Little by Little and Never Alone
I'm so happy to write a testimonial for Reform Wellness because this company and its people have truly changed my life in profound ways. Before Reform, I was 60 lbs overweight with minimal acquaintances and barely any social life; I rarely exercised and was very unhealthy. I’d sleep until the late afternoon on weekends and struggle with immense exhaustion throughout the work week. Sleeping was a big way for me to deal with stress. I was suffering and was not living the way I wanted to—or the way I know God intended for me to live.
I met Jackie through the Young Adult group for the Diocese of Rockville Center and had attended a few of her seminars. I knew I had changes to make, but I was fearful and did not have the confidence that I could do it. Finally, with courage and God’s nudge, I reached out for support. After talking with the Reform team, I realized I had to take a look at my overall lifestyle and make some serious changes. There were many areas I wanted to focus on, and I was overwhelmed by the work that needed to be done. The Reform team supported me and we started with some essentials: sleep, nutrition and functional movement—and we put God at the center of them all. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I knew the hardest part was going to be remaining consistent, but I was determined to change my life once and for all.
With Jackie and Traci’s teamwork and guidance, little by little, I changed lifestyle habits focusing on nourishing foods to heal my gut, getting to sleep earlier and sleeping soundly throughout the night, and moving my body in a way that I enjoy (I love to hike and swim and returned to doing both!). I learned how the gut affects the brain and that what you put into your body affects how you feel. It was a ripple effect: once I was properly fueling my body with nutrition and recovering from stress with adequate sleep, I became more motivated and grew the desire to take care of myself by exercising. I became more confident, more willing to seek out community, happier and more trusting in my body’s ability to heal and support me. Most of all, my faith and trust in God grew. I know with Him, all things are possible. Win, win, win! I am grateful for the Reform Team for reminding me that my health is the whole person: my body, mind and soul together.
I lost 30 lbs and went from a size 16 to fitting into a size 8! I am more social, happier, and have a lot of confidence! I have a whole new lifestyle. Now, I eat completely gluten-free, go food shopping and prepare healthy meals for myself, prioritize sleep, and am more connected to the people around me. I feel so much more energy and am more aware of my well-being than ever before. It's easier for me to wake up in the morning; I am lighter and happier, no longer like a pile of bricks with the world weighing down on me. I have a new community, loving and true friends, a new boyfriend (!) who loves and cares about me, and I now enjoy doing things I used to love such as getting outdoors and swimming.
The biggest lesson I learned was that God does not expect us to overhaul our entire life overnight. He does not want us to be afraid or overwhelmed. Little by little, poco a poco, we can make small changes that bring us closer to God and whom He intended us to be. Life is a journey, not a destination. I learned not to be ashamed of my hardships but instead to talk about them and open the wounds to God and others. Life isn’t meant to be done alone. It’s a grace to allow people to show up for you because you'd be surprised at how many people are going through the same thing and/or are willing to help. I also learned not to body shame myself and accept myself as I am. Thank you, Reform Wellness! I now have tools to live my life the way I want to: healthy, happy, holy and life-giving!
-Lisa
New York