Finding Peace

2013 is the year I found peace with myself and my lifelong struggle with my weight. I did that with the help and guidance of the amazing Rita Catolino.

I started my first diet in grade 5, setting the stage for decades of yo-yo dieting and never feeling quite good enough. I loved eating healthy food and I made fitness a big priority in my life – but somehow the number on the scale always continued its ominous march upwards. Nothing seemed to work and I really hated how much time I spent thinking about food – such a colossal waste of energy when there were so many other things I could and should be doing.

I started working with Rita in February 2013 and something amazing has happened over the past 10 months – I no longer have anxiety about eating!! To me this is a huge development and relief since I was wasting vast amounts of time worrying about my next meal and alternating between feelings of guilt and starvation. By following Rita’s approach to eating I have gained mental and emotional peace over my crazy food thoughts. I’m almost never hungry but when I am, I just eat and eat until I’m not –I know I won’t gain weight because now I trust my body and my choices and best of all- physical hunger is no longer mixed up with feelings of stress, deprivation, and guilt.

I can’t say its been an easy journey but Rita has been there every step of the way –  coaching, encouraging, inspiring and pushing me outside my comfort zone. There will always be hours of food prep, 5:30am gym visits and naysayers who don’t think my new lifestyle can be maintained.  That stuff doesn’t worry me because while losing nearly 30 lbs this year is a big source of pride for me, gaining a sense of peace with food has been life changing.  It is truly the best gift Rita has given me. To my friend and coach – thank you!

- Cathy