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Denise: I am so happy to have you here because number one, your energy is just contagious to talk to, so I love talking to you anytime. And number two, your message of hope is extraordinary. And what I think is even more extraordinary is that you had to endure, if you will, 63 surrendered, not in the easiest way, in that you’re on different time zones. It took a lot of configuring.  So I’m just very interested to hear all the obstacles that you overcame to allow the Lord to come into your life. So without further ado Ciara, can you tell our audience just a little bit more about you? Ciara: So I’m actually 27 years old. I have a younger brother and I have an older sister. We live in a farm. We have little calves and they’re so cute and I love them so much. And yeah, I love, I actually love, kinda like photography and all creative stuff. Yeah. Denise: Okay. And so you’re 27, but it seems like at this very young age, you realized obviously that you wanted some help. So you wanted some help because of your history with food and weight. So can you share with our audience a little bit about your history with food and weight? Start as young as you want to. Ciara: So really like in 2021, maybe like age 24, I went on like this medication. For my mental health and stuff, and I started to become very hungry. And then, like at around one stage, I was like 14 stone.  Denise: 14 stone. I’m gonna try to translate this as you do that. So at one point you were 196 pounds. And what would you say is what were you before that when you started the medication? Ciara: So before the medication I was like thin to be honest. Like before the medication, I think it was the medication that made me put on weight. And then like I was craving stuff. I was really hungry. Like starving for food. And then the binging started happening. Denise: Okay. All right, so to recap, when you first started the medication, you were about 140 pounds or 10 stones, and then you went up to 196 pounds or 14 stones, so you gained about 56 pounds from the medication being hungry, and you started to notice yourself binging. Ciara: You see? So basically, I was very thin before the medication. I was very thin. And then in 2021, I started gaining weight because of the medication. And each year, maybe last year, maybe I was 14 stone, but  like for the three years, like 2021 to 2020, like maybe four or five. I keep gaining and gaining and gaining and gaining and gaining weight. Putting on weight, like. Yeah. Denise: So gaining weight because you’re more hungry is different than binging. So you started to notice a new behavior of binge eating. Tell me about that. Ciara: Yes. So like a new behavior. I was hungry all the time, so I wanted crisps. Chocolate. I dunno what it was, but I was drawn to crackers, cheese, and tomatoes. I was just obsessed with it. I just wanted it all the time. But I was just starving, like I was really hungry. Denise: Yeah. Okay. So it wasn’t necessarily I’m eating over emotions. It is. I’m eating because I am so hungry. Ciara: Well, at the start it was hunger. Okay. But then it became emotions. Definitely. Yes.  Denise: Okay.  Ciara: Yeah. Denise: When did you notice that happened? Ciara: I see around like a year maybe into it. A year 2022 maybe. Denise: So when you look back at that, so you’re eating for hunger and then you start to notice that you’re eating for emotions. Do you remember what the shift was? Ciara: I think it was such a blur because it was so fast. It was so like impulsive, and it was very like blurry. Yeah. Denise: Yeah. It feels really out of control. Ciara: Yes. Denise: Like you’re on autopilot, zoned out. Ciara: Yeah. I wasn’t aware of what I was doing. Yeah. Denise: And so, at one point you probably recognized that, oh my gosh, this is what I’m doing. I assume there was something before weight loss with the Holy Spirit before 63 surrendered. Ciara: Yes.  Denise: What did you try before us? Ciara: So I did like living in the world. I think. I did a few other things as well, but my memory. I did a few other stuff as well, but there was my personal trainer, and I still have her from this day. And I, oh my God. We’re like this, we get on brilliant. And I were best like, oh my God. She’s amazing. I started her in 2022 and oh my gosh. She’s amazing. Yeah. Denise: So you started your personal trainer? Ciara: Yes. Yeah. I started with her and I think I lost a stone maybe, or I actually don’t know how much I lost, but it was definitely more than like the weight, if that makes sense. Denise: Yeah. And then when you start with a personal trainer. Often people think they want to lose weight, which they do, but there’s so many other benefits to personal training with regard to exercise, and then also just having a support person there. Ciara: Yes. Definitely. Yeah.  Denise: Yeah. So in addition to losing weight. How helpful was your personal trainer? What, you said it was about other things, like what other things were helpful with her? Ciara: Oh, she did so much for me. She was fantastic. Like she has been my emotions and she it was more than like weight, it’s hard to explain if you get what I’m like? Denise: She would be able to be a touch point for you to come in once a week or how often you met her, and then she’d really just check in with you emotionally. Ciara: Yes. Denise: And then she’d also give you some advice? Ciara: Yes. And I could talk to her about anything and stuff. Yeah. Yeah.  