Haley Williams

Hi! My name is Haley, and I am a wife to Joey and mom to three amazing girls – Isla (7), Juliette (5), and Marigold (2).

My life’s story is so much bigger than some recent weight loss, but since I am a prolific writer (journalism grad!) and will struggle not to write a novel on even this single niche topic, I have to stick to just this story. Let’s hang out though if you want to REALLY get to know me 😉 

I have always been very active and athletic. Since I was young, I was always involved in a sport that had me running and staying strong and healthy – from soccer, volleyball, cheer, basketball and track- I always loved the feeling of working hard and a challenge to conquer. 

The physical side of health, by working out and staying active, was always the part that came easily for me. My dad was very overweight when I was a teenager, and he joined a local program to lose weight on a diet. He was able to lose over 100 lbs and has kept it off all these years. But watching him and my mom kind of join “diet culture” at such a formative age had a big impact on me. At 16, even though I was incredibly fit and didn’t need to, I started drinking Slimfast for breakfast. I ate pine nuts regularly as a snack. Protein bars for lunch. I ate like I was the one who needed to lose weight because I was doing what I had seen my parents do to “be healthy” – without realizing it was actually *not* healthy for a 16-year-old to necessarily do these things. 

I never had an eating disorder in the truest sense, but I did have disordered eating and saw that modeled in ways that did not help me understand how to best think about food as fuel for my body and life. 

Fast forward to becoming a mom (the greatest gift EVER for me) – my own physical activity through working out continued to be important to me, but food became harder to navigate. Faced with stress or sleepless nights, I turned to food as more of an ‘outlet’ to process my emotions. Sad? Have a quick Oreo while standing at the pantry. Stressed? Drink a glass of wine. This was just a reflex and not something I thought too much about – because it was “normal.” 

I watched my weight balloon with each pregnancy. I didn’t FEEL good, but I thought because I worked out hard and regularly, I was “healthy.” 

But as Angie says, you can’t outwork a bad diet. I’ve been in TTT for a little over two years and this Fall, I finally decided to take losing excess weight seriously by changing my eating habits and thinking of food first as fuel for living my life well and seeking to bring glory to God with my choices – even in the kitchen. Food is not an immoral thing in and of itself, but depending on how we are using it, it can really become something that is an idol or something we are enslaved to, rather than treated as a good gift from God. In some ways, it’s interesting that it took me two years of TTT to get to a place that I finally feel like the best version of me, and one I know is not enslaved to my appetite – but here’s WHY:

We say all the time – TTT is more than a workout – and nothing could be more true. It is about discipline. It’s about community. Camaraderie. Cheering on your friends when you yourself aren’t sure you can do one more squat – one more pushup. It is about mental toughness and doing HARD THINGS in the gym, so we can go do hard things out there. 

And that’s what happened to me. I spent the last two years building community, honing self-discipline, strengthening my body and my mind. In high school track, I was a sprinter. I LOVE sprinting – I like doing hard things for a few seconds. But distance running is another story. These last two years have been preparing me for the MARATHON that is the rest of my life fueling my body well. 

And all of THAT is what helped me to recently tap into the self-discipline and strength I needed to lose the weight. This Fall, I was able to lose 35 lbs, and I am keeping it off. 

I didn’t learn a magic formula or push a magic button — I drew on the deep well of fortitude I had been digging here at TTT. It’s almost like these two years of “boot camp” gave me the tools to fight the war in myself I needed to wage, with God’s help. The war we each fight every day – to make decisions that serve us and our families well, honor God and rightly use and enjoy all the gifts He gives to us. That was a war I needed help to fight, and TTT has been an armory of sorts as I have fought that battle. I know it will continue to be, going forward. 

More important than any weight loss, though, is what I’ve gained. Female friendships are HARD to come by, especially in this day and age. But now, as a 33-year old,  I have a community of friends unlike any other season in my life. In a time when many friendships are breaking apart, mine have been cemented and reinforced by what we do together in and out of the gym. I have a place that I LOVE coming to, that reminds me how strong I am, yes, but more importantly – how strong my God is. 

Side note: I also realize I may only understand the demos half the time because I’m so excited to see my friends and I’m looking around the room to see who is there with me that day to fight, work and win. I want to see all the people who are on my “team.” (I will try to pay better attention to demos but c’mon — this is a testament to how much we love each other 😉 ) 

I didn’t think it was possible to “have it all” when it came to a place you workout. I didn’t think you could get the hardest workout – with the best people – and the most awesome community (and kid zone!) – and have the truth spoken into me while doing it — But I was wrong. I leave feeling empowered, encouraged, and equipped every single workout. God is using TTT for His glory and the good of SO many women, and I am so very thankful He drew me (and Sherm invited me!) to this place. Love you, girls! 

-Haley Williams