Here's to 2019 and resolutions that need not be made based solely on weight loss anymore.

I apologize for the length. tl;dr at the bottom.

I say this because I've realized that there's no more "New Years resolution to lose weight" for me in my future. Not because I've reached my goal weight, not because I've given up, but simply because I've turned my previous decision to lose weight almost 2 years ago into a healthier lifestyle and it's stuck. This after 30 years of not knowing what the hell I was doing and always giving up in less than a month because of my lack of knowledge.

I love what I've learned being part of these communities here. I love that I finally understand calories and deficits and maintenance and surpluses. I love that I've learned IF is an acceptable and healthy way of losing weight, as long as it's just that, intermediate. I love that I finally understand how to cut and that cardio isn't the only thing needed to lose weight, if you want to use cardio at all. I love seeing the definition in my muscles and the shape of my body change. I love what I've learned so much here that I want to pursue being a trainer or coach in the future, when I've reached my own goals.

I've spent most of 2018 in a massively depressive funk, which would have sabotaged my weight loss in the past. But this year was different. Despite the depression and stress and illnesses, it was incredibly easy for me to stay at or around my maintenance levels, if not my deficit. I ate crap a lot of the time and I didn't work out very much at all. I own my own small art business that gave me a mild workout on the weekends from May-December and I rode my bike with my husband a couple of times but other than that I was pretty sedentary. Even though I had felt like I gave up because I stopped working out and was eating like shit, it was second nature to keep my portions and calories at the levels they should be and to not eat when I wasn't hungry. My food choices are second nature because I understand food now. My weight has been consistently going down in a healthy way at each doctor appointment I've had this year, even when I felt like I was gaining because of being sedentary so much.

For the holidays my husband has set up our multi gym and orbital rower for working out at home. I'm used to those machines from using them in college so I'm excited to get back to them. I'm already about a week in and it feels so good. I'm doing the x-effect with it right now for a challenge while I'm not working my business and it's a lot of fun.

I started my journey wanting to "not be fat" and found along the way that it's not just the fat. I don't want to be fat, but more than that I want to be fit and healthy. With that goal in mind and everything I've already learned over the last 2 years, I have no more need for a New Years resolution that includes weight. I can work on other areas of my life now.

I love seeing everyone's progress here, this community started me on the right path and for that, my life is forever changed. A big thank you to you all and I hope your year brings you more growth and health, whichever forms those may take :)

I'll never forget my mantra I learned here now: "Trust your deficit." It works. Even when you feel like shit, it works.

tl;dr: After learning how to lose weight and get healthy the proper ways here (CICO and IF, and just generally better choices with food for me) almost 2 years ago, I have finally made it a lifestyle and no longer worry about a new years resolution that focuses on weight loss. It's opened up my mind and my life to better things, despite life's daily challenges.

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from loseit - Lose the Fat http://bit.ly/2EP21Lq