I hit 35 pounds down today, and I wanted to share a little of my weight loss journey here.
I've struggled with weight for most of my life. I've never really been thin, but I really started gaining in my first year of university, and never really stopped. I've had a few short-lived successes, but in the past have always ended up putting whatever I lost back on. I've tried calorie counting, and always end up discouraged if I'm over or forget to track and end up giving up. The highest number I've seen on my scale was 291, in March of 2019.
In December of 2019, I decided one of my goals for 2020 would be to lose 75 pounds by the end of the year. I am a big advocate of SMART goals, so I settled on this number because it equated to about 1.5 lbs a week, which I felt was reasonable for me, and it was a nice round number. It would also put me below 200 pounds for the first time since I was maybe 19 (I'm 30 now).
On January 1, I weighed 273 pounds. I felt terrible. I was often thirsty, ate a lot of McDonald's, drank Coke every day, suffered from increasingly regular migraines (as often as once a week), and struggled with anxiety. I started slow. I committed to eating out no more than twice a week - which I did for the most part. In mid January, I went to my doctor with a persistent yeast infection. Because I have a family history of diabetes, my doctor decided to send me for bloodwork just to be on the safe side. To both of our surprise, my A1C was 11.5. I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes on January 17, and losing weight and eating healthier suddenly became a lot more pressing.
I immediately cut soda, juice, sweets, and potato chips from my diet, and was put on medication. I switched to whole grains, and tried to make sure I was eating enough vegetables. I was very careful with portion sizes. I still eat out sometimes - no more than twice a week - but I stick to local restaurants or healthy options.
Today, I weighed in at 238 pounds - 35 pounds down. I feel so much better. I have had exactly one migraine since my diagnosis forced me to change my habits. My anxiety has improved, and I am happier. This is the most weight I've ever lost on purpose, and the longest I've stuck with healthier habits.
Here's what I've found works for me:
- I track what I eat, but most of the time I don't count calories or macros. I have a section in my bullet journal where I write down what I eat, which helps me to be mindful of my choices. Every few months, I track all my calories for a week or so to make sure my numbers line up. I did this a few weeks ago, and seem to be eating about 1500 calories a day on average, with carb/protein/fat percentages in line with my goals. I do often weigh of measure things to be sure of portion sizes (particularly carbs), but not tracking the specific calories every day helps me to focus on the choices instead of getting obsessed with numbers.
- I walk almost every day. My doctor said to aim for 30 minutes a day. I struggled with this for awhile, particularly in the height of the pandemic, but I'm consistently walking 5 of 7 days a week right now.
- I weigh myself every morning when I first get up. If I find I'm getting obsessive, or I am stressing about a day where I've fluctuated up, I'll skip a few days and then continue weighing in.
- I try to find ways to turn the things I need to be eating into the things I want to be eating. For example, I put a tablespoon of cocoa in my oatmeal. Then it tastes like dessert, but with steel cut oats, flax, and fruit, it's quite healthy.
- I'm still working on it, but planning meals helps a lot with impulsive grocery purchases or falling back on ordering in.
- I drink a lot of water.
- I listen to my doctor's advice. My diabetes educator has been a great resource, too.
I still have a long way to go. My goal for the end of this year isn't my end goal. But I have more confidence than ever that I can get there.
Thanks for reading! I just wanted to share somewhere. :)
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