IKS TRIBE AMBASSADORS
THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
I Kicked Sugar Ambassadors are badass women who are defining a new norm in health and happiness. They are women who have taken control of their lives and own their power. They fearlessly lead by example, inspiring and supporting others in the IKS Tribe every day.
These women embody the IKS philosophy of progress, not perfection, and are shining examples of what self-love looks like. They are women worth celebrating!
Through the IKS program, ambassadors receive development tools and experiences, get swag and perks, belong to a network of like-minded people, and score a humongous cheer squad.
Everything I do starts with authentic relationships. That's why each ambassadorship begins with declaring their sugar freedom and their involvement in the private groups. When you're an ambassador, you're not just a tribe member; you're an extension of the brand and an inspiration to our community.
Meet
DAWN WILKERSON
Hi! I'm Dawn, a Wife, and a Mom of two beautiful children. I have a heart full of love for Jesus and am passionate about helping others shine. As an accountability coach, I get to serve, support, and encourage women to be their best. Unfortunately, like so many of us women, I didn't include myself and always put myself last.
About 3-1/2 years ago, I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue. I was determined not to go on medication, so after doing some research, I discovered the Autoimmune Protocol Diet (AIP).
The entire time I was on this very strict elimination diet I felt like I was missing out on "regular" people food. Since I was feeling "healed," I slowly started adding back into my diet those foods I was craving. Before I knew it, one little treat here or there began to spiral out of control. I was back to eating all the foods I knew weren't good for me, including pasta, sweet treats, candy bars, Dr. Pepper, ice cream, etc.
I often found myself grabbing a candy bar and/or Dr. Pepper while out running errands because I tried to hide my addiction from my family, and I didn't want this junk in the house.
Then suddenly, we're in a pandemic, and I realized I have a problem. I can't just go to a store to get my sugar fix. Initially, I ordered the junk food and hide it in the back of the pantry (I know I am not the only one who has done this). One day I saw the ad for the I Kicked Sugar audiobook.
The course was different from anything else I had done before because it addressed the root of my cravings and sugar addiction. It made me face me and, for the first time in my life, put me first. After the fourth week into the course, just like Joyce says, I was ready to make the change and so I declared myself a healthy person who Does Not Eat Sugar!
Since Declaring myself a healthy person, I've lost over 10 pounds, lowered my body fat percentage, increased my water percent, have clearer skin, and my clothes are loose on me! But you know what the BIGGEST change has been? MY CONFIDENCE!!!! This course has shown me how to believe in myself, put me first, and to have confidence in myself and to love myself I'm not counting each day that I am sugar-free; instead, I'm being present in the day. It's incredible the changes that happen when you work on your mindset first. Progress not perfection!
I am SO grateful for this journey and am honored to serve this amazing community of women in the IKS Tribe!
Meet
TAMMY BELL
Welcome! I’m Tammy, a Possibilitarian who gives my heart to supporting women on their journey of Rising Higher every chance I get. I wholeheartedly believe we can experience a level of vitality and joy previously unknown to us when we take control of our health.
I spent most of my life sick and tired. I had my first of 22 surgeries in 1990 and from that point things steadily got worse. A surgeon made an error and I ended up bedridden on a feeding tube for a year. The surgeon who “corrected” that mistake made another and I lost my colon. A car accident put me in wheelchair not expected to walk again unaided due to a rare neurological disorder triggered on impact.
Living in chronic pain is not only debilitating it’s emotionally and mentally exhausting. I turned to sugar for comfort and reprieve. I was born with sugar addiction, my mom downing a daily six-pack of Diet Pepsi while in-utero. By age 11 I was literally the kid in the candy store, owning my own brick-and-mortar, tasting everything for quality assurance!
Fast forward to December 2019. I defied the odds and progressed out of my wheelchair but I was still sick and tired. I declared 2020 My Year of Radical Health Transformation. I had a vision of a healthier, more vital, adventurous life for myself and I was determined to do ANYTHING necessary to create it.
