The Realities of Weight Loss

Going into this journey, I honestly feel as if I dove in head first, blindfolded, and with zero expectations and an abundance of high hopes. I not only knew that I wanted to make a change in my life, but I needed to. I did my best to read every article, blog, Reddit thread, and Instagram Q+A I could find of people going through a natural weight loss journey through diet and exercise. One thing I quickly learned is that it can be extremely overwhelming to try and remember all of the tips and experiences others go through and apply them to our own journeys. Looking back to the beginning, my biggest lesson from doing all of the research was that every journey is different and everyone experiences weight loss and the highs and lows that come along with it differently.

The first reality of weight loss that I want to stress to anyone that has found or will find themselves on this journey, is that it doesn't happen overnight, so it's important to not get discouraged and to just keep going. I know personally that it's easier said than done in this situation, but I'm also a testament of the fact that consistency and dedication to the overall mission is worth it. If you are eating in a calorie deficit (which you can calculate online, just google calorie deficit calculator), and are getting basic levels of activity in, you will eventually start to feel and see differences in your body and health. It took me about a month and a half to see minor physical changes in my progress pictures, but about two weeks into my new lifestyle I noticed changes such as better nights sleep, higher energy levels, and I was beginning to fall in line and not only enjoy my higher energy levels and my healthier eating, but I even looked forward to it.

My next reminder and tip is to keep in mind that there are going to be good days and bad days. These bad or good days can pertain to body image, overall feeling, mood, motivation; the list goes on and on. It can be very easy to get discouraged on those bad days but one thing I've found that helps me is looking back at how far I've come. Whether that's by browsing through my older pictures, thinking about the new things my body could accomplish that it couldn't before, and the small victories that I've had along the way. These could consist of being able to sit closer to the steering wheel, being able to cross my legs when sitting, moving my watch band to a smaller size, being able to play with my niece without feeling fatigued after five minutes, again, the list goes on and on. It's small things like those that can dig you out of the negative hole you will most likely find yourself in from time to time, because at the end of the day, we are all human and it's okay to not be rainbows and sunshine 100% of the time.

One last topic that I want to touch on is the scale. Personally, the bouts of negativity I mentioned before almost always stemmed from the results I was seeing when I stepped on the scale. I've officially gotten to the point in my weight loss journey where I am seeing that number move down less and less. It has taken me months to really grasp that, at the end of the day, it doesn't really matter. I used to hyperfocus on that number and I let it dictate my mood and entire day. In the past month or two, some of the most important progress I have made is in regards to my relationship with the scale. I'm realizing that at the end of the day, the number is just that, a number. How I am FEELING is what really matters. I feel fantastic, I feel healthy, and I feel so in love with my current lifestyle that the number on the scale barely has a hold on me anymore. My body is changing, my body is fitting into my clothes, and since I have started seriously weight training I've also started measuring myself monthly to show myself that, even with minor changes on the scale, I am making progress physically. What I am trying to get across is that the lowest number is not always the healthiest number for you, and it's okay to simply be healthy without all of the outside assurances to tell you that you are.

I know it has been a while since I have made a post, but this journey is current for me and I am still learning things as I go. Because of that, I am taking my time to measure where I am and gauge where I want to go. I have learned a lot about myself in this experience, and it's something that I want to share with anyone who is willing to listen, but it's important that I prioritize my own health; mental, physical, and emotional, before I offer my advice to other people. I plan on posting in the future about my learning experiences I've had the past few months when it comes to my goals and how I am going to get there while being 100% transparent. Thank you so much for the support and going through this crazy journey with me.