I will never forget the day I forgot my lunch at home.
I was in grade 5. The school's protocol was for the teacher to make an announcement to the class, tell everyone that I did not have a lunch, and ask if anyone would be willing to share parts of theirs with me.
Being that overweight, this kind of attention felt extremely embarrassing.
Everyone stared at me after the announcement was made, and no one said a single word, which at the time felt like the loudest insult. Some kind-hearted kids eventually brought me snacks from their lunch and placed them on the desk in front of me. Others simply looked away and wanted nothing to do with me.
I felt so small in that moment, and even to this day, when I think about it, I still get a disgusting feeling in my body that is hard to describe.
That moment stayed with me, but it was not the only one.
As a child, my poor relationship with food caused me to become obese. As a result, both my childhood and adolescent years were deeply affected.
I constantly felt different, alone, and unattractive, and like I needed to compensate in other ways to get people to like me by being funny, responsible, smart, mature, helpful, giving, and overly agreeable.
As an adult, now married with children, I can confidently say it has impacted every aspect of my life, still to this day, in both negative and positive ways. Looking back now, I can see how nearly every choice I made was somehow shaped by being obese until I was 16 years old.
Unfortunately, that perspective did not come naturally. It came through consequences. It came through subconscious choices made throughout my life, choices that were still being made by the self-conscious, hurt, and desperate child within.
Some of the memories that surface the most, both in frequency and intensity, are the ones tied to eating around other people, especially lunch at school.
I always felt ashamed and judged while eating in front of others. So when I was old enough, I stopped bringing lunches to school, thinking, problem solved.
But eventually I would get very hungry, so I would buy chocolate bars from the vending machine and eat them in the hallways while everyone was in class. That way, no one was around to judge me, and I was eating something that brought me comfort and joy.
I was also always self-conscious and embarrassed by the lunches my parents packed for me. They were very simple, usually a peanut butter and jelly or tuna sandwich with a piece of fruit in a reusable plastic bag. Meanwhile, the other kids in my class had what I thought of as the "cool" food: Lunchables, Fruit by the Foot, granola bars, flavoured Jello cups, juice boxes, candy, cookies, all packed in an actual lunch pail with their favorite cartoon characters or beautiful designs.
Looking back now, I know the foods I once thought were cool were actually very unhealthy, and I'm grateful my parents did not pack them. But at the time, having already felt insecure around lunch and snack time at school, it only made me feel more different.
If I had to guess, I would say that the real root cause of the excess weight in my childhood was being home alone a lot.
My parents, who are the most amazing people in the world, were always very busy working. I had big feelings that I did not know how to explore or articulate. But even if I had known how, there was no real time, guidance, or outlet for me to understand my thoughts, feelings, or needs.
Life for my parents was very busy, and my inner world was not a priority.
That is a big part of why Step Together resonated with me so deeply.
Why I Joined Step Together
What attracted me most about the Step Together philosophy and mission was the desire to protect the hearts and minds of young overweight girls from having to experience the same silent suffering I went through growing up.
God put it on my heart at a very young age to help people in need. I cannot help but believe that my life journey led me to the person I am today, and that as a result, I am uniquely qualified to help guide families, especially those with young daughters, down a path of strength, longevity, health, wellness, healing, and unwavering confidence.
Helping families with young girls matters to me personally because I am a mother with daughters.
I understand the challenges, emotions, fears, pain, and responsibilities that come with raising these beautiful and special little girls in our lives. Raising a daughter truly is a delicate balancing act like none other. The weight of that responsibility is both a pleasure and an honor, and it carries tremendous consequences, both positive and negative, for the future. It should never be taken lightly or for granted.
What I believe makes the Step Together program different and effective is that the onus of responsibility is ultimately placed on the parent.
It asks the parent to first look at themselves as individuals before looking at anything else in the environment that may be impacting the child's current situation. The structure of the program actually removes the child from being the sole focus. Instead of making the child and their weight the center of the work, it shifts the attention to the parent, the family system, the environment, the habits, the routines, the situations, and the awareness that may be shaping the child's overall health.
Step Together is focused on the family as a whole, not just the number on the scale.
To me, that is revolutionary, effective, efficient, and most importantly, healing.
How I'm Uniquely Positioned to Help
I have worked with individuals and families in the areas of health, wellness, fitness, and nutrition for over 14 years.
My background includes certifications in Health & Nutrition Coaching, CrossFit, CrossFit Kids, Menopause Nutrition & Weight Loss Management, and Gut Health, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
After starting my career as a recruiter, I eventually left that path to pursue my passion for health and wellness and opened a CrossFit gym with my brother. As someone who grew up as the overweight kid who never felt athletic, eventually competing at the CrossFit Regional level taught me what is possible when people are supported with belief, structure, and compassion.
One of my proudest achievements during that time was creating GRIT in 2014, a kids health and wellness program centered not just on fitness, but on self-esteem, emotional health, teamwork, nutrition education, routines, anti-bullying, and community. The program is still running today.
After selling the gym and starting a family, I spent five years in integrative nutrition coaching, helping adults, teens, and families rebuild their relationship with food and health in a more sustainable and compassionate way.
In 2024, I was invited to become an instructor at a large college, where I now teach courses in psychology, wellness, fitness, nutrition, and fitness business management.
Outside of work, I still live the lifestyle I teach. I hike, snowboard, paddleboard, bike, and spend as much time outdoors as possible. I brought my kids skiing for the first time when they were just three and five years old, and it has been an annual tradition ever since.
It is important to me that they grow up seeing health as something joyful and lived, not forced or restrictive.
What I Want Every Parent to Hear
And if there is one thing I would want every parent to hear, it is this:
Most parents believe that weight gain is simply about calories in versus calories out. But there is so much more than just calories that impacts a person's ability to gain or lose weight at any point in life.
The single most important mindset shift parents need is the ability to look deeper.
Deeper within themselves. Deeper into their own relationship with food. Deeper into their habits, routines, words, relationships, and especially the relationship they have with their child.
This kind of shift requires a great deal of self-reflection, honesty, and a willingness to let go of ego, and that is not easy.
But if a parent reading this remembered only one thing, I would want it to be this:
You are not alone. You are not failing. You are the most precious person in your child's life, just as they are in yours.
Nothing is more important than your family. Not a single thing.
You can have the life you dream of for yourself, your child, and your family. It may not be easy, but it can become one of the most worthwhile and rewarding things you ever do, for generations to come.
God bless.
