Losing 15 Pounds by Learning How to Think & Eat Differently- Interview with my Client Becca

This episode includes a vulnerable and deep conversation with my client Becca. 

She gives a unique perspective to the weight loss, habits, eating conversation as she is 23, and each generation has unique ways of living.

Becca talks about losing 15 pounds without dieting and how different she feels about this weight loss compared to prior experiences with Weight Watchers.

I adore Becca and I know you will too!

Interested in working with me? Find my website here: https://courtneygraycoaching.com/workwithme

Transcript

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Music. Welcome to Modern body, modern life, the podcast for women who want to lose weight permanently, feel in control around food and learn how to stop obsessing about their body and food, a modern way of thinking about your weight, your body and your life includes mindset. I'm body and life coach, Courtney Gray, and each week I'm going to teach you the mindset tools that are necessary for changing the way you eat forever. We will uncover why you're eating when you said you were going to stop, what to do when you're really craving something, and how important it is to decide what you want to believe is possible for you. I believe we can get in the best shape of our lives at any age, a modern body, a modern life, all starts in your mind, and when you learn how to manage that, losing weight permanently becomes so much easier. Welcome to the podcast. I am so excited for this special edition of the modern body, modern life podcast. I have one of my lovely clients, Becca, who is here to talk all about her experience with working with me one on one. She's one of my private one on one clients, and just to talk about why she decided she wanted to join my program and the results and the struggles and the goods and the bads and everything so Becca, thank you for being here. Thank you so much for having me. I am so excited to be on here right now. I love it well, when I asked her to come on everyone, she was like I was so I was hoping you to ask, which is amazing, which is amazing? Yes, yes, I love it. So, Becca, just start out by, like, telling us about you. So I am 23 years old, and I just celebrated my one year wedding anniversary. So that's been super fun. I graduated college in 2023 so I'm a little bit newer to the workforce, and, you know, having my own stable income, and I have a precious two year old lab named Daisy. So cute. Where did you go to college and what was your major? So I went to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, and my major is marketing, nice, I don't I didn't even know that. That is amazing. I love it, yeah. Well, so tell me. First of all, I'm really excited to have you because some of the other women I've had on the podcast, some of my other clients, have been older, and so I was like, Oh, I'm really excited to get someone representing someone who's younger than me. I'm 47 so I was really excited for that, because I it's it's going to be interesting to see if it's a different conversation, or if it's a lot. I think what I find, more often than not, is it doesn't matter what a person's age is, a lot of the thoughts and a lot of the habits and a lot of the reasons why we eat are the same. But it's still exciting to have someone representing representing the young ladies, yes, yes, definitely. Okay, so tell me historically, like, what have been your struggles with your weight and your health and any anything in that area? Throughout my entire childhood, I was, like, really happy with the way that I looked. I was really happy with my weight. I was always in sports. Um, in high school, I was a dancer, so that was just one of the amazing perks to dancing. Every single day, I was constantly working out, and, yeah, getting home late from practice. And so honestly, food, like I would just go home and eat dinner, it like wasn't a thing that was like on my mind, because it was already chosen for me from my parents, so it wasn't up to me to decide on those things. And then as I got into college, and I would, you know, working on my own, doing things on my own, food became something very different for me, and it was something that I really connected all of my emotions with and I would be so excited, like, yes, like, let's go eat. Like, let's go do something fun. And like, to me, something fun was going and eating, getting dinner with my friends, and getting some drinks here and there. And so as I have graduated college, I mean, it wasn't really as big as it became once I graduated, and then it was like, as soon as I graduated college, it was just this huge thing. I mean, I was completely on my own. I was making all of my own money and making all of my own food decisions. It was kind of like I just started binge eating. It was very emotional eating. I would be like, oh, like, this is awesome. Like, I can do whatever I want, like, I can have a second dinner if I want to, because it's my life, and it's my choice, and there's no one here telling you that I can't do it. Yeah. And were you aware in the moment? Were you aware? Like, were you starting to gain weight? I was, but it was just, it was always back and forth and back and forth, because then. Would be like, oh, like, I need to start eating healthier, you know, like I'm about to get married, like I'm going to start walking every single day. I'm going to start limiting the fast food that I'm eating. And that was kind of that. And I can kind of get into this. But like, leading up to my wedding, I decided to do Weight Watchers because I was like, you know, I just need to restrict myself a little bit more. I need to have something guiding me so that I can lose this weight before my wedding, so that I can look and feel my best on the day. And I did. I was able to lose a lot of weight. And I was so happy, you know, with my wedding and everything. And then it was kind of like, as soon as the wedding