Meet Our Founder

Hey Ladies! Unfortunately I don't have a catchy Baskin-esque catch phrase to use, but as we reach the week of our launch I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Megan Zarick and I'm writing to you from the Washington DC area. I'm a wife and mother of two kids. I love food and have found comfort in it more than I should.

From a young age I've always found pleasure in playing with food. I was constantly helping my mother in the kitchen and "opening restaurants" at home on the weekend, (Trust me my siblings hated me for this). This compounded into a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales in Charlotte NC. Working for a place like Disney World I was introduced to a world of luxury with high end ingredients and introduced to a multitude of fine dining techniques. Sounds like heaven right?

Except when you leave the Food & Beverage industry as I did, they don't warn you. They don't warn you that the hours you spend on your feet running back and forth prevent that massive weight gain I experienced.

When I left the industry I still had the love and passion around food, but lacked the high level of physical activity. I found myself gaining weight at a rapid pace. Within 5 years of leaving the restaurant behind I had gained over 60 pounds. I wasn't the happiest, but I wasn't completely defeated. My self confidence held on and I kept working through life. Here and there I would yo-yo diet, lose 10 pounds only to gain back 12.

To be completely open with you, I got divorced not long after this and found myself gaining again. Stress really does sneak up on you and really digs into those bad habits. Luckily I met my husband Steve and life began to feel good again. Dating and dining had me packing on more pounds and feeling uncomfortable again. At my heaviest I reached 275 pounds or 100+ pounds from my lightest adult weight. My knees hurt, I was sedentary, and I was very uncomfortable.

Molly, my daughter became my catalyst. Right after she was born I bent over to tie my shoes and became winded. I looked at my husband and said enough is enough. I signed up for a program and changed my lifestyle 100%. I realized my solution wasn't about cutting carbs or containing my eating to a mere eight hours. I realized I need to rebuild my relationship with food. I had to stop denying myself and learn to enjoy things in moderation. So here we are, I'm down 60 pounds from this moment and still going.

Currently when I look in the mirror I love my progress. I've learned to celebrate my small victories, embrace the missteps, and learn from my peers. I've learned a new respect for food. I'll be honest, I ate a 5 Guys Burger last week and it was glorious, I simply opted to leave the soda out. I say all of these things to say your journey may take only 2 weeks, it may take 2 months, and it could take 2 years. Trust your body to adjust with you and give yourself the grace to change gradually and throw away the idea of the overnight fix.

My mission in starting Apples & Pears was to help women similar to myself, women who have looked in the mirror and couldn't enjoy their reflection. I wanted to help increase their self confidence and renew their love with themselves at any stage of their weight journey. Ultimately Apples & Pears is designed to be another tool in your toolbelt to reach your goals and ultimately succeed at lasting change.