NatalieMich.com
Hi! I'm Natalie :)
And this.. is my
Weight Loss Story Time<3
Natalie's Short Bio:
After over 30 years of struggling, I overcame my personal weight loss challenges when I finally addressed the root of my weight problem – poor self-care and an imbalanced lifestyle. I learned that there is not "one thing" that makes people lose weight and keep it off. I learned that truly sustainable weight loss requires solid self care and a balanced lifestyle. Today, I teach my patients and coaching clients the exact steps they need to sustainably reach their goal weights and maintain their results long term. To teach people the fundamentals of health and weight loss, I created a weight loss program based on my training in health and wellness from both a Chinese Medicine perspective and Western Medicinal research. It's the combination of ancient and modern knowledge together that really sets this program apart and makes it more comprehensive than other programs out there. You could say that I am very motivated to do whatever I can to help my patients and clients reach their goals. I just live for that feeling of fulfillment I get my clients reach their goals!
Natalie's Full Disclosure:
I have always had a sweet tooth...
Since I was young, I loved sweets and junk food. I think it was both the flavor and the comfort. Not only are doughnuts delicious, but they also lift your mood and feel energizing!
Whenever I experienced worry, sadness, or anxiety during my tween and teen years, and I would often turn to jellybeans, fruit snacks, and Little Debbie treats to escape my feelings. I didn't consciously realize I was emotionally eating at the time - I just thought I was "hungry."
I was able to maintain a reasonably healthy weight by playing sports in school and being active, so I didn't worry or even think about my junk food habit.
After a serious car accident, everything changed
After a very serious, high speed, head-on car accident when I was 19, I was left with limited mobility. I sustained a knee injury and required surgery which left me on crutches and unable to exercise for months. It was a very challenging time, and I often turned to food for comfort. The combination of my lack of exercise and the increase in calories lead me to gain over 50 lbs in just a few months. The knee and back injuries I sustained from the accident made exercise painful and difficult, and instead of asking for help, I used my situation as an excuse to continue to avoid exercising and taking care of myself. Before I knew it, I weighted 230lbs.
For the next 18 years, I rode a weight loss rollercoaster that ran between 170-230lbs. I would cycle between binges and restriction - never really having a solid diet plan or consistent routine. A lack of planning and consistency was a huge component of my rollercoaster experience, and I often felt really out of control when it came to my weight.
During my 20's, I tried all the quick things to drop pounds: I used Diet pills, I tried Restrictive, Disordered Eating, and I punished myself with Excessive Exercising despite the pain I was in. Nothing really helped long term because none of my crazy routines were really sustainable. I was only focused on dropping weight as fast as possible. Sure, the crazy strategies kind of worked, but the results never lasted, and I ALWAYS GAINED THE WEIGHT BACK.
My last weight rollercoaster started on July 4, 2017. I had starved myself down to 170lbs. after a break up, and by December 31, 2018, I had gained 30lbs and was 200lbs again. Standing 5'8", I was feeling uncomfortably fat and really defeated. WTF is wrong with me? Why can't I keep weight off?! I was disappointed in myself and embarrassed of my body. Every bad weight loss experience I had just made me feel worse about myself and my head was full of toxic, self hating thoughts.
By 36, I felt broken. Physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Finishing Acupuncture school, long, traumatic relationships, and building my practice after graduation had completely drained all my energy and resources. I wasn't taking care of myself, and it was really starting to show in all areas of my life. When I turned 37 in 2018, my weight was up 30lbs from the previous year. WORSE, I was not only feeling fat, but I also started feeling old! I was having hot flashes (YES - at 37!) and I was completely exhausted. I knew I had to turn a corner and make some serious changes, or I was going to get really sick.
I was also over feeling like a hypocrite - preaching health and wellness to my patients while I personally was in a deep struggle of emotionally eating, burn out, self-loathing and sabotage.
I was FINALLY READY to get healthy from the inside out and really care for myself. I was ready to have a different quality of life. So, I committed to permanently getting my health and my weight -- essentially MY LIFE under control - no matter what.
Luckily I committed to "no matter what," because most of my early efforts didn't work out.
- I tried Keto, but it made me really sick.
- I tried high protein, and it made me really gassy and bloated.
- I tried working out 2x a day for 45" a session and I gained 2 lbs a week for 3 weeks in a row.
- I worked out with a personal trainer trainer.
- I counted all the things - calories, carbs, fiber.
I still couldn't lose weight...
It wasn't working and I was frustrated.
I had one of those moments when I decided to STOP LISTENING to all the chatter and start from scratch with my own training: if I want my body to be different, the way I am being has to be different.
So I did different things.
I tested everything I learned about weight loss in all my training: grad school, seminars, masterminds, webinars, classes, from mentors, and from reading books.
I also committed myself to following through and doing the homework needed to push past any mental and physical blocks that came up, and I asked for help.
In a little over a year, using the principles of all I had learned over all my years of experience, I was finally able to fix the patterns that kept my weight on a rollercoaster.
In total, I've lost 70lbs and I have maintained my goal weight for 4 years - even during COVID. I was even able to quit smoking and drinking coffee.
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I took notes during my process, and I created a new program based on the Western Science of Weight Loss and the Eastern Principles of Health to help other people achieve the same results - weight loss and a healthy life!
I want to share this program with other people who struggled like I did to lose weight.
To learn more, follow the link below!
