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Source: Courtesy / Emmalea Jackson
It’s never too late to reach your health goal or your career goals, and Atlanta area Weight Coach Emmalea Jackson is living proof of this. Just a few months shy of her 50th birthday and in the midst of quarantine, Jackson says booking a therapy session changed her life around, leading her to shed over 212 pounds.
Emmalea says she put everything in her book, All Diets Work If You Do. While she does warn that reaching her health goals is not an easy one, she wants women who take on her advice to know that it does not have to be painful or feel impossible to achieve.
BOSSIP spoke to Emmalea right in time to share her testimony for International Women’s Day and her story is incredible.
What pushed you to pursue weight loss after being comfortable with yourself for years?
Working in the corporate office setting was ultimately unfulfilling for me. My reward for being loyal, reliable, and turning in good work was more work. I seldom had the opportunity to do what I love, which is to motivate and support people.
Over the years, I have helped many people on their weight loss journey. They always encouraged me to do it formally. They say, “you really should tell your story; you helped me when nothing else I tried worked; you really should look into doing this.”
Early Spring of 2020, I had an emotional breakdown and was forced to pause EVERYTHING for about a month and take time out for myself. I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. So I did the one thing I should have done 20 years earlier; talk to a therapist. That was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I wasn’t having a breakdown; I was experiencing an awakening. My therapy sessions continued for seven months.
During this time, I was obsessed and deeply saddened thinking about the people we lost due to the Pandemic. While I’ve always heard the phrase “No one is promised tomorrow,” the future was something I thought about constantly. Between the changes in the world and this next birthday being the big 5-0, my mortality was on my mind.
This awakening has turned into a beauty consulting business for you and now an E-book. What has been your proudest moment so far?
I have two clients/family members whom I coached. One of whom has lost over 100 pounds and both were significantly challenged in different ways. My job was easy. I provided the information and was the sideline cheerleader.
The fact that I walked in their shoes and was able to help them navigate some challenging times, help avoid pitfalls, and see them meet and exceed their goal makes me happy and proud. These two were proud moments because I initially didn’t think I was getting through to them.
Source: Emmalea Jackson / Courtesy
What advice do you think women will take away from your advice that can’t already be found online?
The thing that sets me aside and is my source of truth is not rooted in the traditional formal classroom setting. It is my experience.
My journey was long. My results are based on consistent building and tenacity. My results are not based on a short 6-18 month stint of going HAM or aided by a superfood supplement as my superpower. Don’t get it twisted; supplemental support is fantastic. . I’m simply saying I did not have those added tools as part of my arsenal. I have struggled with my weight since middle school. It has taken me 25+ years to reach my goal.
For me to have weighed 362+lbs clearly says I had an eating disorder. I have endured many challenging instances because I was overweight and understood my clients’ level of effort and tenacity to get to where they wanted to go. Change is hard so working to get healthy is challenging. And when you have a lot of weight to shed, it can feel overwhelming.
If I had a supporter in my corner whom I believed truly understood what I was going through and could understand the challenge and my need to reach my goal, it might have helped me get it sooner.
Where can everyone find you?
I can be reached on my website transitionsbeautybar.com.
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