Sorry for the long post, but i feel like I have nowhere else to share!
27F here. My highest weight was 301 lbs last summer. I started this journey in March at 289 lbs, and as of today I'm 23 lbs down. This isn't my first time trying to lose weight. Back in 2021 I did Weight Watchers for about 6 months. I started at 276 lbs in June 2021 and got all the way down to 237 lbs by December 2021. I was so proud of myself... and then life happened. I slowly gained it all back, plus another 20+ pounds.
Looking back, I realized I never actually learned how to eat normally. I learned how to eat to lose weight. This time has been completely different. Instead of cutting out foods I love, I've been counting calories and learning how to make those foods fit into my life.
I still get Starbucks. I still eat pizza. I still go out for dinner. I still have dessert. I still eat chips sometimes.
The difference is that I don't eat those things on top of everything else anymore. I plan for them. I make healthier choices throughout the rest of the day, focus on getting enough protein, and stay in a calorie deficit most of the time.
Another huge motivation for me is that my wedding is officially 364 days away (less than a year!!) 🥹. My fiancé and I also hope to start trying for a baby after we're married, and I want to give myself the best chance at a healthy pregnancy. It's not about becoming a certain size before then. It's about becoming a healthier version of myself.
For the first time, I don't feel deprived. I don't feel like I'm "on a diet." I'm just learning balance. One thing that really helped was finding volleyball again. I started playing a few nights a week, and for the first time in years, exercise was actually fun instead of feeling like punishment. Then about 7 weeks ago, I sprained my wrist pretty badly. I couldn't play volleyball anymore and I was worried my progress would stop.
Instead of giving up, I doubled down on tracking my calories. I realized that while exercise is amazing for my health, my calorie deficit is what determines whether I lose weight. Even with a lot less activity, I kept losing because I stayed consistent with my eating. Another thing that's completely changed my mindset is that I track everything.
Literally everything.
If I eat 1,800 calories, I track it.
If I eat 2,700 calories, I track it.
If I have a birthday, a holiday, or even a ridiculous 4,500-calorie day, I still track it.
I don't pretend it didn't happen. I don't wait until Monday to start logging again. I don't tell myself I've ruined everything.
I log it, accept it, and move on.
One high-calorie day doesn't erase months of consistency. In fact, I think learning to keep tracking on those days has been one of the biggest reasons I've been successful this time. I've also stopped chasing perfection. Some days I eat really well. Some days I don't.
Some days I go for a long walk because I genuinely enjoy it now. Some days I spend the whole day relaxing. But I don't quit anymore. I've also started noticing victories that have nothing to do with the scale.
My resting heart rate has dropped.
Walking feels easier than it used to.
I can actually feel myself getting stronger.
My mom says she can see the weight loss in my face.
I have more confidence that I can actually do this.
For the first time, this doesn't feel like another diet.
It feels like I'm slowly building habits that I can actually keep for the rest of my life.
I still have a long way to go, but these first 23 pounds have taught me something I wish I had understood years ago: You don't have to be perfect to lose weight. You just have to keep showing up.
If you've lost weight before and gained it back (like I did), don't give up on yourself. Sometimes the biggest lesson isn't learning how to lose weight.. it's learning how to keep living your life while you do it. For the first time, I genuinely believe this isn't just another attempt.
I think this is finally my lifestyle ❤️
