My Weightloss Journey-I'm 20 lbs down!

Hi Friends,

This post is a little more personal than spiritual, but stick along because I believe you'll get to know me better!

I'm officially 20 lbs down! 

This is truly a big deal for me, being that I never had "weight issues" growing up. I was always the tall (5'11), skinny, and athletic girl. I stayed that way throughout high school, college, and the first few years of being married. My weight typically fluctuated between 115 and 130 lbs, while I was 16 to 23 years old.

What changed?

Stress levels and my coping mechanisms. 

No gym membership. 

Being pregnant, birthing, and raising 2 children. 

My age and metabolism. 

Daily routines and lack of physical health goals. 

Not realizing my physical health had a spiritual component.

The most I've weighed is 197 lbs, which was on the day I gave birth to my second child. By 29 years old and after having 2 children, my weight fluctuated on average between 160 and 170 lbs (this is after losing the "baby weight").

Fast forward to being 30-31 years old, during a pandemic, and daily life was about coping and most times in the most unhealthy ways... I went to the ER and to my primary care physician for chest pains that had been off and on for weeks, extreme fatigue, and feeling like I was going to pass out on many occasions. After a heart scan, blood test, and several doctor visits, I was told "nothing was wrong." 

Typically when a doctor says "nothing is wrong" most people feel relieved. Well for me, it scared me because I honestly knew something was wrong. I cried in my doctor office, and all I could say was, "I feel so sick all the time. Something has to give." That day, in June of 2021 I was 195 lbs. Yep, only 2 lbs away from the weight I was when I gave birth to my son, which I honestly couldn't believe I was that heavy without having a child in my tummy.

So from 23 to 29 years old, I averaged 30-40 lbs more than my high school weight, and at 31 I averaged an additional 70 lbs more than my high school weight. FOR ME, this was unhealthy. FOR MY BODY TYPE, the lack of nutritional food I was consuming on a day-to-day basis, and lack of exercise was literally killing me. I felt it, even though medical test were saying I was fine.

I'll never forget on my 31st birthday I didn't like any pictures that I had taken, none of my clothes fit properly, my chest was hurting and I felt like I was going to pass out that evening, and had just had the worst PMS I've ever had. I knew I had to do something different.

The first week of July of 2021, I stepped on a scale and was 194 lbs and that's when my weight loss journey began.

I had to examine myself and make some changes:

I looked at my habits first. 

I typically ate out 5-7 times a week, at fast food restaurants, and overate for every meal. I would literally feel myself completely full, but would finish my meal anyway. I also wasn't exercising consistently....maybe walking once a week. I made a decision to only eat out on the weekends, but Sunday night through Friday for lunch, my meals were to be prepared from home, in healthy portions, and with consistent daily dedication to healthy water intake.

Then I realized a change in how my body worked. 

I was 31, my metabolism was slower, and honestly at 31 my body was just different. My body now requires healthy foods to function well, and I no longer can out exercise a bad diet. So along with eating well and consuming more water daily, I also begin to walk 3-5 times a week. Every day that I worked out, I walked a minimum of 3 miles. 

I was literally tired of being sick and aging at a fast pace.

I could tell in my face that I was aging rapidly. Also, I was afraid that if I was feeling this exhausted and sick at 31 years old, I could only imagine what I would feel like at 61. The thought of more pain, more sickness, more weight, and more unhealthy aging truly scared me. Losing weight alone truly seems to stop the rapid progression of aging ...but I know it's because I take better care of my body, mind, and soul.

I want to leave you with five things:

1) Seasons matter. Honestly, this was a really good season in my life to focus on weight loss. My kids are older and more independent, so leaving them with my husband while I walked wasn't too much of a burden on him. My job is secure and flexible in that I have time in the evenings to focus on walking and cooking healthy meals. Also, the pandemic is getting better so fear, stress, and poor coping mechanisms are no longer a daily concern of mine. 

2) If you are on this type of journey, please start with consulting your primary care physician. Your root of weight gain, may be different from mine, so start with your primary care physician for a full evaluation to rule out other health conditions.

3) It is God's desire that we take care of the one and only temple/body he has given us. Your God given purpose on Earth could be cut short all because your temple isn't healthy enough to fulfill your purpose. 

4) You are worthy of the investment that it will take to make progression in your life. A better quality of life is on the other side of your investment, whether it's going to counseling, ordering meal plans for the week, etc. 

5) Only confide in a few friends, and give them updates weekly. Allow them to hold you accountable, cheer you on, and give you suggestions along the way. 

Today, I am 174 lbs and I feel and look MUCH better. I'm still on a weight loss journey, but I wanted to take a moment to evaluate and praise my efforts made thus far. I'm halfway to my weight goals, but I celebrate me TODAY! 

I'm becoming better, FOR ME! I pray you know you are worthy of being better for no other purpose than you deserve to have what you desire. It's taken me 4 months to lose 20 lbs and keep off the weight. So grace yourself, and stay committed! You'll reach your goals if you never quit.

Please share an area of your life that you are working on! I would love to read about it, and comment back! 

Cheers to us all, and remember to have some fun along the way! 

-B