A tall order as I was at my highest weight ever, couldn't walk 10 minutes without such a degree of pain I had to quit, my sleep was trash, energy low, and sugar cravings out of control.
By June, I had addressed every aspect of my wellbeing EXCEPT the role sugar played in my challenges. I wasn’t looking for a quick fix or another diet. I wanted to go deeper, for my behaviors to become congruent with my values and to finally become the woman I’ve longed to admire and respect. If I was going to once-and-for-all create a lifestyle around a healthy relationship with food I knew shifting my mindset was key.
Enter I Kicked Sugar. Magic!
Listening to the modules and doing each task, I quickly dug down into the root of my cravings and landed on a boatload of grief. Lovingly tending it flipped the switch. I’m not seeking food perfection. I’m embracing a new identity as a Healthy Person Who Doesn’t Eat Sugar and finding a million tiny ways to nurture my own tender heart with more joy.
Loving myself forward I’ve lost 20lbs, dropped a shirt size, walked 400+ miles, and completed over 100 unfinished tasks I previously didn’t have energy for. ANYTHING is possible when we take responsibility for our choices and love ourselves fiercely!
No matter where you’re at this very moment, you can CHOOSE to CHANGE for love of yourself. It doesn’t have to be hard. You DESERVE to live life on fire. I’m privileged to pay it forward and companion you on your way!
Meet
AMY FRIEND
Hi! I’m Amy and I’m 60 years young and a mom of two grown amazing boys. For the past 36 years I’ve been working for a Water and Power Company as a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Analyst. I also volunteer as their Healthy Living Coordinator for the Working Families Employee interest group and as a Wellness Champion for the HR group.
My true passion is fitness and nutrition. I hold a certificate from MCC in nutrition for fitness and wellness, am a TRX (Total Resistance eXercise) and spin instructor, currently leading virtual TRX classes on Zoom and I coach group strength training classes.
Growing up I was a competitive gymnast, swimmer, and diver. Even with all those accomplishments I struggled feeling like I was never felt skinny enough or good enough.
Extremely shy I avoided social situations, instead hiding out binging on M&M’s, cookies, and ice cream to comfort and cope. Although I wasn’t overweight, I was conditioned to see myself that way and battled daily that constant degrading self-body talk. After getting married and raising two boys exercise and nutrition became inconsistent as I put everyone’s needs ahead of my own.
In 2010 I was about to turn 50 and decided it was time to shift to a healthy lifestyle. I signed up for a local program ‘just to lose a few pounds” and found out health is NOT just about a diet but rather a deeper emotional wellbeing, just as we teach here in IKS. The program included intense physical workouts and I became “the best version of myself, physically and mentally”. I went on to compete in triathlons and even swam from Alcatraz in 58° water.
I love to motivate, inspire, and educate other women on living a healthy, happy lifestyle and am proud to be an IKS Tribe Ambassador as well as their Fitness Mentor Motivator! Change starts with a decision and a commitment to go All In! I look forward to helping you on your journey to kick sugar and reclaim your health and happiness! I’m here to tell you it is POSSIBLE!
Meet
MELISSA SLOCUM
Hello! I’m Melissa - a mother, elementary teacher, Reading Specialist, and new business entrepreneur. I have three young sons I love to take on family adventures! I am passionate about helping kids learn to read, creating a healthy lifestyle and sharing what has brought me success in the hope of empowering others.
In my early 20’s, I suffered terrible stomach issues that had me nauseous and throwing up 2-3 nights per week. Many trips to the ER brought a diagnosis of Acid Reflux and doctors gave me medication but I didn’t want to be dependent on pills!
My symptoms would be gone for long periods and then return with a vengeance. I tried elimination diets to figure out the root cause, spent time dairy free and corn free, and learned about clean eating. I ate clean - except when it came to white flour and sugar.
I LOVE sugar, and as many times as I tried, giving it up never lasted long. I turned to sugar for comfort, reward, and pleasure. I’d make cookie dough and eat the entire batch, grab a candy bar every time I went to the store, and had chocolate on my desk “for my co-worker,” but ate it all in a day or two, then bought more.