was over, I was like, Okay, that's it for me, you know, like, now I can do whatever I want, really, because there's nothing that, no event, that I have to get ready for. And it was just kind of like everyday life that also goes into the binge eating that I mentioned earlier. It was like, once that was over, I was like, oh, like, I can do whatever I want. Like, I'm married. I got my man. I don't need to, you know, I don't need we're good, yeah, we're good here, yeah, um, but was there a part? Was there a part of you that even while you were doing it, because this is how I was, it's like, I would be like, Oh, we're good, right? It's Chris, it's the week of Christmas. I'm just gonna enjoy myself. Life is too sure. You know now I know. Now you know, because you've worked with me, that it's the primitive brain just telling you, like, you know, just be happy in the moment, eat all the things in the moment. But were there moments now looking back, Were there moments where you're like, oh my god, I'm gonna gain the weight back? Oh my god, this is, this can't be so hard, like, this can't be my path. Yes, yes. I had so many moments like that where I would literally be like, okay, like, I was really bad today, but tomorrow I'll be better, or I was really bad this weekend, and I'm just gonna indulge in this weekend, like it was Saturday, and I would ordering food, just doing all this stuff, and then it would get to Sunday, and I'd be like, oh, like, I can indulge this day, because I'll start on Monday. And then, yes, it was just the constant cycle of saying, Oh, I'm going to start tomorrow. Oh, I'm going to start. And it was just like this irritation and frustration in my brain every single day with me, where I was like, I know that I shouldn't be doing this, but I want to do it anyway. And I just had no self control, yeah, yeah. And it's almost kind of like, you don't know a way out. Is that how you felt? That's how I felt, like, I don't know any other way except for going on a diet. But there's a I think, that we're intelligent, obviously educated women, and there's a part of us that knows, yes, we can go on a diet. We did, right? You went on one before your wedding, but you're like, but then what is what's that gonna do? It's just this vicious cycle of up down, up down, and it's exhausting. Absolutely yes. Did you ever talk about this with your husband? Because I know he was, he kind of on the same path as you he was. And we did talk about it like we were like, okay, like we need to, like, hone this back, like we need to get this together. But it was just like that constant cycle of, oh, like, I know that I shouldn't be doing this, but I it was just trapped in my own brain. I couldn't trust myself. There was no self control there, which, like, going back, it was, like, so much easier to have the self control whenever someone was making my meals for me. Yeah, wouldn't it be nice? I mean, Becca, can't you just hire someone to make all your meals for you? So be so nice. But then, yeah, it would be nice. But then when we go out and about into the world, we still have to make those decisions. That's why I get so many people that have actually come to me and they're like, I've hired a nutritionist, and it doesn't matter. It's not that we don't know what to eat. It's that we have a hard time not eating all those things that we know, like cereal and bagels and extra cocktails and all that. Right, exactly. Yes. So when you and I on our first call, it was like our consultation call, I think, I think it was on our consultation or was on our first call, but I really challenged you with getting rid of the Door Dash app. And for a lot of my older clients, we don't, I don't Door Dash, like a lot of my older they don't. It's not something that we've been doing for years and years. But the one of the things that does distinguish you as being one of my younger clients is the younger people. I even look at my boys, who are 21 who are closer to your age than you and I are, you know, and they're they do the Door Dash. They do door, Dash. What are the other ones? Uber Eats. There's a bunch of Yes, yes, yeah. It really is a problem for your generation. Can you talk a little bit about that? Because I remember saying to you, hey, so this is what I'll tell you. Everyone what I said to Becca, as I said, Hey, it's not too often in my program that I say you have to do this, or you you can't do this. It's not, it's not that strict. Everything is really, you know, bespoke to each. My clients, even in my group, everyone is eating differently, doing different things. But I really thought to myself, if Becca and her husband, because her husband was on, has been on his own weight loss journey, if they're going to be successful, I just don't know if they can do it, if they have access to the Uber Eats or whatever it is. So tell me a little bit about what your thoughts? Because I was surprised. I was surprised with how you handled it. I was very delighted. Yes, it was like, almost like, I knew the whole time that I had it, like, leading up, I was like, I know I need to get rid of this. Like, I like, I know that this is the culprit, because it was just easy access. I mean, it's like, it's literally, like, how the world has evolved so much, and now you can just do all of your shopping online. Like there's no more going to malls. There's no more any of that. It's just, you just tap your finger and it's done, and that's that. Where were you guys eating? What? Because you guys, I mean, it's not a problem at 10 o'clock in the morning. It was always at night, yeah. So it would be like, I would have a dinner prepared something like healthy. Like, okay, like, I'm gonna do so good today. Like, I'm gonna eat this. It was planned out, and then I would eat it, and then after I would eat it, I would just be feeling not satisfied with the meal. I was like, this just wasn't good. And I want something good. I deserve something good. I needed the stimulation in my brain of having