Julie Watson is inspiring. In this UPLIFT post, she shares her story of how dealing with personal pain from her past enabled her—with the help of a healthy nutrition program—to lose weight and gain confidence.
“You can’t shed the extra pounds,” Julie says, “until you shed the painful experiences that put them
there in the first place!”
Exactly! I (Dawn) discovered the same thing over the past two years. I had to deal with the underlying emotional causes for my weight gain, and I appreciate Julie's honesty here.
Julie continues . . .
Last summer I set out to lose weight… a lot of weight! It’s not weight that came on recently, or even in the last 10 years. I’ve been carrying around this extra weight my entire life.
I often joke and say, “The last time I was thin was in the birthing room the day I entered the world!”
Laughing about my weight has been my coping mechanism for as long as I can remember. But the truth is, there’s a lot of pain under that laughter.
My guess is that’s the case for most people who are obese. There’s always going to be a memory or two of the mean kids on the playground who called you, “fatty” or, in my case, my third-grade crush who called me “moose” while standing behind him in line at a Sea World drinking fountain.
I can still remember it like yesterday, and that was nearly 40 years ago!
Worse yet is when a person of authority crushes your spirit with words that are hurtful and damaging.
Such was the case with my pediatrician when I was 10 years old. I was told that I was overweight and needed to go on a diet immediately or I might get a myriad of health problems.
Perspective for just a second:
- I was five feet five inches tall at 10 years old.
- I was a fully developed young woman and weighed 145 pounds.
- I realize that’s a lot for an average 10-year-old. But I was NOT average! I was 3 inches taller than my fifth-grade teacher!
Back to the story . . .
My pediatrician sent me home with instructions for a 1,000-calorie-a-day diet and requirements to come back weekly to weigh-in. You would have thought I was the fattest person she had ever seen! That’s how I felt, anyway.
I remember crying in my room later that day. Nevertheless, I listened to her instructions and followed the plan. Of course, my mom made my food because, quite frankly, at 10 years old I didn’t know what a calorie was!
The following week, back we went. The scale read 144.5 pounds. I felt good that I had lost! But, that’s not the response I received. I got a FULL-ON YELLING LECTURE!
She was upset that I ONLY lost a half pound and needed me to understand—quite loudly—that if I didn’t lose weight, I was going to have High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Diabetes, and would die of a heart attack really young!
I was 10—what did those words even mean?
Traumatized, we left, and thankfully, never returned! However, the damage was done.
As I aged, I learned what those diseases were. I started having anxiety and panic attacks that I would get them.
I became a moderate hypochondriac in my teen years as the weight piled on. I used food to escape my emotions and feelings about my weight. If I heard one more person tell me, “You have such a pretty face, if only you lost weight,” I might have just exploded!
Fast forward to June 25th of 2018.
Desperate and alone I cried out to God for help!
I had self-fulfilled much of the prophecy that pediatrician had placed on me. I was in a very dark place, imagining an early death and that my family was going to have to bury me in a double-wide coffin.
God was faithful and graciously led me to an amazing, life-changing health program!
- It broke through “why” I had a food problem, all relating to the pain compiled over the years.
- It helped me look at the triggers, why they were there and how to be free of the pain that kept me in bondage.
- At the same time, I learned new, healthy habits to replace the old, bad habits, one at a time.
The weight began to melt off and I began to heal from the inside out!
I learned that you can’t shed the extra pounds until you shed the painful experiences that put them there in the first place!
I’m just about halfway in my weight loss journey—nearly 90 pounds down in just over 6 months! I have a long way to go yet, but I haven’t looked back because I haven’t wanted to!
When you feel good—really good—you don’t want to give that up! I found true FREEDOM, one directed by the Lord, for such a time as this!
When someone gives you keys to the jail door, you DON’T give them back!
Painful pasts must be dealt with so we can reach our goals! Whether it’s losing weight or another desire, speak to a pastor, counselor or therapist to work through your past and reach for your dreams!
You are worth it!
“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Are painful experiences keeping you in bondage? Are you ready to shed them?
Julie Watson became an independent C.O.P.E. Certified Health Coach after finding freedom using an 
amazing health program that is transforming lives one habit at a time. Her husband became her first client, lost 43 pounds in three months and remains in maintenance. She loves helping others find the same freedom she found! Julie and Shawn live in San Diego with their three children and myriad of pets.
(NOTE from Dawn: This article is not meant to promote any specific program, but if you are interested in learning more about the specific program Julie is using, let me know and I will contact her.)
Graphic adapted, courtesy of MoreHarmony at Pixabay.