Amy Davis's story is a testament to the power of self-compassion, sustainable habits, and a holistic approach to health. Her journey, marked by fluctuations in weight and fitness levels, ultimately led her to a place of balance, self-acceptance, and a passion for helping other moms achieve their wellness goals.
Early Struggles and the Body for Life Program
Amy Davis candidly shares her lifelong struggle with weight, a challenge that began in sixth grade. Despite being thin in high school and the early years of her marriage, she acknowledges her love for food and inconsistency with exercise contributed to weight gain over time. By 2007, she weighed around 180 pounds.
Seeking a solution, she tried the Body for Life program and experienced significant weight loss, around 35-40 pounds. However, a gallbladder removal surgery disrupted her routine, and she fell off track. Fast forward to January 22, 2017, and Amy found herself at 206 pounds, with high cholesterol, feeling depressed, exhausted, and unhappy. "I was a size-16-pushing-size-18," she recalls.
The 2017 Body for Life Reboot: A Shift in Mindset
Determined to make a change, Amy decided to restart the Body for Life program. This time, however, her motivation wasn't solely focused on the number on the scale. She wanted to silence the "demons" in her head, improve her physical capabilities, ensure healthy blood test results, and establish sustainable habits.
The Body for Life program involves a structured 12-week challenge with three days of weight training, three days of cardio, and one rest day per week. Amy kept her efforts private during the initial twelve weeks, fearing failure. She persevered through internal struggles, forcing herself to exercise even when the negative voices in her head urged her to quit.
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This time, Amy's focus was on overall well-being rather than just weight loss. She wanted to move her body better, reduce aches and pains, and be a healthy, active grandmother in the future. She also recognized the importance of enjoying life's pleasures in moderation, such as movie popcorn and wine.
Measurable Success and Growing Confidence
Amy's commitment to the Body for Life program yielded impressive results. She lost more than 23 inches off her measurements and maintained a consistent exercise routine, rarely missing more than two consecutive days. She increased her strength, bench-pressing 100 pounds. She also improved her cardiovascular fitness, running six miles on her treadmill at a 9:43 mile pace, a feat she couldn't have imagined a year prior.
Beyond the physical transformations, Amy experienced a resurgence of confidence. She felt like her "old self" again, capable and unafraid to try new things. Exercise helped her maintain sanity, leading her to restart her copywriting business. She made wiser dietary choices, opting for smaller portions, skipping unhealthy snacks, and cooking more at home. She also incorporated healthy fats like avocados, olives, and almonds into her diet.
While the "demons" in her head still lingered, they no longer controlled her. She found solace in reading the Bible, and the encouragement of her husband and best friend was invaluable. Her best friend even embarked on her own health journey. Amy emphasized that her new lifestyle was not about deprivation but about balance and sustainability.
Embracing Self-Compassion in the Weight Loss Journey
Amy Davis, RDN, emphasizes the importance of self-compassion in the weight loss process. She notes that negative self-talk can be detrimental, leading to guilt, shame, and stress around food, which can hinder weight loss efforts and impact mental well-being. Research supports this, showing that self-compassion is linked to improved behaviors and consistency with diet and exercise routines, leading to better weight loss outcomes.
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Self-compassion involves treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a close friend. Amy suggests the following strategies:
- Reflect on setbacks with curiosity: Instead of criticizing yourself for eating certain foods, explore the reasons behind it and observe how it made you feel.
- Acknowledge your humanity: Remember that making mistakes is a normal part of the process.
- Offer yourself encouragement: Imagine writing to a friend struggling with a similar challenge and provide supportive advice.
- Practice mindfulness: Stay present and aware of your actions without judgment.
- Use affirmations: Create short, positive phrases to affirm your commitment to your goals. For example, instead of "I'm pathetic - I can't ever stick to healthy eating," try "Doing this on my own feels hard."
JaLorean Hayes, MPH, RN, suggests creating a motivating mantra to use during difficult moments. She explains that focusing on a repetitive mantra can help shift your thoughts away from negative self-talk.
Therapeutic Methods for Self-Compassion
When mantras are not enough, therapeutic methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) can help shift toward more long-term, self-compassionate thinking. CBT helps identify and reframe negative thoughts and behaviors, while DBT is useful for managing intense emotions.
The 75 Hard Challenge: An Extreme Approach
In 2021, Amy embarked on the 75 Hard challenge, a demanding program designed to build mental toughness. The program involved:
- Completing two 45-minute workouts daily, one outdoors.
- Drinking a gallon of water daily.
- Reading 10 pages of a self-help book.
- Following a diet plan with no cheat days.
- Taking a daily progress photo.
Any slip-up would require restarting the program from day one. While Amy successfully completed the challenge and achieved significant physical results, she ultimately concluded that it was not a sustainable lifestyle. She gained some weight back afterward, realizing that such an extreme approach was not conducive to long-term well-being.
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Redefining New Year's Resolutions: A Sustainable Approach
Amy, along with Missy Currin, owner of FIT4MOM Midtown Raleigh, discussed the pressures moms face to drastically change their diet and fitness routines at the start of each year. They questioned the sustainability and necessity of such extreme measures.
Missy Currin highlighted the negative impact of diet culture on moms, observing that it often leads to over-exercising, under-eating, and feelings of guilt and shame. She emphasized that true worth is not determined by a number on the scale or a particular body shape.
Instead of focusing on restriction and deprivation, Amy and Missy suggested redefining New Year's resolutions to focus on incorporating more positive elements into life, such as joy, sleep, deeper relationships, home-cooked meals, vegetables, and enjoyable movement.
FIT4MOM: A Community for Healthy Moms
Amy Davis is an instructor with FIT4MOM Midtown Raleigh, a program that offers fitness and community for moms in all stages of motherhood. The program includes exercise classes, playgroups, moms' night out, and more. Amy teaches Stroller Strides, Body Back, and FIT4Baby classes, finding fulfillment in coaching moms and helping them lead healthier lives.
FIT4MOM emphasizes the importance of staying active during pregnancy. Exercise during pregnancy offers numerous benefits, including less back pain, decreased risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, healthy weight gain, and easier weight loss after childbirth. It also promotes healthier hearts and potentially smarter brains for the baby.
FIT4MOM classes provide a safe and supportive environment for pregnant women to exercise, offering modified exercises to accommodate their changing bodies.
The Importance of Mindful Movement and Self-Care
Amy's journey also highlights the importance of mindful movement and self-care. She discovered that focusing her mind on the muscles she was working during exercise led to significant results. She also emphasizes the importance of finding activities that bring joy and celebrating the body through movement rather than punishing it.
Amy fell in love with yoga and Pilates, which transformed her perspective on exercise. She also embraced self-care practices like infrared sweating.
A Holistic Approach to Wellness
Amy's story underscores the importance of a holistic approach to wellness that encompasses mind, body, and soul. She emphasizes the importance of self-love, balance, and enjoying life's pleasures in moderation.
Amy encourages individuals to treat food with love and kindness, recognizing its importance in daily life. She advocates for a colorful diet of real, nourishing food and regular movement that feels good. She also advises against obsessing over numbers on the scale and instead focusing on feeling great in your body.