something delicious to eat every single day. And so it's like, I would literally have a dinner and then be like, but I'm really craving this, so I'm just gonna go on my app and order something that I really want. And the bad part about those apps is they always have promotions. They have these, oh, 40% off if you if you order $15 worth of food. So then I would be like, Well, I have to get the$15 to use the discount. Yes, like, that would get me every time. Like, oh, like, there's a discount right now. Like, I have to get something extra. It just wasn't enough, and it wasn't stimulating enough for my mind, for whatever reason. But it was like getting rid of it. It was hard, but I feel like whenever I talk to you about it, I was like, this is such an easy decision. All I have to do is delete this, and I won't have it to rely on. I won't have it to be Oh, like, I'm really craving this, so I'm just going to get it right now. Yeah. And I feel like that's the mentality of a lot of people at my age. We are able to get access to things right now. I want it now. There's no waiting, yeah. And so that's why it was so easy to get it. But, yeah, I was so impressed with you. I remember going, Oh, damn. Like, she's not messing around. I was so impressed with you when you came back and you're like, we got rid of the app. I was actually surprised and delighted. But here's another thing too that has nothing to do with weight loss. You gotta realize how much money you're saving. Yes, yes. Yes. So much, so much money. Yes, yeah. So I remember doing, like, a little little math. And I'm not that great at math, but I remember just telling, like, doing a little math for one of my boys who was Uber eating, or whatever that I can't even remember all. There's so many different ones. I think he was doing Uber Eats, but I did the math on it for him. And I'm like, eating out in itself is so expensive. I don't know if I'm normal, but like so I'm 47 when I think of myself when I was in college, living without my parents, I ate out maybe twice a week, and I look at my kids and the amount of money they spend eating out, and they even know how to cook, like my boys know how to cook, but the amount of money they spend, it's one time I did the math for them, and they were like, Oh my god. One of them went a little white. They're like, Oh my god. So yeah. So I was so impressed with you for that. Thank you. So why? So when you had been on a diet for your wedding, why did you decide to work with me as opposed to just going on another diet, tell me that process, yes. So, like, I mentioned before, I did Weight Watchers, and I mean, it worked very well, because it made me realize, like, Oh my gosh. Like, if I go to Chick fil A and I get a ranch sauce, like, it's that many points just for like, a little tiny bit of ranch, like, that's crazy, yeah. So it did work very well, but just the sustainability of it. I mean, like, I just couldn't I just didn't want to get back into it. I was like, I don't want to go back to eating things that I don't really like and not being able to go out to eat and things like that. And so that's really a big reason that I went to you, because I was like, I really need a coach. Like, I need somebody to explain this further to me, because the Weight Watchers was great, but it just it wasn't something that I could continue long term. Yeah, yeah. Did you know that mindset was missing? Like, I know that you watched a video of mine. I think maybe even listened to the pod. Guess before we work together, did you think, Oh, my God, that is what I'm missing, or did you already know it? Did you already know something was missing? I feel like I knew something was was missing. But whenever I like talk to you and like our consultation call, and I was just like explaining the no self control, the binging, the wanting more, and you told me, Oh, it's the primitive brain, like it's, you know, like, whenever you told me that, I was like, wow, like, I finally feel understood. Because I really didn't know the depth of it, I just thought like, Oh, I just changed my mind. I'm just making bad decisions. You know, it is what it is, but yeah, it's such a horrible thing to think. I thought that for years, I'm just changing my mind. I literally felt like a crazy person, and it makes us feel like there's something actually kind of broken about us, which is so sad, because I think most people feel that way, like, yeah, most people like your story and mine are so similar. In the morning, we're like, we've got this, and then all of a sudden, at some point during the day, we quote, unquote, change our mind, and we think that what is wrong with us that we can't just stick to it. Why can't we be that person that you know gets healthy and stays there? We think there's something wrong with us. So I'm so glad that that resonated with you. Yes, definitely in my program, one of the things I say is, you don't go on a diet, but obviously you do have to eat better. Was there a part of you that was like, I don't know, Courtney, I don't know. Was there a part of you that didn't believe that you would lose the weight? Honestly, no, like whenever I met with you and we discussed all of these things and exactly how I was feeling. I knew that this was going to change my life. I knew that it was going to really impact me, because it's like the whole time I was doing this, I knew that I wanted to make those changes. I just couldn't get myself to do it. I just couldn't hold myself accountable. But, I mean, I wouldn't say that I've gone on a diet. Now, I would just say it's a lifestyle change. I've just taken out all the fast food that I was consuming every single day and replaced it with something better. And just doing that, it's just really shifted my mindset on it's not even a diet, it's just a lifestyle change. Yeah, which is the best, because then there's no end to it, right? There's no restriction, yes, yes. So tell people about how you eat. Like, because I know that you, you and I