Amanda Camp describes herself as a “bigger girl.” At 5’9”, she says, “It’s just how I’ve always thought of myself.” Despite this self-image, she dreamed of a career helping others as a nurse. However, Amanda’s weight was about to contribute to a challenging life circumstance. Shortly after graduating high school, she discovered she was pregnant. Determined not to marry solely for the sake of their child, Amanda wanted a marriage founded on a genuine desire to spend the rest of their lives together.
During her first pregnancy, Amanda gained 70 pounds, and after giving birth, the weight just wouldn’t budge. “I gained 70 pounds with my son, and it just stuck with me. I put my dream of being a nurse on the back burner and worked odd jobs that allowed me to still care for our newborn.”
Amanda and her husband got married young. “I often tell my kids that we are the exception and not to follow in our footsteps by having kids before marriage,” she says.
Life was tough. By the time I was 27, we had three kids. After our third was born, my husband encouraged me to pursue my goal of becoming a nurse. I faced the challenges head-on: finding a bathroom to pump between classes, dealing with lack of sleep, and burning the candle at both ends. I worked at the hospital from 7 p.m. to 3:30 a.m., slept for a few hours, got the kids to daycare and school, studied, and slept a few more hours before picking them up. My husband and I crossed paths every morning at 7 a.m.
The stress and lack of time to plan and cook meals led Amanda to develop unhealthy habits. She found herself consuming most of her calories through drinks. “I needed caffeine, so sodas, Starbucks coffee drinks, and quick meals before work became my go-to. It took a toll on me. I was mindlessly consuming food and drinks,” Amanda explained.
The Struggles of a Working Mom and Emotional Eating
She found a job at Big Tree Medical after nursing school. It was a patient-centered medical team and she was excited to get off the night shifts and back to working a normal schedule. She was 283 pounds when she started, and wearing an XL size in scrubs. Amanda felt the weight. Nobody else at work was her size, and it made her self-conscious. She made the decision to change, so she could feel comfortable in her own body.
A Date with Intermittent Fasting
The first step in Amanda’s weight loss journey was intermittent fasting. “I knew that I needed to start small or I would feel overwhelmed and losing weight just wouldn’t work. So, I started with intermittent fasting. I would finish my last meal at 7 p.m. and not eat again until noon the next day.” Amanda also learned to eat slowly, allowing her body time to signal fullness and helping her manage her calorie intake. She lost 30 pounds almost immediately, and people were taking notice. Amanda thrived under the positive affirmation from friends and coworkers and took the next step. She started working with Dr. Adam Wheeler at the clinic.
Dr. Wheeler helped Amanda look at her weight and health in a new light. At work, she monitored patients for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other causes of obesity. This made her think about the root cause of her weight gain, and closely consider the FDA medication other patients were using. Phentermine (fen-phen) is a short-term weight loss drug that works by suppressing the appetite. As Amanda didn’t suffer from high blood pressure herself, she was a good candidate for the medication, and she decided to give it a go.
As a short-term solution, Amanda knew she needed to make other changes to keep losing weight. She monitored what she was eating and got down to 220 pounds. Dr. Wheeler suggested a different medication and Amanda switched to MOUNJARO Compounded tirzepatide),a GLP-1 receptor agonist weight loss medication.
Weight Loss, Mental and Physical Health, and Life Changes
With the pounds rolling off, Amanda ran with the momentum and began prepping food in advance for meals and swapping sugary Starbucks drinks for sugar-free alternatives. Her mindful eating strategies helped her develop healthier eating habits, contributing significantly to her weight loss success. In only two months, she made it to 170.
After losing nearly 140 pounds, Amanda felt like a whole new woman, but the change was unbelievable, even for her. After years of feeling like a “big girl” at 5’9 and holding onto that extra baby weight following her pregnancies, she couldn’t quite comprehend how small she had gotten, and she missed some parts of her fuller figure, like her feminine curves.
There were pros and cons to the weight loss, but while the loose skin and thinner curves sometimes bothered her, she was relieved to be a present participant in life.
Making a Life Change
Amanda continues to eat mindfully to maintain her weight. Recognizing her hunger cues helps Amanda make more informed food choices. Amanda practices intuitive eating by making food choices based on her daily activities and needs. She looks forward to farmer’s markets for fresh fruit and vegetables, and when she and her husband go out to dinner, she makes healthy choices or makes up for it with a healthy breakfast the next day.
Amanda learned that making changes for a healthier life isn’t automatic. She had to rewire her brain and take baby steps to reach an achievable goal.
For Amanda, food was an addiction, but with help from Dr. Wheeler and the team at Big Tree Medical she was able to understand and find healthy ways to balance her food intake. Now her nails, hair, and body are healthy and strong. She can play and be active with her kids and husband without being exhausted afterward.
WEIGHT LOSS TIPS FROM AMANDA: HOW TO PRACTICE MINDFUL EATING AND AVOID GIVING IN TO THOSE SUGAR CRAVINGS
- Grab a sugar-free energy drink instead of a soda
- Swap candy bars for nuts
- Opt for chia seed pudding in the morning instead of a fast food breakfast
- Ditch sugary Starbucks drinks and have an espresso with a splash of cream instead
- Choose lean, high-protein grocery staples like ground turkey
- Eat frequently so you can practice mindful eating and avoid binge eating
Even though Amanda has successfully maintained her weight for nearly six years, she recently took a significant step in her journey by donating her “fat clothes” to Goodwill. This act symbolized not just her physical transformation, but also her emotional and mental shift, marking a new chapter in her life.
Amanda knows that facing one’s rock bottom or having an “aha” moment can be incredibly vulnerable, but she encourages anyone in that position to keep pushing through. “It’s so worth it!” she says.
Call 573-814-1170 to start your weight loss journey today.
