Amy's story

Meet Amy

Amy Van Duyn’s journey is one of profound transformation. A dedicated wife, special needs mother, and full-time professional from Indiana, Amy’s life is filled with challenges, many of which would have stopped others in their tracks. But instead of giving in, Amy made a decision that would forever change her health, her mindset, and her future.

We sat down with Amy, a passionate Lumen Ambassador, to explore the emotional and physical evolution that has brought her from stress and uncertainty to strength and taking charge of her health.

Amy's weight loss journey graph

The wake-up call: Why I had to change

“My son is autistic, and sometimes I lie awake at night wondering who will understand him when I’m no longer around,” Amy tells us. “That was my turning point. I needed to prolong my life for him.”

Living with a neurodiverse son, Amy’s days are unpredictable and intense. While she didn’t have major weight-related health conditions, she was feeling depleted, inflamed, and stuck in a cycle of stress-eating and fatigue.

Then, one day, she and her husband decided it was time. “We grabbed the trash can and threw away all the junk, Pop-Tarts, donuts, everything. That was almost two years ago.”

A boost in metabolic flexibility

Breaking through the plateau

Amy initially lost a significant amount of weight, nearly 100 pounds, through dedication and a calorie deficit. But she hit a wall. “I plateaued hard,” she remembers. “Despite still eating clean and working out, the scale wouldn’t budge.”

That’s when she discovered Lumen through a podcast. “With so much out of my control, my job, my son’s meltdowns, Lumen gave me back control. It was the missing link.”

From a size 12 to size 8

Lumen as a game-changer: More than just numbers

Amy quickly learned she wasn’t eating the right balance of macros, especially when it came to carbs and fats. “I was having most of my carbs too late in the day, and I wasn’t eating nearly enough protein or healthy fat,” she explains.

Using Lumen helped her understand fat burn and how to fuel her workouts. “I’d get this hot feeling, like an internal furnace, and sure enough, every time I checked Lumen, I was in fat-burn mode.”

Some of Amy's wins

Non-scale victories and a new relationship with food

“I started eating more and losing more,” Amy says. “It was surreal.”

The changes went beyond the scale: Amy had more energy, slept better, and even jogged nearly two miles, something she never imagined. Clothes began to fit differently: “I dropped four clothing sizes with just 20 pounds of weight loss thanks to improved body composition.”

She also stopped vilifying carbs. “Now I eat carbs earlier in the day or before workouts thanks to Lumen, and it’s completely changed my energy and mood.”

Navigating cortisol and chaos

With high-stress days triggered by her son’s needs and a demanding job, Amy realized cortisol was a key player in her metabolic readings. “I didn’t realize stress and cortisol played such a big role in metabolism until I saw it in my numbers,” she reflects. “If I’m really stressed out, I will usually get a high reading.”

Small insights like this have given her many ah-ha moments. “This isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool. Lumen taught me how to listen to my body.”

Strength in partnership

Amy shares her journey with her husband, who has lost over 150 pounds himself. “We cheer each other on, notice little changes, and hug tighter than ever,” she smiles. “We both have more energy, need less sleep, and enjoy life more.”

Their teamwork was crucial. “Neither of us could’ve done it without the other.”

Finding joy again, one step at a time

Amy is reclaiming joy. “I started thrifting new clothes after dropping from size 12 to size 8 and even signed up for tap dancing classes again after 40 years!”

With her son’s needs, she can’t easily get to a gym. So she built her own system: rebounders, stationary bikes, and walk pads during meetings. “Exercise is now fun. My playlist includes ’Jump Around,’ of course.”

Maintaining the goal: Mindset is everything

Now, at her goal weight for four months and counting, Amy knows maintenance is a new kind of journey. “It took me a while to trust myself to enjoy a splurge without spiraling.”

Her solution? Mindful indulgence and bouncing back with confidence. “I had Olive Garden once and still woke up in fat burn. My metabolism can handle it now.”

Amy’s most profound takeaways

  • Be patient. You’re reprogramming decades of habits
    Understand that your metabolism and health patterns weren’t built overnight, and they won’t change overnight either. As Amy puts it, “It took my body almost 50 years to get into this situation, so it’s going to take a little time to retrain it.”

    Think of your journey as rewiring, not just dieting. Sustainable change takes time, consistency, and grace. Allow your body to adapt, respond, and rebuild at its own pace.
  • Focus on what you can control
    In a life filled with stress and unpredictability, you can anchor yourself by taking charge of your nutrition, movement, and mindset. As Amy explains, “There’s so much I can’t control, but I can control what I eat, when I move, and how I respond.”
  • Don’t obsess over the scale
    Look for big wins in places other than the scale. Amy learned that clothes, energy, and strength often reveal progress before the scale does. Some of Amy’s victories off the scale included:
    • Dropping four sizes with just 20 pounds lost.
    • Increased endurance and ability to jog 2 miles.
    • Needing less sleep yet feeling more energized.
    • Rediscovering joy through thrift shopping and dance classes.
  • Turn mistakes into momentum
    If you slip up, you can course correct at any time. “If you slipped up at breakfast, win at lunch. You don’t have to throw away the whole day,” says Amy.
  • Celebrate wins, big or small
    Give yourself kudos for progress, no matter how small. Whether it’s walking an extra block or making a better food choice, it all adds up. “Every better decision is a win. Celebrate it. That’s your power,” notes Amy.
  • Build your environment for success
    Your space can either support your transformation or sabotage it. Amy’s success proves that you don’t need a perfect routine. You just need an environment designed for progress. Ask yourself: “What can I do to make healthy the easiest option?”

Thriving in community

Amy is one of the most active voices in the Lumen community. “It’s the safest space where I can share wins without feeling like I’m bragging. People clap for each other.”

She pays it forward by encouraging others. “Helping someone find their missing link is so fulfilling. Not everyone wants to lose weight, but everyone deserves to feel in control.”

A message to her former self and to you

“I wish I could go back to the version of me who gave up before and say, ’Don’t stop. You’re stronger than you think. This is in your control.’”

Amy’s advice to anyone beginning their journey? “Celebrate every win, big or small. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to keep going.”

Amy's before and after

Amy's before image
Amy's after image

Little decisions add up to big change

If you’re standing at the edge of a life change, Amy’s story reminds us that transformation doesn’t come from extremes but from stacking small wins with consistency and compassion.