are very similar. We love our pizza. We love there's certain, you know what I mean. Like, tell how do you eat? In, in, in my program, yeah? So from the protocol, that is what has helped me the most. Because I will sit there at night, the night before or the morning of, and I will, okay, I'm going to eat this today, like, for example, for lunches like now I incorporate, I'm going to have a big salad, I'm going to have protein, because that's very important to have those things. And it was like, before, I would just kind of bring whatever leftover I had and eat on that, and I just wasn't really thinking about it, because I just didn't want to plan for it. And now, like, for dinners, I'll make chicken breast and I'll make, like, rice and broccoli and a veggie, like, it's, it's like, every single meal that I have, I'm focused on my protein, that's the most important thing, and I'm also focused on I need to get more veggies. I had no veggies today, so tonight for dinner, I have to have a lot of veggies. So good, yes. But with that being said, I still allow myself the foods that I really love just less of it. I still allow myself to have pizza. Like we literally talked about this a few weeks ago, but I really wanted Domino's Pizza one day. I wanted it so bad, and I finally caved in. Like, two days later, I planned. I was like, Okay, I'm gonna write it down. I'm gonna plan for this, yeah, and I have to not a cave in. So you, you didn't cave in. You ran for it, yeah, yes. But whenever I got it, yeah, I had way more than two pieces, okay? And so in my mind, I was like, Okay, the next time that I want pizza, I'm gonna take my butt over to Costco, yeah, and I'm gonna have one slice and limit myself. I mean, it's a pretty big slice, but I was like, I'm just gonna let myself have one slice of pizza and it was enough for and I did that, like, a few weeks later, I went, I was like, I really want pizza right now. So you know what? I'm gonna go to Costco, I'm gonna get one slice, and that's gonna be enough for me. And it was, and it good. It was. So you used to with Domino. That's how you used to eat. That's how I used to eat too. I have a huge capacity for eating. And I could eat four or five pizzas, slices. And you know what I would do? This is what my primitive brain would tell me, that if I would ate it standing up, it didn't count. It literally. I mean, for years, then one day I was kind of, you know, when I started becoming coach and started learning about how to. Weight sustainably, and all this. One day, I was standing up eating pizza, and I thought, oh my god, I'm totally lying to myself, as if this doesn't count. Ridiculous. Yes, ridiculous. But I love that, and I think that's so great to be go to Costco and enjoy it like I'm having my pizza and I'm enjoying it, right? So good. So how much can you tell the people how much weight you've lost? And I know you want to lose more, so tell me what your what your plan is. Yes. So as of right now, I have lost 15 pounds, which I am, honestly, I am just so happy with that number. This is a continuous journey. It's not just, oh, as soon as I stopped my time with Courtney, I'm going back to my old ways. It's not like that anymore, and that's how it was going on diets. It was like, oh, once I reach a certain point, then I can let I can let go. I can let loose. Yes, for me, it's like, completely shifted, because this is now a lifestyle. This is now how I want to be, I want to be the healthiest version of myself, and it's just going to continue. It's just going to keep going. And I'm excited. It's like every day. I'm excited, because I know I can do this, and I know that this doesn't end and there's no time stamp on this. Oh, I love that. I love that so much. So. So you also, not only have you really dialed in your food and the way you think about food and the way you eat and process emotion and all those things, but you've also really started working out more consistently. Like, tell us about that. Yes. So I feel like once I started really losing the weight a few weeks in, I was like, okay, you know what? Like, I want to eat really healthy, and I'm doing that, but I can do more. I can work out too, like I can implement all of these things. And it was almost like I just needed to get started. I needed to get started with changing the foods I was eating. And then it helped me implement working out. And now it's something that I enjoy walking. I enjoy doing my walking pad. It's very fun. I just turn on an episode and I just walk the whole time. But yeah, I mean, I will say I was a little bit nervous to start implementing the working out, because I don't know if you're like me, but I would literally start to work out, and afterwards, I would be like, oh, like, before I started this, I would be like, Oh, I just worked out, time for a reward, time to treat myself, because I did it. And it's like, I started doing this. I had my protocol. I would work out, and I would be like, I never wrote anything else that's all that I can do. There is no second dinner, there is no snack, there is no reward. The reward is the weight loss. The reward is feeling good in my body and being able to do this and not be stuck in a guilt shame cycle every single day and going to bed. I know that you have said too. One of the biggest things you said initially was I feel so much better when I'm going to bed at night, just my stomach feels, I feel, I don't feel stuffed. And that is, that is a gift. Yes, it is. Yeah, I don't think I knew that you were a dancer in high school. You didn't dance in college. No, no. But since you were a dancer in high school, you probably love working out and moving and all that, and that's something you can do for the rest of your life. And so many people, they they move a lot when they're kids or when they're in high school, or they do sports, and then, you know, some people go into college and do sports, but a lot of us don't. A lot of us that ends at high school, but we really need to continue