During her freshman year in college, she also started lifting weights while continuing her morning runs.  But by 2006, Erin found herself in a deep, dark place. Years of caloric restriction and unhealed self-expression trauma caught up to her, leaving her stuck in a state of constant stress and disconnection from herself.

One day, while driving through Minneapolis, Erin felt as though her life was slipping through her hands. In that moment, with her foot pressing down on the gas pedal, she found herself contemplating which semi on the other side of the freeway would "do the trick." And then, as if the universe itself intervened, an inexplicable presence filled the car—a bolt of high-frequency energy, goosebumps running down her arms. That energy whispered to her, "You are made for more." It saved her life, and it changed her trajectory.

Erin wasn't ready to give up. She recognized that the power to change wasn't in grinding harder but in trusting her intuition and aligning with her deeper truth. Coincidentally, Erin agreed to meet up with a man she was attracted to, even though she hadn’t fully admitted her feelings. After almost canceling the date several times, he introduced her to kettlebells for the first time, sparking a fire in her. That one date led her to Google a local kettlebell class, and the rest was history.

In 2008, kettlebell training became a defining moment for Erin, unleashing a newfound strength and power. Her mile times dropped significantly, allowing her to run a 5K in under 27 minutes and the half marathon in under 2:15. She was a warrior, transforming herself from an overweight teen to a true athlete through relentless commitment.

 By 2018, Erin was in a much heavier body, having lost her happy memories and her connection to herself. She had to rebuild from the ground up, focusing on muscle gain rather than fat loss, taking the long road from 2018 to 2021. 

It wasn't until she began focusing on progressive overload weightlifting and finally embraced food—eating over 700 calories more per day than before—that her true transformation took place.  She stopped using exercise as punishment, doubled her caloric intake, and found joy in rest. Her dream of becoming a lean hybrid athlete came true. She embraced the couch, allowed her body to heal, and discovered a new way of being.

In 2019, while in Portugal, she faced a harsh truth: she couldn’t run a block. Despite years in the gym, her cardio capacity was declining—a sign that something deeper was off. It led her to discover gut health issues that were undermining her progress. Once addressed, this realization added yet another layer to her understanding of holistic health. Erin would not attempt weight loss ever again nor would she force her body into fat loss because she was "uncomfortable" and feeling heavy.

In fact, it wasn't until 2021, when Erin entered her first healthy Discover Phase, where she embraced body-led fat loss. She lost over 20 inches while eating 700 more calories per day, on average, than she did from 2003 to 2018. 

Throughout her journey, Erin's passion for running was always met with injuries despite proper training and rest. It took her until 2023 to finally understand why and to truly connect to her core stability. This insight into skeletal alignment was the missing piece she needed to prevent injuries and improve her overall well-being.

Erin’s journey is a mosaic of experiences—running, cycling, kettlebells, weightlifting, and ultimately trauma-informed healing. Each moment, each weight loss setback, and each triumph has shaped her into the guide she is today. She uses her Manifestor energy—a gift for inspiring and initiating change—to guide clients away from restrictive routines and toward self-trust and inner wisdom.

Her approach is about connecting with your body, discovering your strength, and embracing every part of who you are. She embodies the essence of transformation—rising through adversity, evolving not just physically, but on every level of being. Erin disrupts diet culture's harmful narratives and invites clients to redefine wellness on their own terms—emphasizing feminine, body-led change and community-driven support.

Having invested over $100,000 into finding healing and $50,000 into "diet culture," Erin knows firsthand the pain of feeling stuck. It’s through her 20-year battle with weight, anxiety, and low self-worth that "Maintain Lean" was born—a program built on micro-commitments, small consistent actions that lead to big change.