy, eating your favorite foods and still losing weight! It’s commitment, dedication and a winning formula that yields the results. So, that’s what I did! I ate whatever I wanted according to what the plan outlines in terms of macros and nutrition. He even has a private group on Facebook where he helps us.
It’s been almost 5 months that I have been on the program and I’m down 43 pounds and more inches than I can keep up with. Most importantly, I have rediscovered the little girl that I have been trying to get to know my whole life. No, I am nowhere near done but I have the tools, support and team #skipfitness that inspires and encourages me everyday. My confidence in the gym and in my everyday life grows. To the point where I’m now out lifting a lot of the men in my gym and they’re jealous. They say I will look manly if I keep lifting as heavy as I do. Well, here’s my pictures from when I started the program back in April until now. Does this look manly to you or any of your readers? I think not.
The weight lifting routines in the beginning are very simple. We don’t do any cardio and we lift 2-3 days a week! The reason I love this program: it’s realistic. You’re not in the gym for hours upon hours on end. Heck, when I first started, people would look at me funny because I would get to the gym, and 20-30 minutes later, I’m leaving the gym. At first, I knew people were laughing because I was in and out of the gym in under 30 minutes most days. But 40 pounds later, those sneers and giggles soon stopped and turned into envy and intrigue from most. I get a lot more envy from the men because I’m out lifting them, lol. I feel on top of the world right now and NOBODY can stop me!
My WHY– the women I live to inspire and help overcome keep me faithful and focused. I still have a ways to go, but that’s not important. Because Skip Fitness teaches us that the time will pass anyway whether we do what we have to do or not. I am STILL rolling, STILL going and still striving to be the best version of me possible.
Joyce’s Trainer: www.SkipFitness.com
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