Denise: Okay.  Ciara: Definitely. Yeah. Denise: So with the support person, which was fantastic. Great self care. How was that helpful for your binge eating? Ciara: Like I would tell her Binging and stuff and she would help me and stuff. But I still was binging, you know what I mean? Yeah. Denise: So you’d be able to at least have some outlet to talk and she’d give you some advice. Ciara: Yes. And yes. It was really good advice. Yeah.  Denise: Did you notice that it helped you eat less? Ciara: I was very emotional.  Denise: Right.  Ciara: It was beyond the weight. I was emotional and stuff, and it was like nothing could work like she did work, she did work, she did work, and like my muscle, I love the gym. The gym is my favorite thing to do. It’s actually like one of my hobbies and stuff. And she made that work. But you know, nothing could work, you know what I mean? Yeah. Denise: So you’re saying you were so emotional, meaning that you could talk to her and she could listen and be supportive. Ciara: Yeah.  Denise: And yet she was not able to help you manage your emotions. Ciara: Yeah. Denise: Okay. That makes sense.  Ciara: Yeah. Yeah. Denise: Before starting 63 surrendered, what were you struggling with the most when it came to your food, your weight, or your relationship with God? Ciara: So I was struggling with weight. Oh my god, my body image was so negative. And the inner critic.  Denise: So you were really struggling with, you said you were struggling with your weight, which really means that you were still binge eating. Ciara: Yes.  Denise: You were feeling horrible about your body and then talking to yourself really poorly. Ciara: Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.  Denise: How about your relationship with the Lord at this point? Ciara: To be honest, like I always like. I actually don’t know. I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus, but I used to always say the rosary and stuff, and I used to always like pray. Denise: Okay.  Ciara: Yeah.  Denise: That’s really common that we find ourselves doing holy things and reverent things, but our personal relationship, our personal friendship isn’t developed. And I think that’s just part of the journey where we start doing the actions and then we start to have a personal relationship with him. Oh, that’s interesting. So had you considered to even invite the Lord into your food and weight struggle?  Ciara: Definitely not. No. I was, oh my God, definitely not. No. Denise: Yeah. And I find that’s just so common. So many women are like, I never even thought of that.  Ciara: No, I never thought about that. No. No. Definitely not. Denise: So crazy. Hey, listen, for everybody listening to this, the Lord only wants to help you with one thing. Everything. Ciara: Yes. Denise: He wants to be there for all of the ups and downs. Ciara: Definitely. Denise: Okay? So what made you choose 63 Surrendered over other things? Other weight loss methods? Ciara: So it was religious. I never heard of anything like that before and it was very funny because it was like, it was in a different country. It was online. People were advising me and saying, but how are you gonna do it? And I said, and not to do it.  They were actually saying not to do it, but I wasn’t listening ’cause I was actually very drawn to it. It was like the Holy Spirit was giving me that nudge and in the end they were all so happy and I did it. They were just like, oh my God, I imagine you didn’t do it. You know what I mean? Denise: Yeah. So the Holy Spirit knocked on your shoulder and dove into your heart.  Ciara: Yeah.  Denise: And was like, I have this for you. And then you told other people and they were actually trying to convince you not to do it. Ciara: Oh yes. Yeah.  Denise: And why were they saying don’t do this? Ciara: So they were saying it was in a different country. It’s online. How are you going to do it? They were advising me not to do it like they thought, this is going to be a scam and all. And I was drawn. Something is telling me, Yeah.  Denise: So you didn’t listen to them and you listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Ciara: Yes. Yeah. Denise: So what has been the biggest surprise for you during the challenge? Ciara: Oh my God, there’s, there is so many. There is actually so many. Denise: List them all. Ciara: But I think the surrender novena gave me strength in this life. I used to grab, and hold onto things and try to control my life. But now I let go and give all my worries, problems, attachment, happy things, prayers.  Everything to Holy Mary to give to Jesus. Miracle. Graces and blessings have happened in my life since I’ve done the surrender novena. It worked and changed my life. It’s powerful. It’s very oh my God. It’s just so powerful. I recommend everyone to do it. Denise: Yeah, me too. Ciara: Like it changed my life. Denise: So it changed your life and you’re able to surrender things other than your food and weight. How have you used the surrender novena to help with the binge eating and with your weight struggles? Ciara: So basically like before I used to grab onto things and stuff and like really hold onto things, but now it’s just like the surrender novena a kind of like, it’s my Bible. Denise: Okay. What you guys aren’t seeing is that Ciara is holding up one of the bonuses to the 63 surrendered program is a chart that says. How do you know when you’re surrendering and how do you know when you’re not surrendering?  