Ten Things I’ve learned from My Experience Losing Weight
Growing up in the suburbs of Connecticut at an early age, my relationship with sports fluctuated along with the number on the scale. I was a 14-year-old football wiz, feeling fantastic and confident as I ran laps up and down the pitch. When I was 17, my interests drastically decreased, and I was cut from the junior varsity volleyball team because I was unable to run a sub-10:30 mile. The pounds crept on as I became increasingly involved in the arts and a local youth group. My extracurricular activities excited me, but I also started to feel self-conscious and uneasy in my skin.
This continued into college, where, like many others, I gained the freshman fifteen (perhaps more accurately, the freshman thirty). I opted to walk upon a dusty scale I had hidden under my bunk bed in the spring of 2007 when I was putting off studying for my final exam. I was astounded by the number that glared back at me from the floor after what seemed like an eternity of waiting for the screen to fill. I had no choice but to accept the hard truth I needed to transform. Health can be found in all shapes and sizes, but in this case, neither of those things applied to me. Even though I knew it wouldn’t be simple to make modifications, I was prepared.
I shed seventy pounds over the next three years by learning to love running and making better food choices. I can now present myself more effectively, personally and professionally, since movement is my medicine. As a nine-time marathon runner, accredited personal trainer, run coach, wellness coach, and host of her podcast, I’ve picked up a few skills that enable me to help people find their definition of wellness and give back to them. Here are the lessons I took away from my metamorphosis, along with some explanations for why I’m always learning new things.
1. You Must Accept Yourself as You Are
It’s simple to compare oneself to other people, especially in the era of social media. Your path is unique to you. Focus on where you are and move forward without letting other people’s actions make you feel inadequate. This holds for any element of wellbeing, whether changing your food habits or attempting a new strength training regimen. It doesn’t matter if you can’t perform a challenging exercise, like a dumbbell snatch, because you will eventually get there. Accept honesty with grace, and the rest will work itself out in due course.
2. Never Get Rid of Anything Totally
Many popular diets advocate eliminating certain foods, such as sugar and complex carbohydrates, at least partially. It’s nearly a given that our cravings for certain foods will increase when we remove them from our diet. I used to gorge on the things I convinced myself I was not allowed to have. (A 2020 article on binge eating has validated the restrict/binge/repeat eating cycle.) Practicing moderation and portion management is far safer than removing anything from your life altogether. It’s a technique that has aided me on my path.
For example, on Fridays, I treat myself to a scoop of the college’s renowned banana chocolate chip ice cream rather than giving it up entirely. In terms of savoring Grandma’s Sunday sauce,
3. You Can Achieve Anything
You Set Your Mind to I wished so badly that I loved jogging. However, at first, I thought that I would never. I felt that because I wasn’t “good” at it—recall the volleyball.
Analogy from high school—it would never work out for me. During my weight-loss journey, I worked at a summer camp, so I couldn’t access a standard big box gym. I was inspired to give jogging another go because it was one of the few activities I could do to get moving and work up a sweat without the need for any special equipment.
Running could have been better throughout the first week. I ran the identical every day for roughly fifteen minutes.
4. There Are Countless Options for You to Move
Throughout my three-year adventure, I experimented with a variety of exercise regimens at different times. I’ve completed every exercise, including Cross Fit, dance cardio, and spin classes. While some of these relationships ended more permanently than others, I relished the chance to change up my routine occasionally during the process. I didn’t see the point in continuing with something that didn’t make me happy or feel good. I had a lot more fun and made some fantastic friends by branching out my go-to sweat routine. Additionally, studies published in Translational Behavioral Medicine in 2020 demonstrated that varying exercise.
5. Make an Investment in Your Wellbeing
I lived in Target cotton leggings and Hanes white V-neck T-shirts during the summer of 15-minute runs. I eventually decided that I needed to spend a little bit more money on my training clothes if I wanted to feel more at ease and perform better. The good news is that several excellent stores, such as Old Navy and Champion, offer technical gear at more affordable prices. Instead of purchasing six-packs of T-shirts each month, I began to gather a selection of clothing that withstood the test of time in the washing machine and gave me confidence before the workout.
6. Give Yourself Praise for Little Victories
I never said to myself when I first started my weight-loss journey, “I want to lose 70 pounds.” Instead, I made SMART goals—specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound—enabling me to progress. A goal such as this is an example. Should I succeed in completing my objective in two weeks, I would take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate my positive development. My may involve going to the nearby mall or just dedicating some “me” time to go for an extended walk on the weekend. Small victories are what keep your tank full and aid in the long haul.
7. You’re Not Going to Be Perfect
How many times have you promised yourself that you would have a healthy eating day, only to feel like you’ve blown it after taking a few bites of a chocolate bar? We’ve all been there, so listen.
The truth is, you won’t benefit from having an all-or-nothing mindset. Accept that things won’t always go as planned, and treat it with some grace. Errors will happen. Be pleased with yourself for putting your wellbeing first instead of getting upset and raising your hands in the air. You have the chance to begin every single second with a blank slate.
8. Is Water Your Best Friend?
Water consumption has never been “good” for me. The taste isn’t my favorite (which may sound strange), and I needed help making sure I drank enough of it. Unfortunately, water makes up 60% of our body weight (11 gallons, or 92 pounds, in a 155-pound individual), which is necessary for all living cells.
