Have you ever considered the root word of diet to be die? A diet I signed up for in high school had this same realization and touted itself as a live-it instead. (Insert my eye-roll here.) Regardless, I found myself dreading the weekly weigh-ins and quickly getting discouraged when I didn’t have the same results as my peers. Dress it up and call it what you want, but it still is what it is.

Hi. I’m Amanda. And I’m a serial dieter. Counting calories, tracking/eliminating carbs, binging on cabbage soup, South Beach, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Paleo — you name it, I’ve done it.

2018 (so far) has been a year of self-discovery. In January, a series of events caused me to call my lifelong approach to food into question. In March, I was diagnosed with an eating disorder. The next six months would feel like a long jump, head-first off the high-dive: scary, exhilarating, with momentary feelings of “what have I done?”

But, here we are.

Having gained 95lbs, lost 70lbs, gained 55lbs, lost 60lbs, gained 30lbs been on the weight loss merry-go-round for FAR too long, it’s time I get off. Once and for all.

I’ve never been more ready to unpack everything and dive deeper: food, exercise, diet culture, body acceptance, faith connection, and self-love.

Welcome to my dieting, liviting life.