Apologies, on mobile, but here’s my transformation! https://imgur.com/a/gBZGqoE
Like so many others, I was always overweight and it’s really been all I’ve ever known. I had a nasty combo of a slow metabolism and a binge eating disorder from early childhood. My parents tried to help me with weight-loss as a family, but it never stuck. My binging became a coping mechanism for severe anxiety and depression. Being young, I never knew how to deal with any of this, from the eating issues to the mental health issues.
Then, I hit rock bottom. It was at the climax of a mild struggle with bulimia and a severe struggle with depression that I realized what my first step to a healthier me needed to be:
Appreciating, respecting, and loving myself AND my body.
So, I started what will always be my most difficult hike and most challenging journey... building my confidence. While on this path, I found that walking around outside gave me the most peace and “confidence.” Something about feeling the earth and all of its elements around me and gliding along as one gave me so much strength. It felt strong, and I felt strong.
Walking around parks turned to wandering around forest turned to climbing deeper and higher. My first “summit” was a tame 250 ft hill that overlooked a nice, otherwise unreachable canyon. At that time the climb killed me. I felt light headed, I almost vomited... but as I hit the final push I felt a surge of adrenaline in me that was new and thrilling. At the top, seeing that valley for the first time and knowing I could have never seen it without the effort...I was hooked. From there, it was all about being able to climb bigger, taller mountains and longer, more difficult trails.
Today, weight loss doesn’t matter much anymore, at least not nearly as much as getting stronger and more adept to do advanced terrain. This hobby has brought me so much peace and I feel so, so fortunate that weight loss for me was enjoyable and empowering. I love my body in a different way now. It’s squishy but it’s strong, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world post OR pre weight loss. I’ll never stop being grateful for that 2015 body for making the decision to love itself, and for having the resilience to carry me all those years.
Also, as of today, I’ve officially hiked my first 1,500 ft elevation gain / 4.0 mile trail in under 2 hours. I’m thrilled! Hoping to summit half-dome before my 30th birthday in 4 years! :)
[edited: typos!]
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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://ift.tt/2PmX7Kq
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