2025 Issue #42

How I Redefined “Health” After Losing 70 Pounds — and Why It Changed Everything

From: Nikki Leary I nikki@rootfornew.com

Hi Reader,

For years, I thought “investing in my future” meant putting money into my 401K and hoping for the best.

But when I went to visit my mom at her new 55+ community, I noticed something.

I thought retirement would look like doing anything I wanted — heading to the beach, a fun restaurant, maybe a loooong vacation where you only leave when you realize you actually miss cooking for yourself and cleaning up after yourself (I’m not sure that one ever exists, but it was my dream, okay?).

But instead, I noticed that most people in retirement plan their days around doctor’s appointments… their reduced energy levels… or their pain level for the day.

And it made me wonder — how healthy were these people at 40, for their health to look like this in their 60s and 70s?

Somehow, going to the gym changed for me. It stopped being about looking “fit.” It became about staying mobile.

It became about being able to get off the floor with my grandkids someday… hike a trail at 60… or take spontaneous weekend trips without needing a day to recover.

Because the truth is, I don’t want my future memories to revolve around medications and medical appointments — I want them to revolve around life.

Not just my weight — my health.

Because here’s the truth no one talks about:
⚖️The number on the scale doesn’t tell you whether your thyroid is working properly.
🤹‍♀️It doesn’t tell you if your hormones are balanced or if your body feels safe.
😓You can be a size two and still have imbalances, exhaustion, or mood swings.

If you’ve been chasing a goal weight, maybe it’s time to chase something deeper: A healthy, connected, energized version of you.

Because that is an investment that never loses value.

Here’s what I’ve learned (and what I wish I’d known sooner):

👉 Stop outsourcing your health. No one will ever care about your body as much as you do — not your doctor, not your trainer, not the person on Instagram selling you a detox tea. Start tracking how you feel more than how you look.

👉 Check in with your body, not just your mirror. Energy, sleep, digestion, mood — they’re all feedback. When you start listening, your body tells you exactly what it needs.

👉 Play the long game. A diet might change your weight, but your habits change your life. Choose the things you can still see yourself doing in 10, 20, or 30 years.

👉 Don’t wait for rock bottom to prioritize your health. Prevention is the most underrated form of self-love. It’s not sexy, but it’s freedom.

Your body isn’t your enemy. It’s your home — and the quality of your life depends on how well you care for it.

So maybe the question isn’t, “How much weight do I want to lose?”

Maybe it’s, “What kind of future do I want to live in this body?”

That shift changes everything.

As always, if you have a question or want to see if my services are right for you, feel free to hit reply or schedule a free call with me.

xo,

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