The journey towards weight loss and a healthy lifestyle is not an easy one.

I’ve tried many times and fallen short–each time gaining more than when I’d initially started.

I’ve cut dairy, sugar and carbs. I’ve done Weight Watchers. I’ve gone Paleo. I’ve completed doctor recommended programs. While I found success through all of these (losing 40+ pounds at one point), none of them seemed to be sustainable for me. One bad day or series of unfortunate events ultimately led me back to my comfort zone of not-so-great-for-you foods and a sedentary life.

In all aspects of my life except for this one, I am a fighter, a go-getter, an accomplisher, a perfectionist. Give me a task and I’ll get it done and done well. Think something is too difficult to be done in a limited amount of time? I’ll do it and sacrifice whatever it takes to do so. Weight, though? That’s my stronghold. The one thing I just can’t seem to conquer.

It wasn’t until last year that I began to realize that this burden wasn’t mine to carry alone. My independence was challenged and I was shown that apart from the One who created me, I can do nothing. I learned that the only way to break down the mental barrier in my mind that keeps me from achieving my goals is in Christ and through Him.

A lover of words and people, I often feel led to share aspects of my life that others may be able to relate to. I am a firm believer that we were not created to live in isolation. We were created for community–to live, breathe, and exist hand-in-hand with those around us. I cannot articulate the steps that led me to create this account and it may take me longer than a year (my lofty goal) to reach my goal weight, but if my struggles, words of motivation, and experiences can impact just one person, then it’s worth all of the pain, all of the tears, and all of the feelings of failure.

God’s grace throughout this journey is bigger than seeing a magic number. I realize that the process is what builds character, not the product. Follow along as I strive to “..hold myself to a standard of grace, not perfection.”