Nicole

I felt so stuck in the dieting mindset while I was trying to lose weight that I was starting to binge. I would binge at least 3 times a week. I got into a really bad cycle of eating very little, exercising like crazy, and then feeling deprived which caused me to binge. I was really stuck on the diet mindset of “good” food and “bad” food, telling myself I couldn’t have certain foods because then I wouldn’t lose weight. The whole week I would be “good” in terms of eating and then on the weekend I would have a “cheat day” where I ate WHATEVER I wanted (it was definitely not balanced eating at all). Not only was I binge eating because my body was deprived, but also because I formed an unhealthy relationship with food. I started using food to shove down negative emotions (sadness, feeling lonely, boredom), and even when I was happy I would use it to reward myself or celebrate something. My life was revolving around food, it consumed my mind.

I was struggling with binge eating when I first reached out to Nichole. I was binge eating at night usually on sweets and felt like I was addicted to sugar. I found Nichole when I was feeling so frustrated with myself for binge eating and could not figure out how to stop. I was getting so angry with myself and my body, I searched “I hate my body” on YouTube to look for some relief. Nichole’s video “If you hate your body-watch this” came up and I watched it. I went on to her website and started reading about her work and what her message was. I was skeptical of how her program would work because I was so used to the very masculine diet and exercise mindset that has been so mainstreamed in society. I reached out to Nichole, and started to think I should give it a shot. As a college student, I was nervous to spend money on myself and thought I would have no time to put effort into the program. But it was well worth the money and I realized that one of the reasons I was binge eating was actually because I wasn’t making any time for myself!

The most surprising part of this experience was that it didn’t just help me find freedom with food and my body, I also saw improvements in other parts of my life like my own self-esteem and relationships with friends and family members. I did lose weight and stopped binge eating but that wasn’t what made me finally feel Wildly Alive. I began to find this confidence in myself that I had never felt before in my life. I started to see my value and stop self-doubting myself so much. I stopped constantly thinking about food 24/7 and finally felt free in my body. I learned how to feel connected to my body and love her for what she is, not tear her down in the mirror and make her feel like she has to change. I found the value in a dance break haha! Never thought just dancing around the room would make me feel so energized and boost my mood. It’s crazy to think how much food weighed me down 6 months ago, and how now it’s just something I think about to nourish my body and make me feel good. Movement began to come easy to me, because I learned to stop forcing myself to do these harsh workouts that my body hated and was bored of. I started moving my body in ways I enjoyed (yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, strength training, or just going for a walk). I can now say my body actually CRAVES movement, I do something daily now that’ll make my body feel good even if it’s just for 15 minutes. With the new confidence I found in myself, my relationships with my parents and friends improved. I began opening up more and stopped thinking I had to solve all of my problems by myself. Which usually led me to the food, because I thought I had to figure everything out on my own and never wanted to ask for help. Now I can say I feel like I can ask people for help and share my emotions with the people close to me.

I think what made this program so transformative in ways I wasn’t even expecting is because Nichole focuses on lifestyle, movement, mindset, and eating. She doesn’t just focus on eating to lose weight, she helps create a life that you love so you stop turning to the food for relief and joy.

I stopped looking outwards for approval, and began to recognize the importance of looking inwards. I am with myself day in and day out 24/7, if I’m walking around not even liking who I am then I’m going to live a miserable life. I learned that their is so much power within me! As someone who doesn’t always feel like I fit in, I learned to stop caring so much about what other people think. I learned I don’t need validation from those around me, I learned to actually love myself. I now know that everything I want or need is WITHIN myself! This new mindset has caused me to have more fun in my life! I can be by myself and have fun, and learned that if I’m not having fun it’s my own damn fault! I learned that almost any situation can be made fun:)

I feel so connected to my body now. I can say that I feel like my body is finally my best friend. It used to feel like she was the enemy. I now listen to what she says, if she’s tired and exhausted I listen to her and relax. If she’s hungry, I feed her a meal that she wants and that makes her feel good. If she wants to move, I move her in a way that is enjoyable.

I learned how to make time for myself. I toned down the inner perfectionist in me and now trust that everything that needs to get done will get done. I can now slow down and take a breathe. Before the program, I was running myself ragged trying to be a people pleaser and get so much done. I now take time to give myself a weekly facial, do meditations, and actually relax which was so hard for me to do before!

It’s funny how I didn’t really see the shifts as they actually occurred. It’s more of a looking back situation. I look back on how I was before the program and can really see the shifts and how far I’ve come.

Now I feel like I have been given some magical tool box that helps me through any situation life throws at me so I don’t have to turn to the food for relief.

With the confidence that the program has given me, I feel that I have everything I need. I know it’s all WITHIN me! I just have to put some effort into the things I desire and set the intention out to the universe.

Nichole was the best life coach I could have ever asked for, and I learned so many life lessons from her that I will forever be grateful for. If anyone is on the fence about joining the program, I would tell them just DO IT! You will not regret it and things will work itself out. Any doubts you have will go away because the progress you make will overpower the doubts you had in the beginning.