Hi, I'm Michelle, and I no longer worry about my weight, food, or exercise, even though it used to rule my life. I have an unusual background that has led me to discover a unique approach to health and wellness.

I was hired as a personal trainer, despite being one of the most non-athletic people on the planet. I decided to "practice what I preach", and in the process, I gained weight, became a binge eater, an exercise bulimic, and became obsessed with my weight. It seemed impossible to lose weight, no matter what I did.

Then, life took a dramatic turn. I was hit by 5 cars on the freeway, which resulted in me being laid up on a couch. Surprisingly, I lost 10 lbs and dropped 5% body fat, all while doing nothing. This made me realize that there's more to weight loss than just dieting and exercising.

I ventured into Food Psychology, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), acquired my yoga teacher training certificate, gained a masters degree in human behavior, and started my PhD in psychology. This diverse educational background opened my eyes to the mental and emotional aspects of health and wellness.

As I was about to start my dissertation, I started playing a game of cornhole more seriously. I fell in love with it, met a woman online who asked me to start a female-based cornhole business, and I am now a sideline reporter for the American Cornhole League, host two podcasts about cornhole, and help cornhole players with their mental game.

Now you might be wondering, what does cornhole have to do with health? Well, all of these seemingly random things overlap and can help people live the most fulfilling lives in bodies they love.

Here's how this weight thing CAN work: You can genuinely enjoy food. You can engage in fun activities that you can't wait to do. You can feel more connected, light, and free than you ever have before. And you can have SO much fun along the way!

There are three steps to accomplish this: Understand how the body works, learn about the other vitamins you can’t get from food, and understand the role of your nervous system in your health and weight.

Understanding how the body works is crucial. We need to do enough with food and exercise so that we feel good about ourselves without worrying about others' opinions and judgments. It’s not about extreme diets or grueling exercise regimens, it's about creating a life that feels amazing.

The mind heavily influences the body. We can “do” all the right things and not see the results we want because the brain gives the orders to the body and has ultimate veto power. So, what vitamins do we need for our mind so our body operates at the highest level? Passion and pleasure from food, movement, and our lives in general. Fun and freedom. Connection and community. Without these “vitamins”, all the healthy food and exercise won’t matter.

Finally, understanding the role of your nervous system in your health and weight is paramount. The autonomic nervous system controls the functions of internal organs. The PNS system slows down organ function and is activated when people are at rest. The SNS prepares the body for physical action. We can directly impact how our body functions based on regulating our own nervous system. Thus, the key is to create a relaxed and care-free state most of the time.

Enjoy food. Enjoy cornhole. Enjoy life. Trust that your body thrives when you thrive. If you are curious to learn more about this journey, you can find my books on Amazon and follow me on Instagram at @cornholemeesh. Join me on this unique journey to health and fun, the cornhole way!