And it’s just an easy side by side chart and you said it’s your Bible, so it’s like you’ve studied it and so that you know the characteristics of a surrendered life versus not a surrendered life. Ciara: Yeah. Oh my God. Do you know what it’s like? I struggled with this all my life and this brings me the answers. Denise: Yeah. Yeah. It’s really clear. So can you read for the people who don’t see that, the ones that really help you? ’cause I think there’s 10 ways that you’re surrendering, in 10 ways that you’re not. Can you read the ones that you know for sure, like really relate to you that help you know when you’re surrendering and the ones that show you when you’re not surrendering? Ciara: Oh my God. This is it, there’s so many but I, there’s so many that every single one is like my one, but I say so what anxious me? Anxious worrying about whether you lose weight this week and trying to control every decision. Ciara: Being peaceful is feeling calm as you say, Jesus, I trust you to guide me through these food struggles. Denise: Yeah, it just leaves it out right there. Okay, so if you’re surrendering, this is what you need to do. If you’re not surrendering, you are worrying about your way and trying to control every decision. Ciara: Yes.  Denise: You need another one? Yeah. These are good. Ciara: Yes. Feeling fearful, feeling scared that if you don’t track every calorie, you lose all control.  Denise: And what’s the surrendered way? Ciara: Trusting is letting go of worries about tomorrow’s cravings and trusting Jesus to lead you step by step. Denise: Yeah I hope what the woman who’s listening to this clearly sees is that what 63 Surrendered does is it teaches you how to identify when you’re not surrendered, and that you just gave two beautiful examples trying to track every calorie, or worrying about if I lose weight this week and control every decision. And then we teach you, and the Lord teaches you, it’s all his lessons. Hey, listen, this is what trust would look like. This is what calm would look like. Ciara: Yes. Denise: And it seems like Ciara, it doesn’t seem like Ciara, you have embraced this lifestyle, this surrendered lifestyle, to the point that you have now become such a wonderful student of surrender of Jesus’s lessons that you are always checking in with yourself. To discern, Ooh, am I living surrendered or am I not? Ciara: Oh yeah. Denise: So with this new lifestyle, it is always a slowly by, slowly journey. But hey guys, I just want everyone to know it’s always going to be a journey. Every morning that the Lord opens your eyes, you’re going to be making progress. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen as long as you continue to say yes and stay in this work. So during your 63 Surrendered Journey, what were the top three highlights or the results? Ciara: So do you know the sheet that says when I’m eating with the Holy Spirit, I’m eating? Denise: Yes. The safe eating plan? Ciara: And then I am becoming a woman. I read them two sheets daily in the morning and it’s powerful. Denise: So what Ciara is saying is the safe eating plan is part of 63 surrendered, where we teach you how to know when you’re eating with the Holy Spirit so that you can practice that every single day. And then it’s because we get really clear on what not eating with the Holy Spirit looks like. So we just do the opposite. And then the exercise called Meeting Your Future You is where you go through with the Lord and the Holy Spirit reveals the future you that you are creating. And then the women who are in our lifetime program. They read that every single day to remind their brains what we’re working towards, to remind their brains, this is what the Holy Spirit revealed to me. This is who I’m becoming. Ciara, do you mind sharing some of the things the Lord revealed to you? on the who you’re becoming? Ciara: Yes. I actually made a video. Denise: Oh yes I think I’ve seen it. Yeah. Ciara: So I’m in someone’s house with a group of friends who are Catholic. I enjoy, love food and chew 20 times a eat and put a knife and fork down, empty my mouth. I won’t be as home as much except me and a group of Catholic friends.. Denise: Yeah. Sounds like you’re really connected to other people and the women that you’re becoming. Ciara: Yes. Yes. Denise: Okay. So that was one of the highlights.  Ciara: Yes.  Denise: Having your Me I’m becoming as well as your safe eating plan. What were some other highlights or physical results that you’ve had? Ciara: So the daily surrender sheet, morning and evening, it’s so powerful because it has all the questions that bring my day to inner peace. Example, the three emotions. The three emotions question means so much because I’m so emotional. It calms and balances me. chewing 20 times empty mouth and hand is actually key.  Every single question in the daily surrender morning evening sheet is powerful. I do models daily and they’re like my problem solver. I would be lost and like I would be confused. Then I do the model and then it’d be solved.  Denise: Yeah.  