Woman battles ADHD, eating disorder and still manages to lose 72 kilos, know her inspirational story
Weight loss is often viewed as an easy formula that comprises consuming less and exercising more, but in reality, it is far more complicated. Many deal with issues that have nothing to do with diet and exercise, such as emotional eating, metabolic variations, way of life practices, and health conditions like ADHD.
Consistency is the key, but hurdles such as cravings, stress, and too much choice make staying on track almost impossible. Sustainable weight loss is not about being perfect—it’s about being aware of personal challenges and uncovering effective approaches. For most, getting past these obstacles is the actual overhaul, not necessarily the number on the scale.
One such case is that of fitness coach Emma Hooker. Fitness and nutrition coach Emma Hooker has been an inspiration to many with her remarkable 72-kilos weight loss journey. She has revealed how ADHD affected her food choices and how she went about building a healthier relationship with food. “I used to think I just had no willpower,” Emma begins her inspirational post. “But my ADHD made things harder in ways I didn’t even realize for a long time,” she writes as she shares how she overcame the challenges.
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Emma changed her relationship with food
Emma was fixated on one meal or snack, consuming it every day for weeks until she could no longer tolerate it. This made her feel trapped, skipping meals or grabbing strange foods she wasn’t particular about. “I’d get obsessed with one meal or snack and eat it every day for weeks until I couldn’t even look at it anymore. Then I’d feel stuck and end up skipping meals or grabbing random stuff I didn’t enjoy,” she wrote on social media platform Instagram.
She began to plan 2-3 changing meal choices, with variety without feeling bogged down.
ADHD made it challenging for Emma to notice hunger signs
She might go hours without eating, only to gorge herself later. Sometimes, she ate beyond fullness just because she wasn’t focusing.
She set timers and monitored her hunger signs frequently and that helped her eat before getting too hungry.
She stopped eating out of boredom
Boredom usually caused Emma to eat frequently, even when she wasn’t hungry. She understood it wasn’t about the food but about wanting stimulation, which made her feel guilty and frustrated. She learned how to tune in to herself and take care of her real needs rather than turning to food as a distraction.
She started pre-checking menus
Emma would get stressed out when confronted with too many food choices, particularly at restaurants, and make quick decisions she later regretted. She started pre-checking menus and maintaining a rotation of default meals to avoid stress.
She stopped impulse snacking
“I would walk into the kitchen and grab something on autopilot not even realizing I was waiting until it was gone,” she writes. “Now I pause before eating and ask myself, “Do I actually want this right now?”
She aimed for balanced meals
“I’d eat perfectly all day, then binge at night. It felt like I undid all my progress in one sitting and the guilt hit hard,” wrote Emma. “I stopped labeling food as good or bad. I eat balanced meals with things I enjoy so I never feel deprived,” she writes.
Through making these conscious shifts, Emma transformed her body, but also the way she views food, and has shown that long-term success can be found with sustainable habits. “Even now after losing 160 pounds, I still struggle with a lot of this. The difference is… I’ve learned how to manage it. I’ve learned how to pause, show myself compassion, and stop expecting perfection and on the days when my brain still wins, I don’t punish myself for it anymore. I just get back up and try again,” shares Emma.
Read Emma’s post here:
If you have a weight loss story to share, send it to us at toi.health1@gmail.com These views are not generic in nature. Weight loss results vary for individuals and the views shared in this article offer no guarantee of specific results. The content is not intended in any way as a substitute for professional advice.
