Everything I Knew About Health Was Wrong
If you've been following along, you know I've been on a healing journey with my body over the last several months—one that has rocked everything I thought I knew about food, fitness, and well-being.
When I think back so much of my time was spend following some kind of strict diet or food plan. In high school, I was eating saltine crackers and granny smith apples for lunch. Somewhere along the way, I absorbed the belief that thin is what matters most. And as a dancer, that belief wasn't just reinforced—it was magnified.
For years, I fought my body, trying to make it conform to whatever version of "fit" or "healthy" I was chasing at the time. I was constantly measuring success by the scale, by how my clothes fit, and whether I had “earned” the right to eat certain foods.
My first business was born from this very journey—learning how to befriend my body instead of fighting it. bodyheart was about helping people relate to their bodies with kindness and compassion. And for a long time, I felt more at peace. I truly thought I had cracked the code.
Until my body changed. And I had to face the hard truth: what had worked before wasn't working anymore.
The Sign I Couldn’t Ignore
The first sign that something was off came in 2009—migraines. Out of nowhere. After three days of relentless pain, I took myself to urgent care, where I was told, "You're having a migraine. Not much we can do except give you a prescription."
I didn't want to just treat the symptoms. I wanted to know why they were happening. (After 15 years, that answer has finally become clear!)
So I did everything—rolfing, chiropractic care, physical therapy, allergy testing, elimination diets, hormone testing, a functional medicine doctor, inner work, and supplements galore. Progress was slow and prolonged after I got exposed to toxic mold, which threw my system into another spiral.
By 2023, my health had improved significantly, but I still wasn't 100%. My period symptoms were getting worse, I was experiencing heart palpitations, and I was still getting migraines (though much less frequently). Even though I was considered "healthy" by conventional standards, I could feel that something was off.
Then, an unexpected doctor visit changed everything.
I went in for chest pain (which, thankfully, turned out to be nothing), but in the process, they found a thyroid nodule and fibroids in my uterus. That discovery sent me down a whole new rabbit hole.
I learned that symptoms I had never paid much attention to actually mattered—like my hands, feet, and nose always being cold. My low blood pressure and slow heart rate weren't just quirks; they were signs of a sluggish metabolism. And all the calorie restriction and intermittent fasting I had done? It was actually working against me.
I thought I was being healthy. Turns out, I was depriving my body of what it needed to truly heal.
The New Path
For the past few months, I've been shifting everything:
Eating five to six times a day instead of one or two.
Prioritizing fueling my body, rather than depriving it.
Swapping intense workouts and cold plunges for nervous system support and strength training.
Measuring my health by temperature, pulse, digestion, sleep, energy—not just the scale.
It's been a complete mental reprogramming. And let me tell you, my old paradigm is kicking and screaming on its way out.
Enter Holly Perkins
Throughout this journey, my friend Holly Perkins has been a true inspiration.
Holly and I have known each other for nearly a decade. She geeks out on women's health, fitness, and strength training the way I geek out on personal growth and spirituality. Meaning: she's doesn't just talk the talk—she lives this work every single day.
And just like me, Holly had to unlearn a whole lot of outdated health advice—including through her own unexpected chronic illness journey.
After decades in the fitness industry, she realized the traditional model—one that relies on weight, BMI, and restrictive eating—was failing women. So she dug deeper, redefined what health actually looks like, and built a method that helps women feel strong, nourished, and free in their bodies.
If any of my journey resonates with you… if you've been questioning what you've been taught about food and fitness… if you're tired of feeling like you're doing everything “right” but your body still isn't thriving…
You need to check out Holly's FREE 3-day program:
Mastering Your Body Composition.
What You'll Learn in This FREE Program
Why body weight and BMI are outdated (and what to focus on instead).
The 3 Steps to Becoming More Muscle (and Less Fat) so you can feel stronger and leaner.
The estrogen-inflammation connection and how it impacts your ability to build muscle and burn fat.
The 4 Pillars of Better Body Composition and the nutrition strategies that actually work.
Holly has been game-changer for me, and I know she can be for you too.
With loving,
Amber
P.S. If you've ever believed sugar is the enemy… that orange juice, bread, and potatoes are off-limits… or that intermittent fasting is the only way to stay fit, Holly's course might just blow your mind. In the best way. Sign up here.
P.P.S. In full transparency—I'm an affiliate partner for Holly's work, which means I may receive a commission if you choose to work with her beyond this free training. But as you know, I'm extremely selective about who and what I share with you. I only recommend people and programs I have experienced and fully believe in, and Holly is the real deal. Whether or not you take the next step, I hope this email sparks something in you to explore what true health looks like for you.
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