Ciara: And then how your brain works. So three functions. I find that amazing as well, like the wise out and the tornado thinking. It’s really, really good to know because it makes me positive, love and compassion thinking about myself, and I can, the self-assessment sheet, like the monthly my brain gets really disorganized. But I love that sheet so much because it goes through everything, detects thoughts, feelings, protect skills, game plan is key. Eating in God’s will talking with God. The social aspect has made such an impact in my life. I really, really love that slack community is amazing. The coaching, the check-ins, the support. Denise, which is you, gives me and everyone, it doesn’t stop. It’s literally 24 hours.  The advice and summarizing what every, like what everyone its just goes beyond, above and beyond. Coach Nicole is amazing. And then how would you rate your satisfaction with your body? I think that’s just fantastic because it made me get be so positive. It covers every single subject is amazing. And I also labeled like three sheets and what surrender feels like, the fullness scale and the feeling wheel. I think it’s brilliant. I hope you got that now. Denise: Yeah. What Ciara’s talking about is that every week especially in the lifetime community, there’s just a self-assessment. The beginning of the week. Or the end of the week. It’s one sheet of paper.  And it goes through and you just get to rate yourself on how much my practicing these skills. And the point is that it keeps you focused on the things that actually matter. And I hope you guys all heard Ciara’s voice light up when she said the community part. And I don’t mean that for any other reason than. That is part of it. And so her voice lit up with that part. That’s what’s bringing her healing. But your voice, dear listener, listening, might light up with a different area, but it just keeps you focused. You hear on what really matters.  And I hope you hear that Ciara, not one time has said, oh, well, I step on the scale every week. Or I plan out so many macros. It’s just, that’s not what’s going to get you to a healthy weight. But Ciara, now that we are talking about weight, how much weight have you lost? How much weight did you lose in the initial 63 Surrendered? And then from there, so you started 63, surrendered when? Ciara: So I started in, I think it was 15 to January 25. Denise: So in January. And then you ended in March?  Ciara: Yes. Yeah.  Denise: And how much did you lose in those first 63 days? Ciara: It was. I think it was, oh 51 pounds weight. So my starting weight was 13 eight. Denise: 13.8 stones. Okay, so your starting weight was 190, and then in March, what were you, Ciara: 11. stone nine pounds. Denise: So you started at 190 and then you ended at 163. So in 63 days you lost 27 pounds. Is that possible? Wow. Okay. So Sierra in 63 days you lost 27 pounds. Ciara: Yes. Yeah. Denise: How is that even possible? Ciara: It’s not me. It’s the holy, like it’s you and the Holy Spirit. It’s Jesus and you, like you made Jesus happen in me, if that makes sense. Denise: Yeah. What you’re saying is that you were given a tool that helped unblock you. So that the Lord could come in and work and heal in you? Ciara: Yes. Yeah. Denise: So before 63 surrendered, how many days a week were you binge eating? Ciara: How many? I say it every day. Like every second. Denise: And when you started 63 surrendered, did you just stop? Ciara: I think it’s the novenas. And all the things that I used to write that you gave us and stuff. I did them, I could do them with my heart and I tried my very best doing them and stuff. And I also did the novena and things just seemed to miraculously just change for me. Denise: So the compulsion and the urge to binge just was removed? Ciara: Oh yeah, definitely. Definitely. Without a doubt. Denise: Wow, so that was your first 27 days or your first 27 pounds? Ciara: Yes. Denise: And now we are recording this at the middle of August, so next week will be seven months. Ciara: Yeah. Denise: And continuing the surrendered work. How much do you weigh now? Ciara: So it’s still, so I’m nine stone, 12 pounds. Denise: So in seven months, so you’re currently 138 pounds, so you went from 190 to 138. So you have lost 52 pounds in seven months. I know. Thank you so much. Wow, that is incredible. Ciara: Thank you so much. Denise: Wow. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Holy Spirit. Thank you, Ciara, for saying yes to yourself. Ciara: Thank you. Yeah.  Denise: Oh my gosh. So what’s crazy is that the people who were telling you before, Hey, let’s, yeah, that’s online. It’s in another country. How in the world is that gonna work? What are they now saying to you? Ciara: Oh, they’re absolutely shocked. They see a different Ciara. They’re like, Ciara if you didn’t, you would still, it’s like a new Kira. Like they don’t know where the old Ciara is. She’s gone.  Denise: I’ve been mispronouncing your name this whole time. Ciara: No. No, no. Denise: So wait, you pronounce your name? Kira? Ciara: Yes. Or Ciara or Kira? Yeah. Yeah. Denise: Okay. Well, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, but I’m gonna go with Ciara, since I started the beginning with that.  Ciara: Yes.  