Kendra's Story
Hi, I’m Kendra and I would like to tell you how Amy and eduThrive has helped me.
I never struggled with my weight. Throughout my childhood and teens I was actually underweight. I had children in my 20’s and the weight always came off easily with little effort. At 37, I got a divorce and started noticing a lot of changes in my body–hot flashes and a slowly creeping scale. By 41, I met my current husband and we decided to get married and have a child together. It had been two and a half years after having a child and I could not lose the weight this time! I tried a lot of different fad diets and none of them helped at all.
March 2020 brought Covid, unemployment, Covid, depression, (did I mention Covid) and 20 (yes 20!) pounds by the end of May. I knew I had to make some changes and in June I got active and started walking every single day. I had a goal of 10,000 steps a day. It was a great start but the scale was hardly moving and I still felt tired and sluggish all the time.
I learned of Amy’s success with a plant-based diet and I knew it was what I needed to make some changes in my life. I jumped in with both feet and decided it was worth it to give it my all and not cheat for those 21 days.
I also started this journey a little “high maintenance.” For years, I have struggled with a soy and legume allergy/intolerance. I listened to the book Fiber Fueled during my morning walks which turned into runs! I learned that the intolerance was probably related to poor gut health. I started VERY low and slowly introducing an item I was intolerant to and how my body reacted. Amy was so helpful and patient with my millions of questions.
I learned how to make green smoothies, huge salads, and lived on rice bowls with loads of veggies. The weight started coming off and the Covid 20 lbs that took me 2.5 months to gain were almost gone!
I have so much more energy now to keep up with my very busy, almost 3 year old! As a woman in my mid-40’s it is nice to go to the park and be more active than some of the ‘young’ moms! I want to be around to watch my daughter grow!
I have now surpassed my ‘goal’ weight. 3 months ago I had to buy bigger shorts because I had none that fit and now I am buying jeans 3 sizes smaller!
But, it isn’t about the scale and the number on my jeans, it is about feeling better than I have felt in years! I enjoy finding fun, plant-based recipes to make and my daughter is loving all the fruits and veggies! I’m teaching her healthy habits that will hopefully stay with her as she grows.
Thank you, Amy! I appreciate the doors you have helped open for me! I can’t wait to keep learning and don’t plan to stop this lifestyle!
– Kendra, Working Mother of Four Children