It finally became clear my issues were related to how much sugar I had eaten in a day. This, along with other symptoms, led me to realize I had a hormone imbalance. I started reading about how to naturally balance my hormones and limiting sugar was suggested.
I REALLY didn’t want to give up sugar. I’d track what I was eating - happy I could have those girl scout cookies and stay below the 25 grams recommended - EXCEPT one would lead to two would lead to 20. I couldn’t stop!
Enter the IKS Facebook ad.
The audio book was being offered for $5 and I figured I could afford to waste $5 if it didn’t work. The truth? I didn’t have any desire to give up sugar. I told myself I needed to and my husband I wanted to, but I didn’t honestly think it was going to happen.
Then I started working the course. Bringing awareness to why giving up sugar was hard for me was beyond powerful. My mindset changed. By the end of the course, I was ready to declare I am a Healthy Person Who Doesn’t Eat Sugar!
It has been an imperfect journey since that day of declaration, but that is the beauty of IKS - progress, not perfection! My body is returning to its natural state. I’ve released 28 pounds, my body fat % is in the healthy range, acne is cleared up, heartburn and night time nausea are gone, headaches rare, and I went from a size 14 to a size 8!
But the I could not have done it without the amazing support of the IKS tribe, which is why I’m so excited to be an Ambassador and to help other women on their journey to a healthy, happy, thriving life!
Meet
LYNN MARQUESS
Hello! I’m Lynn, a 52-year-old wife and mother to my amazing son, Jeremy. I love to serve Jesus, my church and the community. I have a passion for animals and have become known as the cat lady after many rescues. I love traveling, time outdoors, crochet and relaxing with a good book.
I have been disabled since 2010 due to an injury to my cranial nerve. I was eventually diagnosed with the chronic pain disorder atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia. Despite my disability and 13 surgeries, I remain optimistic and decided long ago it will not dictate how I live my life!
My family was quite unstable and moved frequently when I was growing up. We lived off a steady diet of McDonald’s, Fruit Loops, Pop Tarts and Coca-Cola. I continued to eat this way into adulthood and rarely exercised.
I didn’t make the connection but for as long as I can remember, I have been sick with numerous ailments: kidney stones, constipation, nausea, migraines and gut issues. I just thought it was part of life and ignored it.
Until I finally came to realize I was addicted to sugar!
I rarely ate “regular meals” of processed foods but always found room for sugary treats. My diet consisted of Starbucks, donuts, half a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream every night, 4-5 jars of maraschino cherries daily, bear claw pastries and more. It had gotten so out of control I was hiding food in my dresser and eating in my bathroom so my husband wouldn’t know.
My car became a “secret restaurant” taking me on autopilot to McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts where I would binge on as much as I could possibly handle, then swing by the local gas station to dispose of the evidence.
By early 2020 I had reached my highest weight, was depressed, pre-diabetic, and had fatty liver disease. Ashamed to look in the mirror and using horribly abusive language toward myself, I didn’t even want to go out in public anymore.
I knew something had to change….but how?
Enter I Kicked Sugar! Scrolling through Facebook I saw an ad I’d seen before but this time was different. I was ready. I clicked on it. My life will never be the same and I’m glad!!
My journey hasn’t been without bumps but that’s what I love about IKS, progress not perfection. It took me a while to really dig into the work. I thought it was about the food but quickly learned it’s deeper than that; it’s ultimately about loving myself in ways I perhaps never truly had and now I DO!
I’ve gained determination to resist my ego, sleep better, and my clothes fit looser. I even lost 7lbs over the holidays! My doctor was so proud and has no doubt my issues will significantly resolve as I continue to quiet the sugar monster, eat healthier and lose weight. She enthusiastically encouraged me to “Keep this up!"
After years of using food as comfort, I’m empowered with healthy lifestyle habits and thrilled to be doing new things I’ve always wanted to do now that I feel better and have more energy because “I am a healthy person who doesn’t eat sugar!”
