Walking Jodie's Path – Part 1
August 21st, 2009
I’m very happy to introduce you all to someone today! Jodie is a new client of mine and we will be working together in a 6-month health counseling program. Excitingly, she has agreed to share her journey with all of you. Here’s your chance to get a glimpse into someone else’s life and be there as Jodie walks her path to find greater health and happiness. My clients’ information is all completely confidential but in this case Jodie is generously opening up for everyone else’s benefit. Join me in congratulating her on taking this step! I’m sure she’ll appreciate your comments and support as we go along.
Ready, set, here she is…!
Hello, my name is Jodie. I live in Cass City, Michigan, born and raised here. I am 34-years old and I have a beautiful 3-year old daughter, Allison. I am a single mom, but I am engaged to be married to the love of my life, Al. I have been a Certified Medical Assistant for 9 years and I am currently working for a rural family practice. I love learning and writing, and I am currently enrolled in online classes for Information Technology. I also love gardening, flowers, music and cooking.
My main health concerns include being overweight, lack of energy, extreme mood swings and infertility. I found Michelle and her website through WomenCo.com. I loved reading Michelle’s articles. She was so informative and her writing was very relaxed and fun, and was also enlightening. I decided to give her website a look and what I found was a site with loads of information about health and fitness, cooking and recipes, organic foods and wonderfully fresh and new approaches to lifestyle and food. I then immediately signed up for her newsletters, took the health profile questionnaire and signed up for her six month counseling program.
I am very excited to be working with Michelle to reach my health goals. I look forward to feeling better and having more energy. I want to set a good example for my daughter, teach her good habits and how to have a healthy relationship with food. I want to look and feel good for my fiancé. I want to find balance, not just in my life, but with my health. I believe the goals that I set, and with Michelle’s support, guidance and knowledge, I will be able to achieve all these things.
At the end of six months, I hope to have good habits established and have all the tools and knowledge to meet and exceed my goals. It is also very important to me, and to Michelle, to share my story. I hope that I will inspire others to make a change for themselves.
How sweet is she? My head just grew so big I’m not going to fit through the door. Please show Jodie some serious love as we kick off these 6 months – you can leave words of support in the comments. And look forward to hearing the next part of Jodie’s story in about a month!
This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays and is dedicated to Jodie fighting for better health and a better life!
Jodie, your story really touches my heart! I am obese, 40 and have been infertile all my life. And I am also working really hard to turn all of that around and have a baby! I will follow your journey with great interest.
You can do this! Never stop believing in yourself and in your path.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:21 pmCongratulations Jodie! (and Hanlie in the comments below) Your health is the best gift you can give yourself! It will change your life ENTIRELY
Way to go!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:21 pmHi Jodie! What a great idea to share your journey! I am 30, a new mom and just recently discovered Michelle’s blog. I love it! Several years ago I really changed the way I was eating and now I feel great! Even with a 4 month old and running on very little sleep these days, I know eating healthy (kicking sugar especially) gives me energy. I think of foods as either “life-giving”…or well…not so much. Instead of thinking of certain foods as BAD, I just choose those that are going to make me feel good.
I don’t know you but I am so proud of you! I look forward to watching your journey toward balance. Keep pressing on! The process of change is hard but TRUST THE PROCESS. There are no magic wands but going THROUGH the process (vs. around) will equip you with so many tools along the way. Go girl!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:24 pmCongrats Jodie on taking such a wonderful step towards your health! I can’t wait to hear about this journey w/Michelle. Good Luck, you are going to be amazing!!
August 21st, 2009 at 2:01 pmThanks for sharing this with us Jodie and Michelle! I’m looking forward to hearing more about your journey to health
August 21st, 2009 at 3:32 pmThank you for sharing Jodie with us. Changing your lifestyle will take work but its so worth it. I look forward to hearing about her progress.
August 21st, 2009 at 6:53 pmCongrats Jodie! It’s great of you to share your journey. It will be so interesting to witness your positive changes as well as Michelle’s working with you. You are in good hands and hopefully you will find much needed support right here on the blog!
August 21st, 2009 at 7:28 pmCongratulations Jodie on taking the step to reach your health goals! This is such an inspiration for me because I also need it.
