Warrior (ePub)

Theresa Larson has lived multiple lives: At ten she was a caregiver to her dying mother. As a teenager and into her twenties, she was an all-star high school, college, and professional softball player. As a young adult, she was a fitness competition winner, beauty pageant contestant, and model. And as a grown woman, she was a high-achieving lieutenant in the Marines, in charge of an entire platoon while deployed in Iraq.

Meanwhile, Theresa was battling bulimia nervosa, which ultimately cut short her military service when she was voluntarily evacuated from combat. Theresa's journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect.” In Warrior, she lays bare all of these lives in intimate and vivid detail, examining extremely personal and sometimes painful moments, and showing how she eventually overcame harrowing battles from both inside and out. Theresa's journey demonstrates that the pursuit of good health and happiness is a daily, intentional act that requires persistence and commitment.

Startling and funny, terrifying and triumphant, heartbreaking and inspirational, Warrior is at heart a story of perseverance and success—of a determined woman who is a model for everyone struggling to conquer their own obstacles. Theresa shows that asking for help can be an act of courage, and that we are stronger than we think when faced with seemingly impossible odds.

“By turns honest and heartbreaking, Larson's book is a celebration of inner strength. It is also a poignant reminder that the mark of a true warrior is not just someone who fights wars but who also knows how to ask for help in times of crisis. A courageous and inspiring memoir.”—Kirkus

“A vivid and intensely personal account of Dr. Theresa Larson's extraordinary life as caregiver, high-level athlete, combat veteran, and bulimia survivor. The book is powerful, inspirational, and underscores how we can all be both strong and vulnerable at the same time.”—Kelly and Juliet Starrett, CEOs of MobilityWOD and San Francisco CrossFit and cofounders of StandUpKids.org

“I have always believed that being vulnerable does not imply weakness, but rather the courage to live as who you are, not as the person others expect you to be. Theresa shows us what it means to be a warrior, and anyone will identify with her struggles and learn that they too can be resilient, healthy, and a true warrior. A must-read!”—Eva Selhub, M.D., author of Your Health Destiny, former instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and associate in medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital

“Raw. Real. Rousing. Theresa has crafted a memoir that will leave readers finding parallels to their own lives. From the pain of losing a loved one to struggles with food and self-esteem, Larson dives deep and looks back to get at the 'why.' Warrior is a story of hope and transformation, of calling on the strength that already lives inside. You'll put it down and ask, 'What's possible for me?' It's that good.”—Steph Gaudreau, bestselling author of The Performance Paleo Cookbook and The Paleo Athlete

“Marines are tough. Marines are hard-core. Marines cannot fail. Warrior reveals the struggles that come along with this desire for perfection. Theresa shows that real strength happens when you summon the courage to conquer these addictive and doomed expectations. Theresa's willingness to share her journey makes her a true hero and one of the bravest Marines I know.”—Mike Burgener, former Marine, senior international weightlifting coach for the United States, head strength coach for CrossFit