It is an honor for me to be an IKS Ambassador. I want other women who may be hiding out like I once was to know you CAN stop the addition. You’re WORTH feeling good and living in joy! Don’t ever give up!! You’ve got this and I’m here to support you on your journey!!
Meet
LORI DEL MAURO
Hello, I'm Lori. I'm 69 years young. I've been married to my high school sweetheart for 50 years, and I'm a Mother of two incredible adult children and a Grandmother of two. I am a woman of strong faith.
My friends and family often tell me there isn't anything that I can't do.
I've had many different careers and owned several different businesses in my lifetime thus far. I was a professional hairstylist for over 45 years, a dental assistant/x-ray tech, built and renovated homes, and a Master Gardener who owned and operated a third-generation greenhouse-growing business for 45 years with my husband, to name a few.
Restoring old furniture, painting, and woodworking are just a few of the many crafts I love. It's a passion of mine to fix things … making the old new again, which serves as a perfect metaphor for my favorite passion... helping people restore their minds, bodies, and spirits.
I've been a health coach for over 20 years, mentoring people to become the best version of themselves physically and mentally. I love helping people live healthy and abundant lives.
I have done years of self-development and motivational speaking and even had the fortune of working with some of the legends in the industry, like Les Brown and Jim Rohn.
Despite all the wonderful things in my life, things were off growing up. Although I was loved, I was raised in a very turbulent household and never felt like I was "good enough." That's when my sugar addiction started.
As a young girl, I loved going to the little candy shop near my home, buying all kinds of candy, and eating it all before I got home. I've always had a sweet tooth. As I grew older, I began hoarding sweets! Hiding them from my family. I called myself a "closet addict" because I would hide candy in the closet or go into the closet to consume sugar. After decades of this behavior, getting older, going through menopause, hormone shifts, and gaining weight, I knew I had to do something.
Although I had tried many weight loss programs…weight wasn't always my issue; I was a bodybuilder for years, and in my 40s and 50s, I used to walk 10 miles daily. I coached people on how to lose weight. But I found my weight was creeping higher and higher. Despite eating healthy meals, consuming so much sugar daily eventually catches up. Poisoning ourselves with sugar is counterproductive to eating healthy.
Then, I developed osteoarthritis in my left knee, right hip, and hands. I became very depressed, inactive, and almost a recluse!
I was on the Internet one day, searching for the next something, feeling helpless and defeated when I found IKS. I purchased the audiobook in February 2022 and started listening to Joyce's story.
And yes, you guessed it. Nothing happened. I wasn't truly ready. Fast forward to January 2023. The death of my dear brother-in-law from complications of diabetes woke me up! I went back to the audiobook, listened to it again, and decided to jump right onto the IKS 8-Week Masterclass Program. Through Joyce's coaching, I discovered why I craved sugar as I did.
Doing the coursework throughout the program and being part of such an amazing, tight-knit, supportive community in the Masterclass, I found myself again. The switch was flipped, and I could proudly declare, "I don't eat sugar." The old me was back! I am excited, driven, and finally looking forward to my new, healthy life without sugar!
IKS was the missing piece to complete my health journey. As Joyce teaches, to achieve lasting health, we must understand the physical and mental side of sugar/food addiction.
Fast forward to today, I am a new person. Free from sugar. IKS has given me my life back. I've lost 26 pounds and 18", and I've only just begun. My inflammation is disappearing, which is drastically reducing the pain in my knee and hip.
Before I found IKS, I couldn't get out of a chair (without help) or walk up or down steps; even getting in and out of a car was excruciating, and a good night's sleep was impossible. The pain just persisted.
All of that is gone. I am no longer depressed sitting in my house, staring at the walls. Thanks to the Masterclass Program, I can finally exercise again and move freely.
