Like most people, I started my weight loss journey at the beginning of January. You can find a ton of content about people’s success stories. Many of them are inspirational to see someone taking control of their bodies and health, and doing it made me say, “I can do it too.”
To all those people not afraid to put themselves out there to show before and after pictures, thank you. I don’t have that kind of courage. I like to work quietly in the background, especially when it comes to my weight. My niece says I suffer from body dysmorphia, and in a way, she is right. Even at my best of 115 lbs back in college, I still felt like I wasn’t skinny enough.
That is why I was never able to keep the weight off because now, at 37, I realize that for me, it was always about the number it is about how I feel. I have a lot of demons to deal with that I have buried deep down, and all of them affected my weight most of my life. It was always a goal I needed to hit ASAP, but it has become about me facing the hard truths and conquering them at this stage of my life. My weight loss journey is about me for once. I am doing this for me and no one else.
I could wait until I reach my goal and then tell you about it, but I would be no different from everyone else. Talking about my journey as I am on it holds me accountable and gives you an understanding it’s not just about going on a diet and exercising. There is so much more to my journey than just diet and exercise. For me, It is about getting to the root of the problem and dealing with it so that the weight stays off.
I am on a mission to change how I look at food. Some of you might think not everyone has demons, and I will tell you that’s not true. Overeating and not exercising is not because they want to be overweight and feel like shit afterward goes deep. Whether someone is willing to admit it, that’s on the. I have tried to face my demons before and chickened out because facing them would mean acknowledging that something was wrong with me as a person.
The truth is we all have baggage we carry with us that affects our daily lives and creates habits that can be hard to break. Deciding to unpack that baggage and look at your shit is problematic because it is yours, and only you can deal with it. It took me almost two years of working on myself to get to this point, and I am still apprehensive, but if I want to accomplish my goal of losing 40 pounds, I have to do it.
Now that you all know I have issues just like everyone else in the world, it is time to tell you the actions I am taking every day to help me lose weight for good.
3 Ways I am Starting My Weight Loss Journey
Healthy Eating Habits
Making healthier eating choices can be a challenge when you have a bag of Oreos staring at you, but this is where willpower comes into play. Most people get rid of all the junk food in their house when they decide to diet or eat better. There is just one problem with throwing it all out. I decided to eat healthier and more mindfully, not my whole family. Let’s keep in mind I have a 7-year, a husband, and a mom with a sweet tooth. They don’t have issues with their weight and eat in moderation.
So instead of eating out for lunch, I bring a salad to work instead. I choose fruit over candy, and after telling my husband that I wanted to eat healthier, he started cooking me more veggies and fewer carbs for dinner. This does not mean I completely deprive myself of yummy foods like pizza, all it means I have it in moderation. I wanted this time to be different. I know if I cut out carbs and sugars, I will lose weight in no time, but in the past, when I did this diet, I lost the weight and gained it back just as quickly once I started eating carbs and sugar again.
I don’t eat healthy every day, but I have started introducing more nutritious foods into my life to weed out unhealthy food. Creating new eating habits helps to get rid of bad eating habits. I am an emotional eater, especially if I am stressed. To make sure I stay on track with my weight loss journey, I keep a healthier option like a banana or a Clif bar on hand if I have the urge to stress eat. It forces me to acknowledge that I am stress eating. That way, I can take a break and a breather from whatever is stressing me out.
Exercise Routine
I started exercising 3-days a week. I walk a lot, but getting a workout aside from walking helps me focus on my goal. I have a stationary bike in my basement that I get up and work out for 20-30 minutes 3-days a week. It is an easy commitment for me. I chose days that worked for me, and I exercise in the morning to get it done. On the days I plan to work out, I set out my workout clothes for the next morning because once I put them on, I automatically equate that to working out.
In the past few weeks of working out 3-days a week, I started to feel better, and I have been able to gradually increase the resistance on the bike, which means I am getting stronger. At first, I was winded and exhausted after 10 minutes, but I kept pushing myself to stay on and played with the resistance to give myself breaks as needed. After a few weeks, I can go long periods with resistance and increase the resistance.
I also stretch and do yoga movements so my muscles don’t cramp up. I used to do hard-core workouts, which were great for a few days, but as soon as the soreness and muscles cramped up, I would stop for weeks. It might not sound like I am doing a lot, but I can do it consistently without taking long breaks.
I plan to continue with the bike and yoga until winter is over. My goal is to go for a run by the time spring comes. I bought new running shoes, and I pull them out and look at them to remind myself of my goal and the big picture of being able to go for a run without feeling like my lungs are going to collapse.
Weighing Myself
When you Google, how often should I weigh myself? You will see some people say to weigh yourself every day or every week. What method do I follow? Neither. I don’t weigh myself at all. I only stepped on the scale one time at the beginning of January to figure out how much I had to lose. This weight loss journey isn’t about a number on a scale. It’s about how I feel.
Stepping on a scale gives me anxiety, and I start to obsess about the number, which only discourages me. So this time, I am not basing my weight loss on what the scale says. Learning to read how my body feels, how my clothes fit, and my energy level will be my scale.
Too often, we let a number determine our progress, and when it doesn’t go the way we want, it makes us feel worse. If you are questioning how or when will I know I have accomplished my goal? I have given myself six months to achieve this goal because I am looking for long-term results instead of a short-term fix. I will weigh myself again in 3 months to see if I am on track. Then again, at six months.
Final thoughts:
I am confident that I will reach my goal because I am allowing myself time to achieve it. Slow and steady is the key to my weight loss journey. Dealing with what has brought me to this point is also crucial because my emotional baggage and demons are the reasons I have failed to stay healthy and fit in the past.
“My past may be complicated, but my future is will no longer be dictated by my past”
Even though I just started this journey, I know it is up to me to see it through. I spent too many years caring about what other people think and what society deems acceptable. It’s unrealistic, and I am not looking to follow the latest trend. This is my journey, and I decide which direction I want to take. You can learn more about me in My Journey.
I will keep you updated on my weight loss journey and my progress to get me to my goal. If you have a story that you would like to share, drop a comment below. I would love to hear from you.
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