A mom, a teacher, and a woman living with stage 2 lipedema.
Looking back, I noticed my body changing as early as age twelve. My legs didn't look like other girls' legs. I developed what were often called "saddlebags," and while my upper body stayed relatively small, my lower body seemed to grow disproportionately. At the time, I didn't have language for it — I just knew I felt different.
As the years went on, that difference began to affect my self-esteem and mental health. I internalized the belief that something was wrong with me. That belief led me down years of yo-yo dieting, food rules, and fad diets, always chasing the promise that this plan would finally fix my body.
In 2020, I weighed 220 pounds and felt completely stuck. Diet culture had me eating far too little during the day, bingeing at night, and blaming myself when nothing worked long-term. Doctors told me to eat less and move more — advice I had already been following, unsuccessfully, for years.
During the COVID lockdown, I realized something had to change, and I started with my mental health. I needed to understand why food felt so out of control and why I was so hard on myself. From there, I learned how to nourish my body properly, how to move in ways that felt sustainable, and how to let go of all-or-nothing thinking.
I eventually lost 85 pounds. My upper body reflected that change. My lower body did not. That disconnect led me to lipedema — something no doctor had ever mentioned to me before. I only learned about lipedema from a stranger on social media! After researching, connecting with other women, and advocating for myself, I was officially diagnosed with stage 2 lipedema in 2025. For the first time, my life made sense.
This journal exists because I know how confusing and overwhelming lipedema can feel. I also know that healing doesn't come from perfection. It comes from small, consistent acts of care — focusing on one piece of the picture at a time, instead of trying to fix everything all at once.
I am not a doctor. I am someone who has lived this, learned from it, and created this journal to walk alongside you as you care for your body with compassion, patience, and understanding.