August 21st, 2009 at 7:57 pmWhat a wonderful idea! Congragulations Jodie…I look forward to hearing about all your journey and I trust that you will achieve all your goals
August 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 amThanks for sharing your journey, Jodie. I know you’re going to have great success with Michelle’s help!
August 22nd, 2009 at 10:06 amAwesome! Congrats Jodie for making the first step towards living a healthy life.
“You can never underestimate to importance of a healthy lifestyle” a quote from my pediatrician at our last visit (routine physical mandated by state law for kids entering kindergarten) after the nurse made the comment “wow you guys havn’t been here for years (for illness)”.
You go girl!
August 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 amThank you all for your wonderful comments!! I am overwhelmed by all the support. I can’t wait to share my progress with everyone. It has only been a week since I first spoke with Michelle and I am already starting to feel better and have more energy. I am excited to make this change in my life and look forward to achieving my goals – living a better, healthier life for myself and my family.
August 22nd, 2009 at 5:11 pmJodie,
August 22nd, 2009 at 11:03 pmI echo what everyone else says; what a heartfelt, beautiful story. Congratulations to you!
Wow! What an incredibly courageous woman!
August 23rd, 2009 at 7:59 pmWish you all the best, Jodie! You have a fighting spirit, and I admire your motivation! I know you’ll get there! Fight on!
August 23rd, 2009 at 8:38 pmWhat a great feature, Michelle!
I am looking forward to seeing Jodie’s progress, and I am SURE she will succeed with you!
Great to meet you, Jodie! Get ready to feel AMAZING!
August 24th, 2009 at 10:04 amhey Jodie!!!!!! I am so excited to read about your journey! Best of luck- I’m sure you will kick some major behind
August 25th, 2009 at 7:15 pmJodie,
August 25th, 2009 at 7:55 pmI am so happy for you. I know you’ll acheive all your goals. I look forward to watching the changes this will make in your life.
“I look forward to feeling better and having more energy” – I’m looking forward to that too and will be thinking about you. Good luck with your journey.
August 25th, 2009 at 10:55 pmWelcome to this journey — Jodie and Michelle both! It will no doubt be inspirational for all of us to be a part of this journey as it unfolds, and I feel honored to be invited. Thanks for your bravery, Jodie, and Michelle, thanks for continuing to bring us the tools we need for a healthy life.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:34 amI want to take this journey too. I’m 40-50 lbs overweight and I’m tired of being tired all the time and now that my kids are getting older 10 & 14 they want to do things that I just do not have the energy or motivation to do which in turn makes me feel like a bad Mom. I love what someone said earlier “There are no magic wands but going THROUGH the process (vs. around) will equip you with so many tools along the way.” It’s time! You go girl.
August 26th, 2009 at 9:03 pm[...] Michelle @ Find Your Balance (Jodie’s True Story)26. Agriculture Society – Eating Healthy in a Time of Recession27. Real Food Mama (Rick Bayless – [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 7:23 pmThanks so much for sharing your personal journey with all of us, Jodie. I’m sure the next 6 months working with Michelle will be truly tranformative for you, Al, and Allison. Congratulations. Enjoy. And here’s an encouraging quote that I find particularly inspirational:
“Even if our efforts seem for years to be producing no result, one day a light that is in exact proportion to them will flood the room.” ~ Simone Weil
You’re not alone
August 27th, 2009 at 8:15 pmBe Well,
Jennifer
How awesome is that?! I’d love to see how things go, especially from your approach too
August 31st, 2009 at 6:29 pmAgain, to all, thank you for your kind words and support! I can already see an effortless transformation taking place. At first I was approaching this the wrong way – I was writing in my journal everyday, keeping track of everything I ate, pushing myself to drink tons of water and basically turning this into work! After talking more with Michelle and joining her teleseminar I realized – I can make these changes in my eating habits and choices with very little effort. Once I started just making healthier choices and cooking more at home, I can already see and feel the difference!! I have lost 3 pounds and my period came out of nowhere!! Keep it up and I just may be pregnant by the end of this six months – which would be the greatest reward I could ever think of!!
September 4th, 2009 at 10:00 amGo Jodie!!!!!!! We are all rooting for ya! If you want to practice looking fabulous go ahead and try out the virtual makeover on my website! You are already feeling better arent’ you? Positive women are the best motivators!
Nancy (:
September 15th, 2009 at 12:47 amGO JODIE!!!!!!