Summary:
Molly’s guest on this episode of the Weight Loss for Food-Lovers podcast found herself suffering loss, grief and overwhelm all at the same time – the perfect storm for using food (or other diversions) to numb out. But as Annie started imagining her life ahead, she couldn’t accept constant joint pain, brain fog and discouragement. So she sought Molly’s help. The result has been transformational!
This conversation will inspire you. Annie’s story is one that is very relatable. Entering her 50s she suffered the loss of her mom to cancer, menopausal transition and then pandemic for a dollop of fear, isolation and disruption. She wasn’t conscious of what was driving her food choices, but with Molly’s help Annie was quickly able to identify the heart of her issues. By bringing mindfulness to her food choices, Annie was able to uncover emotional triggers and work them through. And on the practical level, Molly was able to help Annie do what she never thought possible: Learn how to cook and even to love the process!
Today Annie has lost 25 pounds with ease and knows she’ll keep on going. Her new attitude towards food choices and the intentionality she brings to meals has not only changed her outlook on life in dramatic ways, it has also influenced her daughter and husband – who were a bonus byproduct of Annie’s work with Molly. While hesitant at first about the financial commitment, she’s now an unequivocal booster: “You’re worth it! Invest in yourself!”
Interested in kickstarting your new relationship with food? Go to: www.mollyzemek.com/bootcamp to learn more about Molly’s 5-day boot camp. If you’re interested in the support or accountability a one-on-one coach provides, you can set up a free discovery call with Molly here.
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Topics Covered
Why Annie decided to take the plunge and sign up for Molly’s course.
In recent years Annie has experienced a trifecta of negativity: Losing her mom to cancer, going through menopause and then pandemic.
Because of family history, the holidays were intertwined with food and drink. It was easy for Annie to go on auto-pilot because of ritual and her brain’s associations.
Even if you grow up with traditions, they may not currently be in alignment with the quality of life you seek.
Annie was suffering multiple health issues and was actually relieved at the prospect of receiving a medical diagnoses – so her weight gain and feeling bad wouldn’t be her fault. Fortunately, her overall health was good. Now what?
Working with Molly made a good fit early on, when Annie was asked to write down the reasons she was committed to sustainable weight loss – and the ramifications if she failed to get her issues under control. It was an eye-opener.
Annie hesitated at the investment in coaching, but ultimately she and her husband agreed it was about something much more than weight loss; it was an investment in a hopeful, fulfilling future.
Gourmet cooking skills: Not required! Annie was intimidated at the prospect of making fresh meals, but Molly’s program is all about keeping it simple.
Meal planning and batch prep have been life savers. As leery as Annie was about cooking, she very quickly started adding staples to her repertoire. Before long she was roasting veggies, making hearty soups, chicken breasts, salads and other “keep it simple” options.
A Welcome Byproduct: Annie’s 17-year-old daughter has eagerly adapted to the transition from fast food and munchies to whole foods that she says have made her feel healthier and more satisfied.
Where Annie is at the course’s halfway mark: It’s been an incredible transformation. In just a few months, she has dropped 25 pounds – without feelings of deprivation. Still more than the numbers on a scale, Annie is overjoyed with her new level of energy, focus and equanimity.
In hindsight Annie clearly sees that food and medications (she’s been using anti-depressants, which she no longer needs) were among her arsenal of numbing agents. Molly’s program helped Annie bring attention to and process thoughts and feelings, rather than pushing them away.
Thought work: Annie now has the tools to observe, question and manage her brain. She realizes in hindsight that eating was likely a response to dehydration or fatigue or any number of physical or emotional signals she was ignoring.
With the cycle of mindlessness broken, Annie is fully awake and noticing what she’s consuming, the pleasures she’s experiencing and the richness of a life full of all the flavors she now knows how to incorporate – and enjoy!
Key Quotes
“I didn’t want to enter another season just eating on auto-pilot.”
“I was 51 and feeling like 151 and thought, ‘This is just silly. I can take control of this.’ ”
“It’s not about how am I going to lose 100 pounds. It’s about how am I going to take the first step?” (Molly)
“It’s not hard at all to plan (meals). It was way harder when I would wait until I was starving, then rummage around in the kitchen and try to figure what to make for us to eat while snacking the whole way. Now I have things written down and ready.”
“One of the biggest bonuses in all this for me so far has been the model that I’ve been able to provide for my daughter that I wasn’t even realizing.”
“With kids we don’t always realize the example we’re setting just by the way that we’re eating or how much, but they’re watching.” (Molly)
“What I would say to anyone on the fence is, You’re worth it and invest in yourself. The transformation goes so far beyond the physical weight loss. It’s all of the mind work that applies to everything else in your life.”
“In the absence of thinking about food all the time or struggling with weight … there’s a new purpose and the possibilities really open up.” (Molly)
Links & Resources
Subscribe to Molly’s email list and request her free 6-Point Guide to Kickstarting Weight:
Sign-up for a free discovery call at https://www.mollyzemek.com/bookings-checkout/free-discovery-call/book
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