I am so thrilled and honored to be an IKS Ambassador! I vowed to myself shortly after starting this program that I wanted to be an ambassador! That dream has come true. I want to pay it forward and help other women achieve health and happiness just like I have by declaring, "I don't eat sugar." Together, we can do anything, and I look forward to helping you.
Meet
LORI BANKS
Hi, my name is Lori Banks, AKA "Momma B". I am 62 years young.
I've been blessed with a wonderful, supportive, loving husband of 30 years and a cherished family of six sons, one daughter, and two grandchildren. For the last 15 years of employment, I was the breadwinner with a very successful six-figure career in the Medical Field, working as an Oncology Consultant to Oncologists and Pathologists, while my husband home educated our sons daily.
My passion is to serve others; I love teaching, encouraging, and inspiring others on their health journey.
I was raised and taught not to express emotion. My sugar addiction, like so many of us, started at an early age when I used sugar to avoid real emotional pain and discomfort. I ate out of stress, boredom, depression, and anxiety, hiding stashes and eating many times in the closet to keep my sugar addiction a secret.
Six years ago, I endured an assault involving a moving vehicle as a pedestrian. Causing a Traumatic Brain Injury, I have suffered from a very complex series of physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and a myriad of other ongoing symptoms. With recommendations from specialty physicians, I have yet been able to return to work. At the time of these injuries and for several years after, I truly felt my life was over. This assault turned my world upside down. I had to learn to walk and talk again. My days consisted of long, slow rehabilitation with multiple specialists as I became imprisoned in an "I CAN'T" attitude.
Trapped in a cycle of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, I found solace in sleeves of Oreos, Diet Cokes, Dr. Pepper, Snickers bars, ice cream, chocolate, and other processed foods.
Over the years, I've tried every kind of diet to lose weight and get healthy, but my willpower only lasted so long, and when life became stressful, I'd find myself right back where I started.
Last May of 2023, I joined the I Kicked Sugar Masterclass Program, weighing 221 lbs, the heaviest I had ever been. My A1c was 9.0, and my fasting glucose was 200.
I was ready for change, and my life depended on it. With the support and accountability of the IKS Masterclass community, the live monthly coaching, the Ambassadors, working through the modules, journaling, and trusting the process, I changed my negative self-talk, found my self-worth, and declared my sugar freedom, deleting ultra-processed foods and sugar for good.
Over eleven months, thanks to following the IKS philosophy "progress, not perfection," I've broken free from my generational curse of diabetes, disease, and poor health habits. I've lost 50 pounds, and because of just living by example, my husband has lost 26 lbs in 3 months, and our 19-year-old son, who still lives at home, has lost 25 lbs—a total Family loss of over 100 pounds. I'm proud to say my A1c went from 9.0 to 6.2, I've lowered my fasting glucose from 200 to now under 100 daily, and I'm no longer taking Metformin for type 2 diabetes or my neuropathic antidepressant. My Doctors are ecstatic with my results.
Thanks to IKS, I can now say that I love myself. I have gained courage and increased my mental acuity, focus, energy, passion, and purpose. I know this is just the beginning. Today marks the start of a new life chapter! I am a Sugar-Free Sleuth SuperWoman!
In reading my story, I hope you learn, like I did, that our past need not define us. With my new mindset, I now see all my challenges and struggles as a gift in my life and have made me stronger. I've liberated myself from the grip of sugar addiction, shedding decades of unhealthy habits, negative thought patterns, and destructive cycles that once seemed unbreakable. Instead of continuing my family's history of addiction and diabetes, I've chosen to rewrite my story, one of a healthier, brighter future. Instead of playing a victim role, I realized I'm not the victim but the victor.
I'm excited to support you as you embark on your journey to overcome sugar and reclaim your well-being and joy! Trust me, it's entirely within your reach!
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES
TO BE THE NEXT IKS AMBASSADOR?
If you’re passionate and committed to building a future for yourself with the IKS brand and you’re ready to take your nutrition, health, and happiness to the next level… if you love helping and serving others in our community – then YOU might just be ready for our ambassador program. Click below to learn more and apply now.
