Feeling stuck? Looking for some motivation to start your weight loss journey or maybe just a health journey? I got you; below are a few of the things I learned in my journey to becoming a healthier, happier, better version of myself.
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Up is an Action: 7 Lessons from My 70lb Weight Loss Journey
These past few years have been difficult to say the least, but this past year has been an uphill battle; it’s been hard but oh so rewarding. A year ago, I was 220 pounds, smoked about a pack of cigarettes a day, couldn’t breathe, and had no energy or, if I am being honest, drive for life. I was broke, tired, and tired of life. I kicked around the idea of my health for a long time but just never committed. I had excuses as to why I couldn’t, but looking back, that was my way of preparing myself for what was coming. The beauty is in the process, I suppose.
Here I sit today, 70 pounds lighter; my mental health has improved leaps and bounds, and my faith remains strong. Not to mention, I believe in myself again. Oh, and this is a big one I can breathe, I no longer smoke and I have learned so much along the way. Still not finished, I have about 20 pounds left to go and am applying what I learned along the way to my professional career too. So far so good, it’s worked great for me so I wanted to share a few things I have learned along the way.
1. Start now, start where you are, start with what you have
When I first started my weight loss journey, I was in a bad place. I was seriously broke and didn’t have anything but a serious budget and a pair of flip-flops. I am not even joking; I didn’t even own a pair of tennis shoes or a vehicle, but once I decided I was going to take my health seriously, I made do with what I had. When you are starting at rock bottom, up isn’t just a word—it’s an action
You make a choice every single day to get up and put your best foot forward. As I began to put the work in consistently, the world started to open up. Sometimes those first steps are the hardest, and they might leave blisters because you have crappy shoes, but keep going; keep putting one foot in front of the other and you’ll end up with new shoes.
2. You don’t have to know everything to start
For me personally, being ready was an excuse I told myself. Maybe not even an excuse but a lie—that I had to be perfect and know everything to start. Not true; we learn and grow along the way. It’s like starting a new job; at first you don’t know anything, but you learn and become better, especially with the right tools and info. Don’t wait to be perfect to start.
On another note, if you are in that perfectionist headspace. The one where you tell yourself you have to know everything to start. Well, it could be a good thing. I have noticed that is typically how I mentally prepare myself before leaping into the unknown. Regardless, I wish I would have had faith in myself sooner and my ability to learn as I go.
3. “Ready” is Just a Pretty Word for Procrastination
If I had waited for the car or the bank account to look right, I’d still be 220 lbs and talking about my weight loss goals. I had to get creative just to get food, so I used Walmart delivery. I am thankful for that service; it did more than just get me my groceries when I was without a vehicle. By using the app to place orders, it actually helped me stick to my budget and allowed me to spend time in the comfort of my home researching calories, protein, and all that jazz. It kept me out of the snack aisles and kept me focused on the goal while allowing me to stick to my budget.
If you are interested in learning more about Walmart delivery you can check out the Walmart+ program here.
4. Rock Bottom is the Best Place to Build
Rock bottom is different for everyone. I hit it in so many different areas, but looking back, it was a great foundation. Why? Because for the first time, I was forced to do things without gimmicks. I had to figure it out on a budget and get creative. I did a lot of “house walking” to ensure I got my steps in.
Yes, I walked from one end of my house to another to ensure I got those extra steps in when I couldn’t be outdoors. You really don’t have to spend tons on food or a gym membership there are things you can do to get started and keep the momentum going. The more you apply yourself, the more the world opens up; it’s a very rewarding process if I am being honest. It sucks, but if you keep going, it is rewarding.
I honestly believe this so much, I have also started applying this to my professional life. For the first time in a long time I can honestly say, I believe in myself and my ability to to accomplish my goals. And all I did was decide one day to start, put one foot in front of the other and step into the unknown.
5. The “Diet Tax” is Real, but You Don’t Have to Starve
If I had eaten like a bird, I honestly don’t think I would have made it, lol. Kudos to those who can eat less on their weight loss journey, because this girl can’t. I like to feel full, so I did research and found meals that I could actually eat enough of to feel satisfied while sticking to my budget. I have included two of the recipes I ate on repeat on my blog: my Dill Tuna Lettuce Wraps and Chicken Fajita-ish Wraps. Both are delicious, low-calorie, and high-protein. I mean, we do have to be real there are certainly more flavorful ways to cook things, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat good food and get full.
6. Music is the Emotional Armor for the Journey
(Note: Since we discussed how much the music helped, this is a great spot to add that final truth!) When I didn’t have the shoes or the car, I had the music. They say you hear the music when you need it and you hear the words when you need them—and that has been so true for me. My playlist changed as I did. In the beginning, the music helped me both mentally and physically get my stuff done. It drowned out the excuses and gave me the rhythm to keep walking those laps in my living room. Music is such a great tool for all sorts of things and certainly helped keep my head right and put a little extra pep in my step to help me with my weight loss.
7. Mental Health and Physical Health Go Hand In Hand
Mental health and physical health/weight loss go hand in hand. The better you are doing mentally the either it is to continue your journey physically. I found created this Gratitude and Reflection Calendar because this type of thinking helped me stay positive through so much, it also helped me rewire my brain so to speak to stop overthinking and stop trying to control things I had no control of and focus on things I could control. Which in turned helped me learn to trust in myself and have faith. Putting focus on my mental health helped me so much with my physical health.
PRO TIP: Sometimes you gotta clap for yourself! My weight loss journey was lonely, unfortunately. On the flip side, I learned that it is okay to clap for myself. That I don’t need outside validation to know I worked hard, the results are huge and that it is okay to give myself a pat on the back! Don’t let doing it alone stop you from starting, the results will be so rewarding!
If you want to learn more about my weight loss journey you can check out my post I wrote a while back about what helped kickstart my health journey.
