If you’re human and reading this, chances are you have some kind of relationship with food, right? I mean, you at least have to eat it to survive, but do you enjoy it? For many of us, food can be a stress trigger, something that spirals us into a place of guilt or shame. Living in a society that gives value to what is “healthy,” we can find ourselves dealing with a lot of negative emotions when it comes to how we eat. Today’s guest, Victoria Evans, is here to tell you that food is not the enemy. She’ll break down the science behind our eating patterns and give you tools to feel in control.
I met the lovely Victoria at a ladies co-working meetup in Canggu about a month ago. I was instantly drawn to her for the confident vibes she put out. She’s a tall beauty with strong arms and an even stronger smile. I instantly found myself thinking, I need to know her story. And I’m so glad I did!
Victoria Evans is an intuitive eating coach and an amazing one at that. Like many of us in the coaching world, she uses her own battle with body image and self worth to uplift her clients (and everyone she interacts with). Victoria’s road to confidence did not come easy, as she struggled with weight gain, eating disorders, and a workout obsession that nearly killed her.
Whether you’re simply feeling frustrated with dieting, feel guilty every time you skip the gym, or have experienced any form of an eating disorder, this episode is for you. (So, everyone?) You’ll be moved by her story and feel empowered by all the fantastic advice she delivers.
Meet Victoria Evans
For today’s interview, I want you to listen to all the different aspects of Victoria’s story. I am confident there is a part of her journey that’s relevant to everyone reading this, including you. Listen in:
I’m curious, what advice sparked inspiration in you? What can you do to enjoy food more? Comment below!
Victoria’s Story
While I highly, highly encourage you to listen to her own words in the video, here is a quick review of everything Victoria’s been through on this journey to a positive relationship with food.
High Performance Athelete
As one of the top volleyball players growing up, Victoria used sports as her way to be seen, to fit in. Throughout her youth, sports were a way to release her stress, but enjoying the rush of endorphins released on the court. It was where she belonged.
Until she began playing for a college team in a different country. The pressure of needing to be better, of needing to be thinner, of no longer being the best caught up with her. Suddenly, food became Victoria’s comfort and she put on 65 lbs over a few short years.
An Insta-Inspiration
After college, she went to work for a beauty brand and felt like an outsider at work. Her colleagues came to work thin and polished everyday, making her uncomfortable with her own weight and ready to change.
She sought out a guaranteed weight-loss plan from one of the fitness influencers she followed on Instagram. Victoria followed the plan religiously and became the poster child for the program after dropping 30 pounds within the first month.
However, she was also malnurished. Her energy levels plummeted and she was feeling dizzy throughout the day. Her coach encouraged her to drink more coffee and intermittent fast, continuing to drop weight even though she felt miserable.
“I was unhappy, more anxious, and more stressed. I was more of a basket case at my lowest weight than I was at my highest weight.”
Victoria Evans
She felt like she had to keep going on the weight loss journey. Not only was she receiving online praise, she was getting compliments at work. People were noticing her! She was the go-to gal in the office for dieting advice and fitness ideas.
Can’t Keep Up
Eventually, her body began demanding more food. Victoria began binging and purging every evening, spending hundreds of dollars on food deliveries each evening.
Desperate for calories, she eat huge amounts each night. However, the guilt and shame of “ruining her success” would cause her to throw it all back up and work out endlessly, afraid of keeping any extra calories in her body.
She finally hit a wall when she found herself on a run at 3 am, panicked about the trail mix she’d eaten. She sobbed for the entire 20 km run. When she returned home, she realized it was time to call an eating disorder hotline. She was ready to change.
“If you’re underweight and have an eating disorder, you go to the hospital. If you’re overweight and you have an eating disorder, you’re an inspiration.”
– Victoria Evans
How to Change Your Relationship with Food
Through counseling and endlessly researching how the brain works, Victoria was able to completely change her life. She became a true inspiration and an advocate for creating better relationships with food. She’s now an amazing intuitive eating coach and helps other women and high performance athletes to adjust to “normal eating.”
Throughout the interview, Victoria drops some great tips for how to have a healthier relationship with food AND your body:
- Give up Comparisons: All our devices have become flooded with “inspirational” photos of dramatic weight loss. Remember that the weight loss in the photos does not equate to happy or healthy.
- Get to Know Your Brain & Emotions: When we can better understand the mechanisms in our brain, we can feel more in control to make better decisions. We must also understand our emotions in the same way.
- Practice Breathwork: One of the best ways to calm the anxiety and shame spiral is through breathwork. Taking the time to breath in deeply and exhale for slightly longer triggers the parasympathetic nervous system. This calms the body into a relaxed state.
- Embrace Conscious Eating: It’s not not so much about what you’re eating, but how you’re eating. If you want cake, allow yourself to enjoy it. Then, allow yourself to explore other food choices that make you feel amazing.
Honestly, you’ve got to listen to the interview to really get her best advice. Go take a listen 🙂
“Realize that: A.) No one has their shit figured out. B.) We’re all just doing the best we can. C.) We get to decide what self-worth is for ourselves.”
-Victoria Evans
Connect with Victoria
Looking for some REAL inspiration online? Victoria shares raw and honest stories from her daily struggles on her Instagram: @Victoriaevansofficial. You can also tune into her amazing podcast, Weighing In On Happy, for interviews with others who have battled through similar stories. I’d also head over to her website, VictoriaEvansOfficial.com, to grab more information on her 1:1 coaching and new programs she has coming up!
What part of her story connected with you the most? We would LOVE to connect in the comments below.
Victoria and I both believe in every single one of you. You are POWERFUL. You can take control, but sometimes, you just need some extra resources. We are here to help, so please reach out.
You are LOVED!