to move our bodies, yes, yes. And that that was something I was like, I need to do this. I need to get back into this. I need to turn on Zumba on my TV and have a little dance workout. Because it's so fun. It is so fun, but it's just I feel like, as I've gotten older, and then go to work every single day. I just haven't prioritized it like I used to, yeah, yeah. And it's easy to fall into that habit of not prioritizing it, not thinking about it anymore, because I just worked all day and I don't feel like it, yes. And one of the things we talked about just, I think it was just last week, is, you know, I know you're newly married, and I'm certainly not trying to push kids on you at all, but I do know that eventually you do want to be a mom. And one of the things I listener, I will tell you that I that I told Becca, was that, for me, my advice would be, get in your best shape now so then when you have a baby, you're already going to be set really knowing how to take care of yourself. Because what we don't want to do is we don't want to, like, have a baby and then be like, Oh my god. Well, I'm not going to be able to get, you know, I'm not going to be able to get healthy now, because now I have, on top of everything, I have this baby, right? If you're giving yourself excuses that you can't work a job and eat healthy and food prep and do all these things you've incorporated without kids, once you throw a baby in there, you're it's. Going to be harder for you to do. So I think it's the timing of you learning all of these skills is beautiful. Yes, I agree. Yeah. Okay, so how much more weight do you want to lose? Did you say that for the listener? Oh, no. So, I mean, I would love to lose, like, 15 more pounds, 20 more pounds. I mean, there really is no limit. It's just about continuing what I've been doing, taking things out if I'm like, I don't know about this, and just, you know, kind of experimenting with my foods, and experimenting with what kind of workouts should I be doing, and really finding where I need to be to reach that goal. Yeah, and do you feel pretty confident that you are still even though we're done? We just had our last call last week. But do you feel confident that you can get there even though we're finished working together? I really do. Yes, I do. I love that. I love that. Because, again, when we go on a diet, we end the diet and within, usually, for me, if I look back at all my diets, within a week, I started gaining the weight back, and it's been so fun. And I will keep in touch with you, like I've kept in touch with my other clients. Is, how's it going, you know? And I've had clients. I just had a client a few weeks ago message me, and she goes, I just hit my goal weight, and we haven't worked together in two months. So it's so exciting. Yes, so exciting. So what are do you think the biggest changes you've seen in our time together, like, with, really, with your mindset, definitely the thinking that I was changing my mind, that has really changed a lot because, like, for example, like, and it's not just something that goes away the primitive brain. It never goes away. Me and Courtney named my primitive brain Sylvia. Sylvia, damn, Sylvia. And last night, like, it just never goes away, like last night, I was like, oh, like, I really wanted pizza last night for whatever reason. And it's I was sitting there, and I was like, there it is, there it is, trying to change my mind, trying to tell me, oh, but like you deserve that, like you've done so good. Just like it's just a little piece of pizza, like it's, it's not gonna hurt, you know? And so just realizing that, that, Oh, I'm not changing my mind, yeah, that's just something that Sylvia is wanting me to do. So definitely that portion of it, and it's just really helped me with, oh, like, I'm not, I'm not crazy. This is literally, like, it happens to everybody. And just like being able to acknowledge it too, and to know, oh, you're trying to make me change my mind right now, and I'm not going to I'm taking a little break to let you know, if you are loving the podcast, you have to grab my free course lose weight for the last time the mindset and strategy you've been missing. This free course is available right now. It is for women who are tired of dieting only to gain the weight back. It is for women who want to lose weight permanently and feel like themselves again. I spent years wanting to lose weight every morning. I would promise to eat better that day, and then by four o'clock I would completely change my mind. I would think I don't care. It wasn't worth it. I should just love myself. I'm getting older. This is normal, that my body's changing, and it shouldn't matter, but it did matter, and it did matter to me. I lost weight permanently by learning how to feel in control around food, eat better consistently and follow through. And this course will help you do the same. So the link to get immediate access to this free course is in the show notes. It's also on my website, at Courtney Gray coaching.com you are going to love it. Now, back to the show, and then also, just like, the self talk. Like, I remember it was probably like, halfway through our coaching, and I was just like, oh, you know, I could lose more. I could lose more. Like, I'm disappointed, frustration, you know, not seeing the scale go down and all of that. And I feel like it just really changed whenever I spoke to you, because you were like, well, look at what you've done so far. Like, this is amazing. Like, you need to be proud of yourself and thank yourself for doing this and for getting yourself to this point. And so whenever you told me that I was like, You're so right. Like, I need to be really proud of myself and be amazed with myself, with every step that I make, with every every time Sylvia tries to get me to do something and I deny it, I'm like, I'm so proud that I did that. Like, literally this morning, I was like, I am so proud of myself that I did not give in last night. I didn't