It Takes Courage To Ask For Help
Written by Teena Travis
Anyone who has ever struggled with his or her weight knows that it is not just about the extra pounds – the problem goes a great deal deeper than just the number on the scale, even to the point of threatening one’s own identity.
It was not long ago that I felt my own identity threatened by a rather unexpected and unintended weight gain. I was working incredibly long hours, going to school, and dealing with the curve balls that life throws at us all, when one morning I woke up and realized I felt trapped in a body that I didn’t recognize. I was overweight, tired, unhappy, and starting to lose that spark that made me, me. I hit my rock bottom one night in my bedroom closet when I was supposed to go out with a friend and realized that I did not fit into a single pair of jeans that I owned. I remember sitting on the floor in my closet and crying, not understanding how I had gotten to that point, knowing that I needed to make a change but not knowing how.
That very same night I made the decision that I was no longer going to be a victim. I had got myself into this position, and I knew that I had to be the one to take the first step in order to make the change I wanted to see in myself. The next day I joined Invictus, and my life took a sudden and remarkable turn. The community of coaches and fellow members lifted me up and made me believe that change was indeed possible.
At the beginning of my health and wellness journey I was solely focused on making it to the gym at every possible opportunity, and gave little to no thought about my nutritional choices. I had a rather poor relationship with food as it was, and like most people, I thought that in order to lose weight I had to restrict calories.
The old paradigm of “eat less, exercise more” wasn’t working.
It did not take long before I noticed that not only did my workouts start to suffer, but I also had little to no energy, was hungry all the time, and felt listless and tired. I did not realize that it was because I was just not fueling my body properly, and demanding too much of that undernourished body. I decided to make an appointment with one of the Invictus Nutrition Coaches. My coach helped me set goals, taught me about properly fueling my body, helped me to develop a healthy relationship with food, kept me accountable, and facilitated real growth and change.
Working directly with a coach changed my entire perception of food. I learned that there are no wrong or right choice. Food is just fuel, and fuel will dictate how your body runs.
The journey was not a short one, and it is still one that I am on today. It took hard work and dedication both from my coach and myself. Without the coaching I would not be where I am today; my outside would not reflect who I am on the inside, and I would not have the courage to share my story. I know that many of you feel the same way I did and I want you to know there is help out there to create lasting life long change! You have the power to take that first step to ask for help, and the Invictus Coaching staff has the resources and ability to facilitate the change you would like to see in yourself!