Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Dunlap.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story began as a young teen. The patterns and habits I would carry into my mid-40s began around the age of 14 when I had my first experience with alcohol. Every weekend my friends and I would hang out at the football games and go to parties after. This led to promiscuous behaviors and a mountain of guilt and shame. When I was a junior in high school, I had gained 50lbs from many nights of partying and hitting up Taco Bell after. It had finally caught up with me.
My parents tried everything from counseling, to outpatient re-hab, and ultimately a gym membership.
It was at the gym where I found my home, but unbeknownst to me, it was just a band-aid for the wounds and there was still real work to be done.
I lost the extra weight physically but the mental “weight” was still there.
I did step into the profession of teaching aerobics and ultimately a personal trainer, which became my saving grace, but I always felt like a fraud.
I would be “perfect” through the week and then on the weekends I was what I refer to as a “Weekend Warrior.” I would self-destruct by binging with food and alcohol every single weekend. It was a shameful secret.
Those behaviors were repeated over and over until I was in my mid-40s.
Until after a night of my “normal” partying. I looked in the mirror the next morning and the reflection I saw looking back at me looked like a mug shot.
I never ever wanted to see that face that was looking back at me in the mirror ever again.
I still look at that image often because it is a constant reminder to Never ever give up. I always knew I was meant for more and the woman I desired to become was inside. I knew I had to fight like hell to bring her ours. And that is when the true healing journey began.
I got so tired of saying…
“Why do I keep doing this to myself?”
“Why do I keep hurting other people?”
“Why do I self-sabotage.”
“Why is it so hard for me to step out of this cycle.”
“Why is it so difficult for me to become the woman I desire to be?”
“Why can’t I just be normal?”
So many nights I just wanted to sleep and never woke up. It was so painful and I was so sick of it.
I felt powerless for so many years… all because that is what I believed I deserved. It was just a story in my head that kept me there.
On that dreadful day in 2016, when I saw that “mug shot” in the mirror, everything changed. I stood in the decision, and I began to take action.
It wasn’t always easy and nothing is perfect.
There were many moments that I referred to as failures, but I now know it was just part of the process. The more I moved onward, the more everything began to make sense.
I realized the key to my freedom from guilt and shame was healing.
There are no shortcuts.
You cannot tiptoe around your pain, shame, guilt, and stories that are keeping you stuck.
You cannot shove it under the rug.
You cannot stick your head in the sand and avoid it.
You cannot just say, “make it go away”
You cannot hide… Hiding isn’t healing.
Opening up the box of demons and letting them all out was key. I realized that was a way better feeling than hanging out with those demons in that dark box because that was lonely, sad, and heavy. I knew I deserved better.
I decided to retire from the personal training business and go all-in on creating my very own business. Some called me crazy because I was 45 years old. As most people’s careers were just winding down, I decided to start from the ground up.
Kelly Dunlap Wellness was born.
I dove into massive education and developed coaching programs unlike anything out there. I became educated in many areas and healing practices, which I utilized during my own journey. I am grateful to now able to help others in the same way.
Within the last 5 years, my education has included becoming a Certified Functional Nutrition Coach where I focus a lot on hormones, gut health, inflammation, and blood sugar. I became a certified macro-nutrition coach, a certified Neurolinguistic Programming Practitioner also known as NLP which has everything to do with your subconscious limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. I became a certified Hypnotherapist because I truly believe in deeper subconscious healing. I became a certified Life Coach, and a certified Macro Nutrition Coach, but more importantly, I became the true authentic me. The version I had always desired to be.
In 2017 I created my very first signature program, which is called, The Metabolism Reboot Academy. This program was my very first program, which has been recently retired and is in the process of developing a new signature program that I feel more in alignment with. I have grown a lot since 2017, and I am excited to create this.
Currently, I am scaling my business with a team of coaches. I have partnered with Metagenics, First Line Therapy Program, and I could not be more honored. I am also in the development stages of creating a meal plan membership that will help get people away from convenience foods and protein bars, which are keeping them in an unhealthy place. The biggest thing I am excited about is developing partnerships with physicians whose practices are in need of lifestyle educators, nutrition consulting, and mindset education to better the health of their patients.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There were always ups and downs but it took a while for me to learn that those bumpy roads were the true healing moments. The true lessons were inside the obstacles and challenges presented to me. I just had to swim through the trenches not over, as Dory said!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Specialist I specialize in Functional Wellness.
Getting to the root cause issue.
People are typically treating symptoms and not getting to the root cause of the issue.
Most illness is caused by the mind…perceived stressors, old stories, limiting beliefs, and traumas from unresolved issues from the past.
The mindset work is what I feel I am most known for, but I am most sought after for weight loss, energy, and hormonal balance. In addition to gut healing and reducing inflammation.
I am known for helping women over 40 recognize symptoms caused by dysfunctions in their bodies and ultimately lead them to root cause resolutions that enable hormonal balance, weight loss, increased energy, and mental clarity.
I am most proud of being scared of following my dreams but doing it anyway!
What sets me apart is how I blend all of these components – mind, body, spirit, and nutrition.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people who had not known me prior are surprised to find out that I have always walked a fine line with addiction and that I am very open and transparent about my journey. I am often called brave, but honestly, it is truly a part of healing. Letting it go. Being transparent and letting the light in. Darkness cannot survive in the light.
Contact Info:
- Email: kelly@kellydunlapwellness.com
- Website: www.kellydunlap.com
- Instagram: @kellyadunlap
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kellydunlapwellness/
Image Credits
Melissa Douglas