listen to it, and instead, I walked on my walking pad. And so just like the self love and the self praise and being proud of myself, that is something that has really changed drastically. So glad and thank you for sharing that. Because, yeah, I mean, when you go on a diet and you drastically take out all the things, all of the flour and sugar, and for a lot of people, alcohol, I mean, you definitely have a steady decline of weight loss, like there. I mean, you is that, is that the way I'd say a decline? Yeah, you steadily, steadily lose weight. And so in my program, it is slower, because you're not on a diet. You know, if you go to out on a girls night, you're going to have a glass of wine, or maybe you have a maybe you have less wine, or maybe you instead of wine, you do a vodka soda, something you feel like might be cleaner, whatever for you. But so it is a little bit slower. And so I always like, have to really coach my people on but this is permanent. And then they're like, it takes a while for them to wrap their head around it, because they've never lost weight this way before, exactly, and like, that's how it was for me. It was like an immediate drop, immediate weight loss, and I was like, wow, but it's not sustainable. It's great in the moment. But doing it this way, it was harder for me to grasp it was hard. I had many days where I was very frustrated, and I was like, Why are there people around me eating what I'm eating, and they're losing all this weight, and I'm not. And it was so frustrating that, as time has gone on, I've just, I've accepted that, you know, it's not a diet, it's not restriction, it this is a lifestyle change, and it's going to take time, and it's not a race. I love that, especially since, if you can say to yourself, okay, because you and I work together for three months, but if you say, Okay, it's going to take me six months, but I'm going to lose 30 pounds forever. I mean, sign me up, right? Like, yes, please. So good. And in doing that, and that's the next question I want to ask you, because I truly believe that this work affects every area of our life. So it's like, not only are you going to lose 30 pounds by the end of the six months, that's going to be like, not on a diet sustainable, but like, it's going to affect every area of your life. So have you seen it like our work together? You understanding mindset? Have you seen it affect other areas of your life? I have. I mean, it's just like I kind of touched on before, but just like wanting to work out now, you know, like wanting to go on a walk with my dog, or go to the gym with my husband, and, like, do all of these fun things, I want to do it now, because I know it's only going to benefit me. So that has really changed, also just my confidence, like in everyday life. I mean, it's just getting up in the morning and putting on my work clothes and just being like this fits so much better than it did before, like just that every single day and just honest, just trusting myself, and just knowing that I'm going to get there, I know I'm going to get there, and I know that I can do this because look at the results, look at how I feel, and also, I did want to touch on this, but just it's not about the weight on the scale, it's about how you feel. And we have talked about this so many times, but just I would get so frustrated because the numbers weren't dropping. And then you said to me, Well, how do you feel, though? And I'm like, Well, this is the best that I felt in a really long time, like in a year. And you're like, well, that is what matters more than what the number on the skill says, and also just training your brain about these things that matters more, because it's permanent than what the skill says, what the skill says is not permanent. And so yes, like, that whole shift has, like really changed everything. I love that, because then when you're enjoying the process, when you're loving yourself more, when you're proud of yourself, you will eat better, you will work out more, and then the numbers will go down on the scale. But yeah, there people have so much, gosh, what is it? There's so much tied into what those numbers on the scale mean. Are you? And I can't remember, it might be a no, so I might have to cut this out of the podcast. But are you my client that I remember said that there was a scale at work that was, yeah, tell me about that. Tell me about that. Yes. So there's a scale at my apartment, and there's also a scale at my work and at my apartment, the scale, like, it was, like, literally, like, seven pound difference than what the scale at work is saying, yeah, like, so why is there a scale at work? Is that weird? It's a good like, we sweet. So we have like, a bathroom, and there's like two different stalls, and in one of the stalls, it's like a really big one, and there's like cabinets in there, and there's just like this, you know, typical doctor's office skill in there. Okay, all right, yeah, kind of random, but I was like, okay, like, I'm gonna step on it. I was like, I'm gonna step on this. You're like, I see you, yeah? So, like, I stepped on it. And I was like, Oh, my. Gosh, like this skill is like, completely different than the one at my apartment. Like it's saying that I'm at this weight. And I was like, Holy crap. Like that completely changes things for me. Because why is this one saying this? And this one is saying that, yeah, because the one at work was so much lower, yes, yes, and it was so we had a great conversation about, you know, you already feel good in your body. Your clothes are feeling better. I know you said you felt like your skin was doing better. All these things are doing better. But yet you'd step on your scale at home and things were going slower, and you'd be like, ah, but then you'd step on the scale at work, and it would be like, drastically. You'd be like, I'm amazing. So it's like, Well shit, start weighing yourself at work, which is so funny too, because I'm I'm hoping you're not getting naked