This episode gets real. If you have my book Eat Cake. Be Brave. Then you know that weight has been an issue all of my life. One of my earliest memories was getting out of bed and finding my mom eating frosting and watching Johnny Carson. I’ve tried different diets, and I know it is about the journey, letting God guide me, and having a conversation with my heart.

This is why I’m so excited about today’s guest. Amy Reinecke is someone who I discovered on Instagram and her website Beautifully Broken Journey resonated with me. Amy talks about her story, her struggle with weight, food, and dieting. We talk about how it is about the journey, loving your body, and trusting in God to guide you. This is a complex topic that is a lifelong journey. Hopefully, we can all inspire each other to take this journey in a gracious and loving way.

You can find Amy Reinecke here:

Beautifully Broken Journey
Amy on Facebook
Amy on Instagram

Show Notes

• [00:55] My earliest memory is crawling out of bed and finding my mom watching Johnny Carson and eating frosting.
• [01:31] This is when eating in secret became fun, but honestly it isn't a whole lot of fun anymore.
• [01:42] Everybody seems to have an opinion about my weight and my size.
• [02:39] I want more. I want better. I want to do everything I need to do and get dressed up and feel good about myself. I want to lose weight.
• [03:21] My guest today is someone who I've been following on Instagram for a while. I am a crazy huge fan of this woman.
• [03:53] Amy Reinecke is my guest today.
• [05:07] Amy's journey also started when she was a little girl. She has struggled with weight and body image.
• [06:04] Amy spent a lot of time chasing the number on the scale. She felt like she didn't add up in quite a few different ways.
• [06:49] She went on her first diet when she was in the fourth grade.
• [07:15] Amy shares why her website is called Beautifully Broken Journey.
• [08:08] Beautifully broken jumped out at Melissa. She saw her reflection in that title.
• [10:41] By the end of the show, we should all love ourselves enough to try to do better for our bodies.
• [13:07] Amy and Melissa both sing. Melissa even moved to Nashville to pursue her dream of singing.
• [13:20] Melissa was paid really well to be a session singer. She stood at the back and let everyone else take center stage, because she didn’t look the part.
• [14:52] Amy and her husband had been through a difficult time and her weight and body image was a contributing factor. She would diet and then gain the weight back.
• [15:23] She had lost weight and was unhappy living a life of restriction, until she discovered binge eating disorder.
• [16:33] Binge eating disorder when you hide your food choices is a real thing.
• [17:09] Amy began therapy and gained 100 pounds. Her diet had been so restrictive, and she started eating whatever she wanted. She was actually on 3 medications and one of them caused extreme hunger.
• [18:35] She had to learn and relearn her hunger cues.
• [21:27] How restrictive diets can really backfire in the long run.
• [22:39] Why food was such an emotional issue for Amy. She struggled for years and realize she couldn't fight the battle on her own anymore. She opened up her heart and asked for help.
• [23:14] She knows it's more than just calories in and calories out. Are you broken inside? Are you taking your life, because you're not enjoying your food?
• [24:23] Amy has finally realized that her journey is forever.
• [24:52] Amy feels better when she takes care of her body. She's a better wife, mother, and friend. She is also lost 104 pounds in the last two years.
• [25:37] God created us to run on full capacity with the physical, emotional, and spiritual.
• [25:51] Melissa is kicking butt emotionally and spiritually. But we are only as strong as our weakest link.
• [27:37] We are more than the number on the scale. Amy loves the body kindness movement.
• [30:20] Amy went back to Weight Watchers but was determined to do it in a healthy way.
• [31:48] Amy chose Weight Watchers because it was the only program that had worked for her. Restriction in any form is not healthy for her.
• [32:48] She needed to honor her body in a lifelong way.
• [33:53] Being a mom is the one area that Amy had the utmost confidence in.
• [34:12] God had taught Amy to trust in Him in that season.
• [35:12] Amy's back surgery was a gift of God's grace. In a way it was saying let's just start over.
• [36:13] It's not about a number. It's about having a body that can move and a body that you can appreciate.
• [37:43] Amy felt that God told her to stop drinking Diet Coke.
• [39:07] Melissa finds that when God is leading her, she is more in tune with his voice.
• [39:55] He is also the God of the small moments.
• [41:06] Amy is being pushed in a direction that will probably give her more freedom than she has ever had in her life.
• [43:23] It's not about the weight, it is about the journey and the reliance on a creator that is greater than you.
• [45:03] What Amy is doing means so much to Melissa.
• [45:41] It was a true blessing for Amy to share her story.
• [46:46] The lightning round…
• [49:20] This was a tough topic for me. It's time to have a conversation with my heart.

Thanks for joining us on Ordinary People Ordinary Things. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes and leave a nice review. Just like your mother taught you.

Links and Resources:

• Podcast Web Page
• Facebook Page
• @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram
• @msmelissaradke on Twitter
• This Sucks But God Is Good (online course)
• Beautifully Broken Journey
• Amy on Facebook
• Amy on Instagram
• Eat Cake. Be Brave.