Tanya

Heather has been an angel in my life since she entered it. A constant force of love, support, advice, a shoulder to cry on and a partner to laugh with. From the moment I began my "lifestyle change" I was hesitant---no stubborn actually. I didn't even like to hear the word "diet" or "lifestyle change" or even "way of life." I would mock all my friends who were gluten free or had to order something special at a restaurant. I would roll my eyes if they had a salad instead of pizza. I drank beer, ate cheetos, loved McDonalds and could "hang with the boys" - I was the life of every party because I was larger than life and did everything (including eating and drinking) to the fullest.

One evening, I woke up at  3am and started to cry. I knew I wasn't happy in my body. I was ashamed and disgusted and tired of hating myself. I was tired of yo-yo dieting and constantly trying the latest quick fix where I would basically starve and then go right back to my old habits. That wasn't working for me anymore--I knew I had to really go deep and figure out why I was eating so poorly or what was going on emotionally where I would turn to food in times of celebration, sadness, stress, reward, boredom, basically for any reason. I remember distinctly the day I reached out to Heather, my hand was shaking when I called her. I was so frightened, so embarrassed, and I know it sounds dramatic but I just thought "Well, my life is over now, I' won't be fun anymore, I won't get to enjoy delicious food (or anything for that matter) ever again and I will live a life of kale and misery." 

Heather was so gracious and kind and immediately made me feel comfortable opening up to her. I told her about my love for McDonald's and hate for all vegetables and salads and that I will be her toughest client to date. She lovingly and supportively responded with "I'm here for you. We can work with wherever you're at right now, I can help." This comforted me more than she will ever realize. She didn't immediately bulldoze over my life and railroad me into thinking there is only one right way and absolutely no wiggle room. She was warm and understanding and never judged me. We went on a walk together and we began to talk and talk and slowly so much was unveiled. I realized I associated food with my mom (who passed away) and that potato chips and grilled cheese made me feel comfortable and reminded me of my happy childhood, With Heathers guidance and my inner work, I now know that there are many ways to remember and honor my mom that have nothing to do with food. I stand proud to know my mom can look down and see her daughter happy, finally confidant in my own skin, able to enjoy going to the beach in a bathing suit and having fun while living a new lifestyle. I  still remember trying on a size 6 pair of pants and when they fit, right there in the dressing room I started to cry.  My focus shifted from food and how that made me feel to more important things in my life-- my world is no longer wrapped around what I'm going to eat that day.

Heather's methods start from the inside, which is what makes her stand out and the reason it all clicked for me. I thought there was only one way to "diet," which was just food and exercise. She explained to me how important it is to pay attention to my energy level throughout the day, my thoughts, and where I was at emotionally because all of these contributed to my habits. Her food journal and the daily ritual of writing everything down (this poor girl read the novels I wrote in my journal everyday) would give me honest, loving, smart feedback --that changed everything for me. She was so gentle, reminding me to start small. The small steps freed me and allowed me to get in touch with my own body. I began to feel who I was and learn more about me and what made me happy.  Heather came over one day and spent 3 hours cleaning out my entire kitchen and explained why we were throwing away what we were. We filled more black trash bags than I care to admit. We then went grocery shopping and spent an entire afternoon in the isles explaining to me what foods were good and bad, what ingredients I should look for. Let me say once again this woman is an angel. I think it's her ability to relate and not make me feel like a complete idiot, as well as her wealth of knowledge about all things nutrition that make her so different-- she cares about what we put in our bodies and wants everyone to share her passion to enjoy life and be healthy-- it is infectious!

I have been lucky enough to infiltrate her life and am honored to call her my friend/mentor/confidant. If you have even the slightest hesitance to all things that have to do with dieting just know she is something different. If you're looking for a quick easy meal plan or you want her to just tell you what to eat in one easy phone call... move along. I say that with love because you may not be ready. I know it took me 31 years to be ready, and that's okay. This is where the real work begins. This is for life. This is a way of being. This is what you will teach your children. This is no joke. I'm the happiest I've ever been (and not just because I lost weight) I meditate, I work out, I have tons of energy all day, I'm still fun, I still drink, and I know what to do now and feel confident making good choices, I splurge on only the best, and I forgive myself when I don't, I work really hard and say no to a lot of things, but I say yes to a lot more.  I love my strong healthy body because of Heather Tilly. I love this woman, if you can't tell, and you will too, I promise.