“Ten years ago, I was having really bad stomach pains. I was hunched over from the pain, and I could hardly stand up. I ended up going to the emergency. When they put the camera down my throat, they found that I had gastritis. My body was producing too much acid. I was eating all the wrong foods and eating carbs all the time. I was drinking soda everyday, and I was overweight. At the time, I never thought I was, but now, looking back at pictures from before, I can see it in my face. It got to a point where my stomach couldn’t handle it anymore. The pains forced me to dramatically change my life. From just cutting soda out of my life, I lost 11 pounds in 2 weeks. It was my body telling me I needed to make a change, so I started eating healthy, and joined a local workout class. I couldn’t believe how good I felt afterwards. I’ve become more conscious now. Having a set routine makes it easier for me. When I start to veer off, I feel sluggish and unhealthy. When I stick to my routine, my confidence goes up, my clothes fit better, I feel great, and I just feel the way I want to feel. It’s changed my life. One of my biggest fears is falling back to where I was and feeling the way I felt.”