and stepping on the scale at work. No, this is close on, oh my god, yes. And shoes, you should steal that scale. I know it's my plan. Oh my gosh, but yes, but it's so good. I'm so glad you really, you know, yes, you want to lose the weight, and I know that you are losing the weight, but in the meantime, while you're doing it. And this goes back to the podcast I posted last week or the week before, is like, we have to appreciate where we are now we're doing the work anyways. We might as well not mentally whip ourselves while we're doing it. And you're a really great example of that. It's not to say that you're not going to, in three weeks, be like, damn it. You know, whatever. It's not to say that there aren't frustrations, but overall, to really go, I'm feeling great. I'm really proud of myself. Is a beautiful place to be. Yes. Well, so what advice would you give any of my like, younger listeners out there, because you're representing girl, you're representing Yes, what like, what advice? It's never too early to start, you know, it's never too early to start this journey and to start coaching. You know, because I did listen to your podcasts, and a lot of them, I mean, they are older women. And so I was like, oh, like, I'm 23 and I'm doing this, like, is this a bad thing? And it's not. It's not a bad thing, because, like, you said before, like, I want to be a mom someday, and so having these habits early on instead of waiting until I'm like, 30, you know, it's, it's better to start early. It's way better to start early than to just, oh, like, you know, I'll do it at another time. I'll just push it back and push it No, don't push it back. Just start early. Get rid of the Uber Eats app. Not that great anyway. Yeah, and you spend a ton of money doing it. I mean, like, because I would literally be buying groceries for the week and then doing the Uber Eats app, so I was, like, buying just so much food, and it was just not necessary. Another thing is not tying emotions to food, because that's something that, like I said at the beginning of this podcast, that it was something that was fun, like, oh, like, I love to go out to eat and do this, and it was just so much fun for me. And it was like the only joy that I had was, like, my meals and going out to eat and tying those two things together. But it's just like you told me in one of our coaching sessions, and this has really changed a huge part of my weight loss, but just, you know, finding joy and other things other than what am I gonna eat for dinner tonight? Like, oh, like me and my husband were young. We have a dog. It's just us. We have this amazing time to really enjoy ourselves. We've only been married for a year, and it's like every single day we were just like, oh, like, what are we gonna eat? And that was all that we would look forward to. And you told me, like, oh, plan something else. Like, go look at Christmas lights, play card games together, you know, like, play video games. Like, do fun things that don't involve food, find joy outside of the food and not really. That's a really great piece of advice that I would give to anyone listening. I love that too, because you are really starting your marriage out together, and you're setting habits within your marriage. And I love that. Mean, you've talked about your dog a few times now, clearly you love that puppy, and you, you know. So I love that you have been really you're very, very coachable. And I've told you this all along. You're, you're just one of my favorites, and you're very coachable. And you really have, when I've suggested things like, yeah, find joy outside of food, you've really taken that on. And I, you know what? There's one other thing I would love for you to talk about, if you are willing to talk about it, is the difference between your your honeymoon and then going back on that vacation a year later. Would you mind talking about that? Yes, I would love to Yes. So like on our honeymoon, it was, you know, literally, we left the day after we got married, and I was like, I. I am so excited to kick back eat whatever I want. Like, there was room service, 24/7 everything was open, all the buffets, like seven different restaurants. And I was like, I am so excited to just go and eat whatever I want and not care, because I had been doing the Weight Watchers, yeah. And I feel like that's kind of what, like kick started, the whole, I'm not going to do that anymore, bye. And it was just so crazy going this year on our anniversary trip. We went back to Cancun, and it was just such a big change, because I was literally, I hit my lowest weight the day before we left to go on this trip. So fun, so fun. But it was, I really implemented, oh, like, I'm not going to take the elevator. I'm going to take the stairs. Like we're going to take the stairs today. We're going to go walk on the beach and walk all the way down and all the way back. And there was just so much activity on this trip. And I did not do that on the last one, I literally was just like, I'm not doing anything. And so really implementing that, like, it was just a big difference, because, like, normally people think, like, oh, vacation. Like, I don't want to exercise, I don't want to do anything, I'm going to take the elevator every single time. And I was just like, No, I'm going to make this fun, you know, like, I'm going to take the four flights of stairs to get up to my room and to get down. And we would go up multiple times a day. And then also, like, at night on our honeymoon, we would just, like, order food, just to order it, you know, like, oh, like, let's just get like, I was not hungry. I was absolutely stuffed every single night stuffed from the drinks, from all the food, we would literally go to dinner and then order room service after and just like, eat whatever we wanted. And this time it was like, I would go to dinner, eat a little bit of my dinner, and I'd be like, Okay, no more for me. Like I am stuffed, and I just didn't want to feel that way anymore, because that's how I felt basically every single night before I started this coaching journey, it was every single night absolutely stuffed. Did not sleep well, like waking up, sweating in my sleep, just, you know, really overeating. And on this trip, I literally remember going to bed multiple nights that I was there, and I was just like, I feel empty. Oh so good. Yes. Like, I'm not stuffed, I'm not hungry, I just feel empty. Like I ate this food and it was delicious, and that's that so good. Yes, I love it. