My name is Sonia Dhingra.  I like many of you wear multiple hats. I am a wife, daughter, mother and also a doctor who had been overweight most of my adult life. My story began when my parents immigrated to Canada in the 1970’s.  I was born in Canada, but went to boarding school in India for 7 years.  I was always considered a thin child by my friends and family, but when I moved back to Canada at the age of 17, I began to gain weight.  I was now exposed to the North American way of eating and consumed alot of sugar and flour to buffer my emotions and to feel better. That’s when my struggle with weight started. 

My mom referred to me as “healthy,” which in Indian culture is polite way of saying slightly overweight.    I am tall, so fortunately I was able to hide “healthy” weight well.  As I grew older, got married, and went through 3 pregnancies, I gained a considerable amount of weight.

I had tried a variety of weight loss programs including weight watchers, which helped me lose 10-15 pounds but I gained this weight right back.  Then I decided to join the gym where I would wake up every morning at 5am to hit the gym, but again that only lasted for 3-5 months before it became impossible to consistently wake up so early.  I ended up feeling guilty for wasting money on the gym membership and was always quick to cancel my membership after 6 months or so.  It was very difficult for me to balance my personal health and my family at home.

Then COVID hit and I gained another 10 pounds. I remember driving to work one morning and feeling disgusted in my own skin. My stomach was rolling out of my pants and I refused to size up. I had been diagnosed with GERD (reflux) and had started on some acid reflux medications. Then, I was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia. I knew that something was missing in my life and I needed to change something within my lifestyle that would allow me feel better about myself. So, on Feb 6, 2021, I came upon a podcast by Katrina Ubell and she talked about weight loss but not from the typical gym and strict dieting but from the perspective of managing your mind.

For the past 25 years, I had tried everything and felt there was nothing I had to lose (except my weight) and I embarked on this new journey. To say the least, it changed my life dramatically. I lost 27 pounds in six months and most importantly I was able to maintain that weight and have kept it off.  I even took another barium swallow test which showed my hiatal hernia had resolved itself, entirely. I am currently not on any medications.  Not only do I feel great, but I look great too.  I have learned a lot about myself over the course of the past year as well and I would love to share my knowledge and become your weight loss life coach to help you get the results you want!