Hello and welcome to Words, Wobbles, and Wisdom! I’m Annmarie Miles, and I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been overwhelmed by the kind messages and support from listeners—you’ve truly encouraged me. Today, I want to share something deeply personal: the moment I made an “about turn” in my life, deciding to address my unhealthy relationship with food and prioritise my well-being.
For years, I struggled with my weight. I was on and off countless diets—MyFitnessPal, calorie counting, keto, you name it. In 2012, I weighed 23 stone and 12 pounds, a shocking number I couldn’t ignore. I tried to tackle my eating habits but kept slipping back into old patterns. My prayers for help felt unanswered, and each failure left me feeling defeated.
I’ll never forget a blog post I wrote during that time. It captured my despair, but also my longing for change:
“I prayed that God would help me, inspire me, and forgive me for not taking care of myself. I dreaded talking about it but knew I had to be honest. Yet, as usual, I felt like I was fighting a losing battle.”
Despite brief successes, I always regained the weight—often more than I lost. Then, in 2016, I discovered a book that changed everything: How I Lost 250 Pounds and Stopped Trying to Earn God’s Favour by Teresa Shields Parker. Her story resonated deeply. She described finding peace with food through faith and self-compassion, something I had longed for but never believed was possible.
One quote from her stuck with me:
“You can’t keep doing this to yourself. Turn around and start undoing the damage. The longer you wait, the harder it will be. Start now.”
That was my wake-up call. I realised I had been hating myself for far too long, and it was time to change. I stopped believing the lie that I couldn’t overcome this. I let God into this part of my life and made a new commitment: to fight for my health with faith, determination, and self-love.
Since April 2016, my journey has been far from perfect. I’ve had setbacks, moments of overeating, and weeks where the biscuit tin won. But I refuse to give up. I remind myself daily: You’re worth it. You’re doing great. Keep going.
The “secret” to my progress isn’t revolutionary: eat less, move more. It’s simple but not easy. It requires persistence and a shift in mindset. I’ve stopped chasing quick fixes and embraced a healthier, happier lifestyle.
If you’re struggling, know this: it’s okay to start again. This isn’t just a temporary diet—it’s about loving yourself enough to care for your body and live the life you deserve.
Let’s keep moving forward, together.
