Self-Love: The Key to Change

Growing up in New Hampshire and the oldest of 7 siblings, Andrea has been athletic since her youth; “I love being active. I danced, played soccer, ran track. Going to college for Exercise Science seemed like a great fit, and what better than to be paid to exercise everyday!” Andrea recently graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology Exercise Science.

“I love hiking, running and lifting. I play the piano, and even teach lessons!” Andrea stays busy training clients with Sisters in Shape and is pursuing her Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health & Addiction Counseling. “I love Sisters in Shape because it gives me an outlet to help people with exercise and nutrition. Online coaching is more approachable to people who can’t get to the gym at 5 or 6am to meet their trainer before work; they can fit their workouts into their own schedule. I love the accessibility SiS offers for their clients.”

Andrea’s desire to help others extends beyond her personal love for being active; “I have very bad food allergies, so my diet has always been restrictive. Being allergic to soy, dairy protein, and tree nuts, I became aware of nutrition at a young age. Around high school and then entering the competitive world of Exercise Science in college, Andrea developed an eating disorder. “It was easy to cover up because of my activity level and food allergies. It actually took me a long time to realize something was even wrong. I don’t have a depressed personality, but this struggle stirred up some negative feelings; How could I promote the healthy living world, if I wasn’t living it myself?"

Andrea began her journey toward improving her own health. “I needed to gain weight and be OK with actual proper nutrition that my body needed. I needed to learn to become comfortable no longer being a size zero.”

Andrea’s personal pursuit of self-love and self-care fueled her desire to help other individuals on their own wellness journey.

“Online coaching is great - it offers me the ability to help others pursuing weight loss or struggling with eating disorders. So much of this journey really is a mental battle.” Online coaching allows Andrea to continue serving clients and remain completely accessible to them, even through her recent move from San Diego to Boston with her Marine husband.

“Through the eating disorder phase of my life, I’ve learned that sometimes when people look their best… that’s is NOT their best. Social media and fitness advertisements can be toxic because they perceive some as picture-perfect, but they aren’t their healthiest. It’s common for us to become caught up in comparisons, and feel discouraged because our bodies don’t compare to those we follow on social media. I encourage clients to evaluate their progress from a different perspective: How does your body feel? If your body feels good, you’re on the right track! If you’re not exhausted and have energy… that speaks volumes over the perfect Instagram. From a personal experience, I have a little more weight on me than I’ve ever carried. Yet, I feel so much healthier than I’ve ever felt. I can lift more, I don’t need naps or anti-depressants, and I have way more energy.”

Andrea’s biggest advice for someone is SELF LOVE.

“You have to mentally love yourself before you’ll ever see physical results...

Many look at the mirror, thinking they don’t like what they see and focus only on what they want to change about their body. Positive self-care, self-talk and positive reinforcement are the keystones to making any physical change. You need to love yourself enough that you want to FEEL healthier, not just look the part. You can go to the gym, and not lose the weight if you’re stress is too high. Set aside time for the mental health that helps you meditate, take a deep breath, and love your body a bit. Learn to love yourself and remind yourself often that you’re on this journey for reasons greater than just what’s in the mirror. That’s just a benefit.”

“Something I live my life by is: take one day at a time. I’m such a big picture kind of person as well as super type-A; both of those can paralyze me at times. Everyday, I try to wake up and take one day at a time. I can’t accomplish anything two days from now if I don’t get through today.”

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