During the pandemic, I discovered I was on the high-risk list because of my high blood pressure and my weight. So, I decided to take control of my health and well-being again. I was at my heaviest weight and very unhappy. My weight gain started while attending college and working full time. I didn’t have time to exercise, and I was eating on the go between work and school. Once I graduated college, I started to work a lot, so I didn’t make time to exercise and was still eating very unhealthily. I knew if I lost weight, I could possibly eliminate my health issues and physically feel better, so I started my fitness journey on August 22, 2020.
I started my journey by first changing my eating habits. I gave up fried foods, rice, bread, sweets, and sodas. Mountain Dew was my weakness, so I knew giving that up would be a challenge. I was already having pain in my back and knees, so I wasn’t sure how I would incorporate exercise in with my new healthier lifestyle. Once I lost the first 25 pounds by eating right, I thought I would try to start walking. I could only walk 15 minutes and I had to take a break before I could finish another 15 minutes. Eventually, I was able to do 30 minutes all at one time! When the weather and time changed, I couldn’t really walk during those winter months. However, I continued to eat healthy. I also started counting my daily calories using an app on my phone. Before I knew it, I had lost a total of 60 pounds by spring! Then, I was able to really start walking again. I pushed myself to walk 45 minutes and then to an hour. I started out walking one hour a day four to five days a week. Next, I decided to step up my game more after reaching my 75 pounds of weight loss milestone. So, I pushed myself more and started walking one hour a day seven days a week! To date, I’ve lost 95 pounds and I’m pushing towards my next milestone of 100 pounds of weight lost!
I can truly say I’m feeling better than I have in YEARS. My doctors are incredibly proud of me for deciding to lose weight on my own. I will say, the keys to losing weight are diet, exercise, and commitment. I recently decided to join a gym so I can use my favorite machine – the elliptical. I walk downtown on my lunch breaks and I go to the gym on the weekends.
I encourage anyone who has struggled or who is currently struggling with weight loss to JUST START. You will have bumps in the road, but don’t let it stop you! There are so many times I wanted to quit, but I remind myself this is a lifestyle change. If I can do it, believe me, anyone can!