....and he didn’t even recognize me. He walked right past me!
I was frozen in fear when I saw him because this guy used to mercilessly pick on me all through middle school and high school. He NEVER missed an opportunity to make a mean comment or joke at my expense. It brought back so many bad emotions and memories I was instinctively bracing myself for him to say something but I guess the 140 lbs I’ve lost in the last 12 months threw him off, he walked right past me! 💪✌️
I'm a grown ass adult now and I haven't seen the guy in more than 10 years so I know its a little silly of me to still be afraid of him but this was a big win for me, maybe some of y'all can relate.
I haven't reached my GW of 190 lbs yet but I've gone from 363 lbs to 223 lbs in 12 months. It has not been easy changing my lifestyle but its been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done for myself. I feel happier, healthier and more confident now than I have at any point in my life. Browsing r/loseit has been such an inspiration during my journey.
Here are my biggest learnings from my journey so far:
Diet
I focused primarily on reducing my saturated fat, sodium, carbs while increasing my lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats. I did CICO.
It’s already been said here many times, but I cannot stress this enough – measure everything. Get MyFitnessPal and use their calorie counter. Its a paid service but IMO worth every penny. Once you start doing this and make it a habit, it changes everything.
Exercise
I started working out, following a strength training routine at least 3 days a week and gradually increasing my overall activity level over time. Currently, I have shifted into weight training, average about 12,000 steps a day, and have started doing Insanity workouts 2 days a week.
If you can hire a personal trainer, do it. I used a personal trainer for the first 3 months until I was comfortable with an active lifestyle.
Emotional
You need a solid support system around you because you are only as strong as your support system. There is a saying that in life you become the average of your 5 closest friends. I think the same is true for weight loss. If you have active friends they will automatically invite you to activities that involve physical activity (rock climbing, cycling, soccer on weekends etc) and soon this becomes a part of your life style. When you're out at dinner with these friends and see the portions they are ordering and the foods they are ordering, you automatically recalibrate your own order. You have to push yourself outside your comfort zone – initially this is going to be awkward and you will feel like an outsider, but swallow your pride and do it.
While having friends who are already fit is great, I also found having a support group of people who were on the same weight loss journey as me to be invaluable. These were people with whom I could vent on a day to day basis. I used Uplift Groups to find myself a support group - they match you with a support group based on your SW, CW and GW. Free service and i've made some friends for life because of it. Surround yourself with people who can give you encouragement, guidance, support, and accountability.
Closing Thoughts
When I look back on how far I've come I can't believe it. To be sure, I'm not at my GW yet, but I feel so much better now than I ever have. Once you start eating healthy and exercising for a sustained period of time, at some point your brain just switches. I no longer think of going to the gym as exercise, it is just a part of my life. Ditto with eating well.
This is the best gift you can give yourself. Thank you for reading.
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