9/12/2023

Coach Sophie

Hi everyone! This week has been a busy one for me and I actually find myself more intentional about reflecting in busy seasons. I was hanging out with a longtime friend visiting me one night this week. This friend has known me for about 14 years now and she has seen me in so many seasons of my health journey, from recovering from an ED, to getting to my heaviest weight, to dealing with health issues related to my dietary past, to now being a full-time health coach. She mentioned how meant to be my whole story seemed, even though many of those years were not easy, and how they truly blossomed a passion in me to help others find healing (I talk about how much I love my job and you guys all the time!). I wanted to share some reflections I’ve had this week thinking on my health journey with you all, many you might’ve heard before but I hope they are still good reminders for the season you are in!

1. More is not always better. I spent years of my life doing it all – cardio, workouts, diets, supplements – and then making each more intense to get my body where I wanted it. Note: it did NOT work. What worked for a SHORT season had serious metabolic and health repercussions. If you wonder if you should be doing more, I give you my word the foundations are called that for a reason, they are foundational to progress. Listen to your coach, and know if we aren’t changing things it’s because the protocol you’re on is working (or we want to see you stick with it more and trust the process!).

2. For some of us, and I would even say most women, being super lean year round is not a healthy reality. We have so many hormones affected by our body fat percentage and if we repeatedly dip too low, our bodies fight back. Goal weights can be helpful to set a range but in most cases I’ve seen, including my own, your goal weight – meaning a weight you both look great at but also FEEL great at – will be higher than you think! Focus on measurements and progress pics over the scale!

3. Our bodies talk, and they do so loudly! Symptoms like headaches, brain fog, bloating, indigestion, anxiety, chronic infections, hair loss, and so much more are very much ways our body tries to communicate with us. Listen to these symptoms and work with your coach to address those root causes to balance out those symptoms!

4. While there absolutely is something to be said for reaching a healthy weight and healthy body, know that getting there won’t make you a different person. If you speak negatively to yourself now, you will when you get to that body too (trust me!). Speak loving kindness to yourself and see how it changes your self image and self worth. Your body – the one you are in right now, even if it doesn’t look how you want it to – has brought you this far and that is an absolutely beautiful thing!

5. Rest days. That’s all. If you don’t already take them, take them your body needs them!

6. Progress isn’t LiNeaR!!!! Slow and steady wins the race but be ready for fluctuations! In weight, in how you feel, in body image, it’s a journey and not every day looks the same (thank goodness, that would get boring!) so stay patient and intentional and consistent and progress will follow.

7. People care more about how you make them feel than how you look. Stay kind and loving. I know sometimes when we are insecure we want to hide away from people or show them a more defensive side to keep people at bay; instead, lean into loving others, that is what people remember most!

8. Comparison can do one of two things: 1, make us jealous and insecure or 2, inspire us to become better versions of ourselves. I hope comparison sparks the second in you but also please know that bodies will all look different. Compare yourself to the version of you yesterday, a year ago, even a decade ago but not to that girl on instagram!

9. Finally, my favorite quote – “Confidence is keeping promises to yourself.” Show up for what you say you will, what we don’t change we choose so keep the promises to follow through with your health journey and goals as no one else can do that for you and you will feel like such a rockstar every time you do the things you said you were going to do

I hope some of these resonate with the season you are in! We are all on this journey together and learning and growing as we go