Denise: Oh my gosh. What I think is crazy and what I love about your story is that. I find that secular weight loss is all like they would’ve led with the, oh my gosh, my life has changed. I’ve lost 55 pounds or 52 pounds. And I think that your story is, oh my gosh, the Surrender Novena has changed my life. Like my internal peace, my internal being who I am isn’t the same. The compulsion to binge has been removed. It’s been a miracle, and I love that’s how you led.  Ciara: Yeah. Denise: I like your satisfaction with your body. You don’t hate your body anymore. You don’t speak to yourself. Your inner mean, your inner critic is silenced. Ciara: And say sometimes like when it does, I get the tools to come back. And to the weight loss with the Holy Spirit. And it helps me to really, really this is Jesus, it just helps me to like, not prideful, but just acceptance. Yeah. Denise: And you guys, when we are aligned with the Lord and we are calm and we are peaceful, when we’re living in acceptance, there’s nothing to eat over. Ciara: No. Definitely not.  Denise: And a calm brain does not stress eat, which is the first thing we teach you is how to calm your brain so you don’t stress eat. Ciara: Yeah.  Denise: So if you could go back and talk to yourself before joining 63 surrendered, what advice would you give yourself? Ciara: Trust in what I can do? Don’t give into the fear of mistake, but take that leap and do it anyway, but depend on the Holy Spirit. It’s okay to be nice and compassionate to myself. And there is this Bible verse in Philippians, chapter 4, verse 13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. Denise: Yeah, and some people say that Bible verse, and I don’t think they really believe it. I have no doubt that you not only believe it, but you live it. Ciara: Yes. Yes. Yeah. Denise: So what would you say to the woman who’s hearing this and she is unsure if this could actually work for her? She doesn’t know if being surrendered is for her.  Ciara: Go for it. Go for it. Like you will get so much out of it if you put in the work and effort. And I just wanna say this. Denise is such a gifted and talented person. She’s very special. She has this way about her that if someone has a problem, she’s able to simplify down and give you the perfect solution. She gives so much of her time and energy to this. She’s passionate about it. The advocacy that she brings is a true leader. She knows her stuff. She’s a brilliant judge of character. She knows exactly how to help and find the perfect answer.  Denise has, I really feel she’s so talented and gifted that the Holy Spirit is working in her heaven, is definitely calling her for this work weight loss with the Holy Spirit, because she’s miraculously changing people’s life. It’s not for me to say it’s Jesus, but weight loss with the Holy Spirit is so different to any other program because Denise is so gifted. And I just feel she’s a walking saint from my heart. It works because the belief is in Jesus. Denise makes that alive. I have never heard of any surrender novena of food weight loss with the Holy Spirit before.  But weight loss with the Holy Spirit is so special because Denise plants a seed in each person’s life to believe in and depend on Jesus when it comes to weight. It is not just about the weight, it is about, it goes deeper. It’s meaningful and it’s the truth ’cause it’s Jesus timing, not my timing. Denise: Wow. Ciara, thank you so much for the kind words. Thank you. I really do feel chosen and I feel so special to be able to do this work, but I love how you said that it really is Jesus. And sometimes it takes another human to teach another human, or at least reveal to them where they’re blocked or give them a tool, and that’s what you said, a tool to work and to use so that the Lord can come into your life.  And, one of the things that was back to in my story was I remember praying novena after novena after novena and like praying and praying and praying and feeling like my prayers were never answered, but it was because I was praying and then putting my fingers in my ears or I was praying and then trying to hold the world, carry the whole world throughout the day with so much control. And what this program allows women to learn is how to truly pray and then set the stuff down, set down our worry, set down our food and weight struggles so that we have open hands to receive.  Ciara: Yes. Denise:  We can’t do this on our own. And it’s these simple human tools that the program really is. Ciara: Yes. Yes. Denise: And he grabbed your heart and you said yes. Ciara: Yes. Denise: So incredible. Oh, thank you so much for being here. Is there anything you’d like to leave our audience with before we go? Ciara: This has changed my life. I’m a completely new person and everyone should do it. It’s not about weight, but it’s also about the overall, like it’s amazing. It’s so amazing. Denise: I think, one of my favorite things to say is that when we are emotionally balanced and spiritually strong, which is only possible with a calm brain and open hands, a surrendered lifestyle, that’s how we become spiritually strong. As we don’t use our own strength, we use the Lord’s, then our weight balances out. It’s just natural. It just balances out. Ciara, thank you so much for being here. It has been such a blessing to be able to talk to you, and I know you’ve really inspired all of these women. Ciara: Oh, thank you so much.