Post by @packmypursebrook

I had a baby (who is now 5) when I was 28 years old. I remember the day I came home from the hospital and looked at my body in the mirror. I thought my body was going to be “stuck like that” forever. I had never seen my body so different from what I had known for 28 years. So instead of trying to lose the weight…I hid. I didn’t look at myself in the mirror, I didn’t wear tight clothes, and I ate whatever made me happy because, at the time, FOOD WAS COMFORT! Fast forward 1.5 years, I find out that my daughter’s hips are severely out of their sockets and that she needs to have 2, maybe 3, major hip reconstructive surgeries, which require her to be in a full-body cast for 8 weeks after each surgery. For a 2-year-old…this sounded IMPOSSIBLE. But by the GRACE OF GOD, we made it past all of the hip hurdles. I swear I was in fight-or-flight mode those 2 years because I was constantly worried about her. And seeing her in pain. And seeing her not be able to move. After her hips healed, we soon found out she has celiac disease, which was a shock, but we stepped up and changed our entire household to gluten-free! I thought…now is my time to exercise and eat better and NOT TURN TO FOOD FOR COMFORT, but instead, I found out my Mom had cancer. I did my best to be there for her, but between running my own social media business, having a daughter who was 3, turning 4 and relationship BUMPS, it was HARD!! 4 months later, my Dad was diagnosed with ALS, and my life shifted FOREVER. The way I saw him deteriorate before my eyes was horrific. I wasn’t ready. I needed more time! But the disease didn’t care. So what did I do? I ate when I was sad. I ate when I was upset. I ate when I was worried. I remember staying overnight in the hospital with my Dad one night and leaving at 3 a.m. just to go to Jack in the Box because I needed to be comforted by food!! My Dad passed away on 9/08. I feel broken. LIFE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. My best friend and biggest supporter and protector is gone. Today, I am starting my GLP-1 journey because I am ready to no longer turn to food. I am ready to honor him in the best way I know how and that’s by taking the absolute best care of my body/health! I am ready to be in the best shape of my life! Because HEALTH IS WEALTH and truly one of the only things that really matters in life. F material things. F how much money is in my bank account. I am on a journey to being healthy and happy! Not finding happiness in shopping, in food, not by anything but the love for myself, others and my health! Today is Day 1. Follow along for the journey!