Everything had been bad for a while but got worse during Covid. As a working wife and mother, I spent a lot of energy trying to make everyone feel safe and keep our family connections. That led to lots of cooking together. We created a family cookbook called Armageddon Cooking - it was all of our favorites cooked at home. It gave us something to do together. And, I definitely drank wine much more regularly as a distraction. I also just really lost my routine of going to the gym before work. I realized something felt off for a long time, even pre-Covid. I wasn't living an integrated life. By that, I mean that I view myself as a fit and strong person but hadn't lived that way or felt that way for a very long time. I was always uneasy in my skin. I also was feeling very unhappy and had a lot of joint pain. I wanted an accountability buddy that I could count on. When I tried to do that with friends or family, they always pulled me off track, or I had to spend my time and energy helping them. I wanted to be 100% focused on me - with support. I had a friend that told me about 1:1 coaching that she had used, but I didn't remember the name of it. So in looking for that kind of support, I found MyBodyTutor. Before starting, the cost was the only barrier I felt in fully jumping in. But having the ability to stop at any time AND realizing that I easily spent that much on going out to eat and wine made it easier. My highest focus was to feel good and be happier. Which, in my mind, meant losing weight, eating in a way that reduced inflammation, not drinking and sleeping well. My goal was 15 pounds, and as of today, I have lost 21 pounds. But, I have gained so much more. I am focused on the variables that make me feel good. The foods that make me feel good, the movement that makes me feel good, sleep, water, and focus on the things I am grateful for. I feel integrated. I am grateful that I can always have the app to help me focus on these variables throughout the day. Going through the process is hard in the beginning. It's because you don't remember what it feels like to feel good. But once you feel good, even when you have that favorite meal or that glass of wine, you realize they are enjoyable, but they don't make you FEEL good. So it is easier to enjoy them and go back to the habits that do make you feel good. Being aware and connected to what your body needs is the biggest win in this process. Final aha - what you eat and drink impacts how you sleep, and I had been agitated for years because I wasn't sleeping well. Now I feel rested and look forward to working out in the morning because I feel like I am living an integrated life. I have a vision for my life, and I am living it as I have envisioned it. I thank MyBodyTutor for the support in getting here. If you're thinking of starting, see if your work has a wellness subsidy that can support you. My company covered several months, which is all I needed to get started. Calculate what you spend on the things that you would like to get out of your life (alcohol, eating out) and invest in yourself instead. Focus on feeling good in your skin instead of just the numbers on the scale, because for the first time, when the scale didn't move, I wasn't discouraged because I felt better than I did before. Fully leverage the gratitude part of the app. Start to be aware of what your body can do and how you feel and be thankful for that.