I've lost and put on about 210 pounds, 30 pounds at a time, in my adult lifetime. I've used Weight Watchers 2-3 times and self-control the other times. But it was mostly about depriving myself, which wasn't sustainable. Before I started MyBodyTutor, I was pre-diabetic and terrified that I would cross over into full diabetes. I also worried that my liver would develop cirrhosis, even though I don't drink alcohol. Yeah, that's how poorly I ate. Also, despite being very athletic and physically fit in college (2.5% body fat), before MyBodyTutor, I'd watch TV commercials showing people working out, and I couldn't relate to the desire to physically exert my body like they did in the commercials. I couldn't even remember what that desire felt like. Movement was difficult, and I often found myself out of breath just climbing a flight of stairs. And when people joke about not being able to tie your own shoes, that's a real thing. I actually took a video selfie trying to tie my shoes so I'd never forget that pain. I couldn't bear the thought of going back to 'clean' eating. I'd developed terrible eating habits of shoveling food into my mouth every night. I enjoyed gorging and didn't think I could turn that desire/addiction off. I called it eating "to the pain," which I borrowed from The Princess Bride. In other words, I wouldn't stop at full. I'd eat until I was uncomfortable. Then, after the discomfort subsided, I would eat again even though I was still full. But I hoped to get to a place where I could freely move, tie my shoes, not constantly fear for my health, and look good in clothes (short and fat is hard to shop for). Today, I have a healthy relationship with food and, more importantly, with my body. I'm able to coach myself throughout the day with reminders about skills I've learned, reasons I'm doing what I'm doing, and goals I've still yet to meet. I still have days when I eat for fun (but no longer "to the pain"), but those days are planned now. Sunday is my day for fun eating, but I find that when it's part of a plan, I don't feel bad about it anymore. And that makes returning to my plan on Monday morning not only easy but also something I look forward to. My total weight loss has been 26 pounds. I still have 20 more pounds to lose, but my coach has equipped me with the skills and tools I need to lose the weight on my own and to keep it off. In the past, I celebrated my first day off a diet by indulging in foods I had missed out on. But my first days on my own after MyBodyTutor were more like the feeling a teen has after receiving his/her license - I couldn't wait to use my new skills out there on my own. Haley showed me how to change my relationship with food, but in an acceptable way (i.e., if I didn't accept it, it wouldn't last). So instead of eating pizza until I was in pain, I would slowly savor two slices, which turned out to be even more satisfying. If I desired a cookie, I would eat one slowly and savor it over a 10-15 minute window, feeling satisfied afterward. Instead of replacing pizza and burgers with kale and water (note the sarcasm), I simply ADDED vegetables to my plate and made a point of eating them before moving on to the less healthy options. That usually changed my mindset by the time I reached the "junk" food. She also taught me to have a plan - to look ahead at the week and prepare for the things that would be out of the ordinary (a business dinner, baseball game, long road trips, etc.). By having a plan, I didn't throw in the towel when those moments arrived. On that note, fitness became a habit thanks to Haley's unique strategy - Just Show Up. During our initial discovery call, she asked what I thought a reasonable starting point for exercise would be. Knowing that I was completely sedentary, I suggested that I start with walking 30-minutes per day for 6 days per week. Her response? "Okay, how about 15 minutes per day with 3 days on and 1 day off?" That gave me a very realistic daily goal. There were days when going outside wasn't realistic, so I would walk in my house for 15 minutes. Her response was, "You showed up." Now, there are days when I push myself, and there are others when I "Just Show Up." Either way, I'm moving a lot more now, I don't dread it, and I continue to push myself more and more, but at my pace. She also taught me to accept reality - there will be days when I don't follow my plan... days when I eat to the pain again - and to give myself grace when those days come, recognizing how quickly and easily I can get back on track. This was huge because it taught me to stop sabotaging my eating strategy just because of a slip-up.