On a recent episode of Influencers Radio with Jack Mize, Christian Health and Fitness Coach Ally Miller shared her journey to overcoming a negative body image and an addiction to sugar and high-fat foods. She now helps others do the same.
For 22 years, Miller was a student-athlete. She excelled at soccer, playing through high school and even at the collegiate level. But inside, she never felt pretty or skinny enough to be accepted and worthy of love, defining herself by what she thought were other’s perceptions of her.
During the interview, Miller explained how her diet of frozen pizzas, mint chocolate chip ice-cream, and fast-food finally caught up to her, saying, ”I think a lot of people would be surprised if they saw the way I eat now. I grew up eating a really poor diet… I didn’t eat any fruits except strawberries dipped in sugar, or vegetables besides corn on the cob or baked potatoes that were loaded with butter and salt. Everything I ate was highly processed, high in fat, and high in sugar. I ate a lot of fast food. I’m talking McDonald’s two or three times a week. I played competitive soccer all the way through college, but in high school, I could already see the effects that the diet had on my body. And as a result, I was starting to gain weight, especially in my midsection, which really, I struggled with my body image. I was embarrassed by that.”
Describing her first attempt at weight loss as a confusing and frustrating experience, Miller said, “I listened and researched what fitness influencers were eating. I also did a lot of high-intensity interval training, which I actually dreaded, but that’s what I was told I needed to do to lose weight. I tried various diets, meal replacements, supplements, and nothing worked.”
According to Miller, that all changed when she discovered the connection between her physical health and her faith, “God created a body, soul, and spirit and so all three are intricately connected. You must take care of all three aspects in order to be truly healthy”.
For Miller, that meant learning how to properly nourish and strengthen her body with whole plant-based foods and cross training.
Today, Miller is the founder of Cross Training Women, where she helps women transform not just their physical health, but their mental and spiritual health from the inside out with biblical scripture-based principles.
Listen to the full episode at https://influencersradio.com/ally-miller
To learn more about Ally Miller and Cross Training Women, visit https://crosstrainingwomen.com
To join Ally’s Facebook group for Christian women who want to overcome their struggles with food, exercise, and body image, visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/crosstrainingwomen