Once I decided to live a better lifestyle, I started drinking at least six glasses a day. After that, I noticed a noticeable change. My complexion looked better, I felt better, and I did well in my routine workouts, warding off that constant headache probably brought on by earlier dehydration.
9. The Mental and Physical Transformations Are Equally Important
I’m still working on being gentler to myself and improving my inner dialogue. It’s crucial to take some time to reflect deeply on your identity, values, and future goals when undergoing a significant external transition. I consider myself a perpetual work in progress, but keeping a notebook regularly and setting aside time to think about my emotions keep me in check. I will never forget the teenage girl who stood at her neighborhood mall and struggled to find fit jeans. But I realize now that she is no longer my true self.
10. Your Lifestyle Is the Key to Lasting, Permanent Change
I really can’t emphasize this enough. You cannot overcome a poor diet with exercise alone. Recall your feelings once you reach your target weight. Getting back to that sense of accomplishment and contentment will enable you to keep making wise choices in the future. This facilitates maintenance and helps you maintain composure throughout the occasional extravagant meal or run of days without exercise (which might also be crucial!). For many years to come, we wish to concentrate on long-lasting improvement in health.
How to Get Started on Your Weight Loss Journey
Whether you’re just starting or reviewing your plan after reaching a plateau, having a realistic and sustainable strategy is essential for the first 30 days and beyond of your weight-loss journey.
To lose weight and keep it off, you must follow a healthy diet, establish a calorie deficit (consuming slightly fewer calories than burning them through exercise and daily living), move frequently, manage stress well, get enough sleep, surround yourself with positive people, and maintain your motivation in the face of inescapable obstacles and disappointments.
Fortunately, you can reduce your weight by only returning to an essential diet without drastically changing your lifestyle.
DISCOVER YOUR “WHY”
“It is necessary.” In the words of Alan Chu, PhD, chair of the Sport, Exercise, and Performance Committee and head of the Performance and Motivation Research Lab, You are now capable of changing things for the better.
ACTIONS REQUIRED:
Write down your “whys” in a list or freehand, ranging from feeling more at ease in your skin to having the stamina to keep up with your partner or kids.
Make a collage or vision board with your “why.”
Compose a letter to yourself in the future detailing how your efforts have improved your life and helped you reach your weight-loss objectives.
Place notes with mantras, pictures, or prompts to remind yourself of your “why” all over your house, such as on the fridge or bathroom mirror.
SET UP YOUR BASELINE
establishing objectives and monitoring advancement are crucial components of any weight-loss strategy, but you must first determine your baseline to set achievable targets. “Knowing your
Together with a certified strength and conditioning specialist, this is the start of mindful eating. This lifetime practice may assist you in improving your connection with food, eating less, and enjoying what you eat more at the Northwestern Medicine Metabolic Health and Surgical Weight Loss Centre at Delong Hospital.
ACTIONS REQUIRED:
Make a judgment-free weekly food and drink journal by using an app such as MyFitnessPal.
As you proceed, record your feelings towards food and develop additional coping strategies to deal with tension, anxiety, concern, or boredom, such as making a friend call or practicing deep breathing, advises Wilson.
Learn the fundamentals
for your general health and weight loss attempts, getting enough sleep, managing your stress, and being hydrated is critical. If they’re not taken care of, it becomes more difficult to lose weight when you have to fight off increased comfort food cravings brought on by hormones that produce imbalanced hunger brought on by stress and lack of sleep or when you feel famished and have little energy because you’re not drinking enough water.
ACTIONS REQUIRED:
Set a consistent wake-up and bedtime to guarantee you get 7 to 9 hours of sound sleep every night.
Make your bedroom a relaxed, cozy, and dark haven for slumber.
Create an essential morning and evening routine that includes self-care exercises like stretching, meditation, and other activities to help you decompress.
Always have a large glass or water bottle available for consumption.
SET AND ACHIEVE SMART GOALS
According to Chu, concentrating on your progress increases your motivation and self-assurance, while focusing solely on the result—the number on the scale—can deplete your motivation when you don’t obtain the outcomes you’re hoping for. For this reason, your best tool for losing weight is a progress-based set of SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound.
Using the data you gathered in week 1, examine your baseline calorie and macronutrient consumption and step count. Next, decide on a step count target that fits your lifestyle and calorie budget for gradual weight loss. Track your progress with the MyFitnessPal app to identify patterns and choose healthier options.
CHANGE UP YOUR SNACK LIST AND ADD BITES TO IT
To avoid feeling deprived when attempting to lose weight, Rickel suggests shifting your attention from “giving up” sugar-filled beverages and calorie-dense processed foods to “adding in” delicious, whole foods with fewer calories to your diet.
ACTIONS REQUIRED:
This week, set a culinary challenge for yourself and try one new fruit or vegetable. Experiment with different recipes and cuisines.
Add additional veggies to your lunch and dinner by incorporating them into salads, soups, sauces, and other dishes, regardless of how you slice them,” says Wilson.
Find filling alternatives to high-calorie treats, including sparkling water or banana berry “nice” cream instead of regular ice cream.
