Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Things I've Learned From My Weight Loss Journey

1. Weight loss is HARD. Seriously. I have earned every ounce I have lost through hard work. It never gets easier, and actually when you get down to the last few pounds it gets even harder. (Or darn near impossible in my case.)

2. Maintaining weight loss is even HARDER.

3. There is no magic solution or one thing you have to do to lose. There are so many variables and every person's right way is different.

4. I am proud to say I have never done any pills or crazy diets to lose weight. That is not to say I have not been sorely tempted when the scale stops responding.

5. I LOVE working out. There is no way I could have accomplished what I have if I hated it.

6. I am competitive. Even if it's with myself, I get a kick out of lifting heavier from one day to the next or learning something new and doing it well. (I also really like lifting heavier than almost everyone else in class.)

7. There is a fine line between healthy and obsessed. I cross this line frequently, but usually I can pull myself back.

8. The scale sucks. That is all. Sucks.

9. The awesome compliments stop coming when the weight loss stops. I'm still trying to find my own way to appreciate myself and not be so needy of those compliments.

10. I will never reach a final "goal" and be done. There will always be something to improve on. (This one is a difficult lesson when it hits. I soooo thought I would hit that magic number on the scale and be satisfied.)

11. Finding like-minded friends has been the best thing that has happened to me. I have never been good at making friends, but now I can talk to people in my classes and we encourage each other.

12. One of my big goals now is to help other people. I'm not sure yet how I am meant to help, but I know that I have something to offer and if I can help or encourage one person with my knowledge/story, then I will be happy.

13. Food is still my kryptonite. Some days I'm great, some days not so much. It has been even harder to not give in to temptation when I don't see results from my disciplined days.

14. I don't think I will ever be a runner. I still hate it. The thing is, there are so many things I do now that I said "never" about that I can't be sure that 5 years from now I won't be running a marathon.

15. Even after all of my lifestyle changes, my blood pressure remains high and my Iron levels stay low, and that pisses me off. I want to be healthy in all ways.

16. I'm a homebody, stick to the routine, antisocial kind of girl, but my new lifestyle doesn't really fit with that so I have had to re-evaluate what is important to me in all areas of my life.

17. Not everyone is ready to workout/ eat healthier/ lose weight/ change their lives at once and that is OK. It took me until I was 35 to make the changes I needed to and I am still a work in progress. I do not judge anyone for the choices they make. BUT. Somehow I think it comes across that way because it is such a big part of my life right now.

18. I go through cycles (sometimes several times a day) of being satisfied and proud of myself for what I have accomplished or frustrated and mad at myself for any perceived setback. The last few months have been difficult because I am watching the scale creep up, up, up and nothing I do seems to help turn it around.

I want to say thank-you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way. I have the best friends and family a person could ever hope for.

1 comment:

A Soccer Mom's Book Blog said...

You are truly an inspiration to me. Not only have you lost weight, but you changed your lifestyle and made it so healthy. I am so proud to have you in my life and encouraging me. I cannot wait for time when we can hit it together again!