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for sharing that, because that's an awesome it's an awesome comparison to see how the difference between you now and you a year ago and you, you had an amazing trip. That's the biggest thing too, is you had an amazing trip. Yes, like, it wasn't, it wasn't about the food. It wasn't surrounded by the food. It was about, what activity are we going to do today? How are we going to make this the best day ever? And of course, I still love food, so it was a bus to have amazing dinners. But it wasn't all about that. There's joy outside of going to an all inclusive resort and not just thinking about the food. Because at the end of your life, again, I always say this, but at the end of your life, you're going to look back and yes, there's going to be food as part of that amazing vacation. But the most part is you being with your husband. You You know, walking, I know you said that there was a he was a huge resort, and you just like creating new habits by walking all the time and not taking the golf cart and just being with him. That's what it's all about. Yes, and I will add that whenever I got back from the honeymoon, I had only gained like, a pound and a half. Oh, when you got back from this last trip, or from the Yeah, from the anniversary trip, I had only gained and I lost it again. Like it was an immediate like, yes, of course I'm gonna gain a little bit because it was different kinds of food. And it was better food than, like, what I have at home, and it wasn't just chicken breast every single night, but with that being said, I was like, it was just more proof that I can do this, you know. So you weren't worried about it when you got home and you were head gate, you weren't worried. I love that. No, I literally, I was like, Okay, I'm proud of that number. Like, proud of that. I'm proud that I didn't gain a lot of weight, like, it was amazing, and then it's just like we were talking. It's just the evidence that I can do this again. I can get back down again to where I was the day before I left. Good. So good. So tell me, like, first of all, I'm just so grateful to you for being on the podcast. Tell me why you wanted to come on, because I'm delighted that you wanted to come on. So the reason that I wanted to come on this podcast is just because I did listen to your podcast before, and there were a lot of older women on the podcast, not a lot of people like me, and I just feel like it's so common these days for people my age. To kind of be on their own, and to kind of not really know what do I do? Like I'm doing this myself, and I have my own income, and I can spend my money the way that I want, and I'm free, necessarily. And so it's like just being able to come on here and share that, and share the whole Uber Eats thing. And my experience with food, I mean, I was just so excited to do it, and of course, I'm I'm so excited to talk to you, Courtney, and I just am so appreciative for everything that you've done for me. I remember our consultation call and just getting so emotional and just crying because I was just like, I don't know how to do this. Like, I just don't know what to do. I didn't grow up having resources like this about nutrition and just about the mind and about food, and I just didn't grow up with that. And so being an adult, having your own money, you know, living on your own with your husband, and you guys can just do whatever you want, yeah, it's just kind of hard to have stability in your food and what you're eating every single day. So I know so many people are going to resonate with your with what you're saying, because I think that most of us didn't grow up. I almost feel like there should be a class in high school or college, like how to eat in a way that serves your life. I don't know what the cost should be called, but so I you know, when you here, you are college educated. You had a lovely family, you know, raised by a lovely family, but I think so many people can relate to that we don't even know what we don't know. So I am really I'm so grateful to you for coming on the podcast. I know every time I have one of my wonderful clients come on the podcast and share their story, I have people message me and say, oh my god, what she said. I feel exactly the same way. And so I'm just truly grateful for you to be so vulnerable and say some of the things you've said. People in society don't talk about it. So I'm really, truly grateful to have you, and I adore you and and I know you are going to completely, you know, be able to reach your goal weight with all of the work we've done together, and it's just been such a pleasure. Oh, thank you so much. I just all the things that you have taught me and to be proud of myself and all of those things, I mean, I'm just so grateful to you because you've literally kick started this new lifestyle for the rest of my life that I'm going to be able to maintain, and all of this knowledge that I'm always going to have because of you and so just thank you so so much for everything that you've done. I really, really appreciate you. Well, thank you, my friend. All right, have a great Tuesday. If you are ready to lose weight and keep it off permanently and feel confident and at peace around food, I invite you to head to Courtney Gray coaching.com to learn about how to work with me. I work with women privately, one on one, and I also offer small group coaching. There is a link to my website in the show notes you.