I HAVE BEEN KEEPING A SECRET…

100 POUNDS GONE AND THE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED

I have kept this to myself for two weeks. I needed to take the time to really let this sink in. I have basically lost the weight of my niece Abby. I had to let the emotional part of that sink in. I wanted to really think about what I have learned and how my life has changed. The time to reflect is over. Honestly, I will always probably reflect back every once in awhile, it is important to know where you started and how far you have come!

It is time to celebrate now!!

Also, to share what I have learned along the journey so far about myself and much more.

I took 2 years and 5 months for me to shed 100 pounds! But a lifetime of bad habits to put it on in the first place.

When I started this journey on December 8, 2017 I thought I will reach my goal (which is more then 100 pounds to lose) within 2 years! I felt like I knew that I would just really drop all the weight that I spent a life time to putting on in just 2 years. Boy, did I learn a lesson that is not reality at least NOT my reality! There are many things I have had to relearn and frankly to learn, and those things can not be learned overnight.

I did know that this journey was not going to be easy. I just figured it would be quick. Through this journey there were lessons and things I needed to learn about myself, my body, my emotions and my relationship to food! Until those lessons were learned I was not going to be successful.

I started this blog to share my journey and I have been silent on here for awhile, I just needed to focus on a few big life changes I was going through and to keep my head straight and focused on my journey. I had things I probably should have shared with you all at the time I was going through them. I said I would share the good, bad and the ugly! Regardless of what I should have done in the past few months, I am back now and I am here to share what’s been going on in my life and how hard I have had to work in these last few months to reach this huge goal!

So what have I learned about myself in the last 2 1/2 years on this journey:

• The number one thing I learned and that was reinforced on this journey. Everyone’s journey is unique to them!!
• That I thought I was eating healthy but I really wasn’t! I was eating food disguised as healthy an I was eating too much food.
• I learned for me and my body cutting whole food groups out of my daily diet are NOT the answer!! I can cut a couple of days of no sugars but the complete elimination is NOT for me!
• When I eat certain foods I retain more water. So I need to ensure that when I eat those foods, that I am increasing my water intake so I can flush my system.
• That there WILL NOT be losses every week! I have to learn that sometimes I can do everything right and it will happen, or most cases I know exactly what I have done to have the result. For example, the week I gained 9 pounds in one week! I can be upset, but only in that I know exactly what I did to have that gain and that I should really know better!
• I need to be ACCOUNTABLE for my choices! Meaning, I can’t not eat 2 pints of ice cream, a burger and fries and think that I will for sure have a loss that week!
• That this is a life style change and not one day! That every small change and new habit formed are part of a larger picture!
• That I needed to be MORE active! I had to move my body on a consistent basis.
• That I need my community! Those individuals that understand this journey and the frustrations that may come with it.
• That I am stronger and more determined then I every thought I was.
• That I eat out of boredom! I need to find other solutions to pass time other then eating!
• What works for someone else may not work for me! But there might be some bit of wisdom or advice that have that I can benefit from.
• That I like eating a clean whole food diet!
• I can self-sabotage like no one else! That I am now more aware of when and why I am doing it!
• Most importantly I have learned to give myself more grace, I am not perfect! I am human and I will stumble and fall, but what is important is that I pick myself up and dust myself off and get back on the path I have created.

I have been part of WW (formally Weight Watchers) for the past two years. I have done several things over the years, I did Ideal Protein (basically Keto) worked but for me not a lifestyle I wanted to live everyday for the rest of my life. I like that I can eat whatever I want! I am never told what I can or can not eat on WW. For me, the tool to I like to say dumb down calorie counting is what I needed to be successful. All the years of struggling and wanting a quick fix are pardon my french utter and complete BULLSHIT! We all learned in school what we need to do calories in verses calories out! That is what WW does for me, allows me to track my calories and as I lose weight my daily points (calories) can drop. All so I learn how to eating within a healthy calorie range. I needed to get my calories I was eating under control. Remember, at the beginning I said EVERYONE’S JOURNEY IS UNIQUE!

I am not done yet! I set a goal weight for myself when I began WW and I have 35 more pounds to drop until I reach that point, which is a healthier weight for me to be at with my age and height. I had to break my journey down into parts, I needed to get my relationship with food under control first and foremost. I have done that with exception to my relationship to pizza! That may always be a struggle and a work in progress! I am working on that relationship. The other part of this journey for me was generating the habits of being more physically active! That is what I am working on. I know to be the healthiest version of myself I need to be more active!

I am not hear to tell you what you need to do! I can only share what worked for me! How I feel, be it celebrating a win or having a bad day, week or month!

I leave you all with this months ago WW ran commercials where Oprah called people who had lost weight. So my question is

“Oprah, are you going to call me already?!”