I will weigh 150 lbs by December 31, 2024. My starting weight on Day 1 of this 433-day journey was 266.8 lbs. As of today, I am 261.4 lbs. You can watch my progress on the weight loss tracker I’ve created.
Losing the 5.4 lbs has been a REAL struggle. I am pre-menopausal, on thyroid medication, and started HRT (hormone replacement therapy) about a year ago. Most of the time, I feel like the doctors are just playing a guessing game with my health, trying different treatments and seeing what sticks. It’s frustrating to not have clear answers or a straightforward path to follow.
It’s been a challenge to find the right balance with my diet and exercise routine, especially considering my fluctuating hormones and the side effects. I’ve had to constantly adjust my approach, trying different combinations of foods, workout intensity, and rest periods. It’s like navigating through a maze where the walls keep moving.
I’ve also realized the importance of mental and emotional health in this process. Stress, sleep quality, and my emotional state have such a profound impact on my body’s ability to lose weight.
I am so sick and tired of the people saying, “All you need to do to lose weight is move more, build muscle, and create a calorie deficit.” Honestly, I’d like to punch those people in the face – not really, but I wanted to illustrate my frustration.
It’s not just about calories in and calories out for me; it’s about the entire ecosystem of my body and how everything interacts.
This journey, like my business journey, has taught me patience and resilience. Every day is a new opportunity to learn more about my body and its needs. Some days I feel discouraged, but I remind myself that this is not just a physical transformation but a mental and emotional one as well.
I’ve started incorporating mindfulness and meditation into my daily routine to help manage stress and keep a positive mindset.
I am learning to listen to my body more, understand its signals, and respond to its needs. This journey is not just about reaching a number on the scale (although that is important to me as well); it’s about finding a sustainable, healthy lifestyle that works for me.
For example, “I hate, hate, hate, double hate, loathe entirely” (in the Grinch’s voice) – the gym. I want to like going to the gym, but I don’t. That said, I know I need to move and build muscle. I walk every day. This is a habit I’ve created, and I’m loving it. As a bonus, I’ve been listening to a book a week on Audible on my walks! #bonus I was swimming every day as well, but now it’s too cold to do that. So, I’ve decided to start incorporating lifting weights into my routine. Since I don’t want to go to the gym, I’m creating a home workout area. I know myself enough by now that if it’s not easy for me to jump into a workout routine, I won’t do it. So, I’m being international about setting myself up for success. Make it accessible. Create a routine. And it’s working!
It’s funny. I have no problem setting myself up for success in business. Staying the course. Doing the work. But regarding my health, I thought it was a waste of time. Clearly, it’s not. I’m not lazy. I love to hike. I am always doing something. But I do sit a lot with my work. So I have to make time to move. And that’s what I’m doing.
I’ve fallen into the victim mindset more times than I’d like to admit. Saying things like, “Why can so-and-so eat like garbage and be skinny?” “Most people aren’t as health conscious as to what they put in their mouth as I am – why am I fat?” Or my favorite go-to whining of, “All I have to do is look at food, and I gain weight!”
But here’s the thing – I’ve realized that these thoughts are just excuses. They’re a way for me to justify not taking action. Everyone’s body is different, and comparing myself to others is not only unfair but also unproductive. The truth is, my health journey is unique to me. It’s not about what others can or can’t do; it’s about what I need to do for my body and my well-being.
So, I’ve started to shift my mindset from a victim. Instead of complaining about what isn’t working, I’m focusing on what I can do – and just doing it, regardless of the results I see on the scale.
In business, I often share with clients that while we can’t always control the outcome – we can control the activity.
And that’s exactly what I’m doing with my health – control the activity. Move, lift, eat right, and be patient. I actually FEEL amazing, I just don’t LOOK like I want to (yet). It’s coming, though, I can feel it.
