We'll start with the important part,before and after pics.
I reached my highest weight of 248ish a couple times. Each time I tried to lose weight and gave up. The last time I tried Nutrisystem. It worked until I wasn't able to afford it anymore. I reached my lowest adult weight of 211.6 lbs in February 2016. And I put every pound back on when I quit Nutrisystem. Fact of the matter was, I never learned a new way of life to maintain my lower weight, much less continue to lose weight. I stayed around that 248 mark from 2016 to 2018 when I moved halfway across the country with my husband.
In mid-2018 after moving, I decided it was time for some changes, I was tired of being overweight. But I also didn't want to diet. I wanted to change how I interacted with food. I knew I needed something to work for the rest of my life. I didn't want to be skinny, I wanted to be healthy. So, I took a different approach. A VERY slow approach. I decided to change one habit at a time until I started to find a healthier lifestyle that worked for ME.
The first thing I did was cut soda's out. I'll still drink one on occasion, but they are not a go to drink for me. I have decided that I'm ok using artificial sweeteners, so I will drink diet sodas and use Crystal Light squeeze water enhancers, but I stay away from liquid calories. Over the course of a few months I slowly lost 10 pounds or so. I was happy to have some success and over time, I became ok not drinking sodas all the time. My first step was a huge success by my books. But, I knew I needed to do more.
Then, I decided to start cutting my portion sizes. I didn't try to change what I ate, I just tried to change how much of it I was eating. And over the next several months, I managed to lose about 10 more pounds. Again, it was slow, but I've come to be content eating significantly less food than I was. Actually, I don't like overeating anymore. On the occasions I do overeat, I always regret it. Not in the way I used to where I felt guilty. Now, when I overeat, I just don't like how I feel. That super full feeling is unpleasant, I feel extremely tired and groggy, and I'm just not interested in feeling like that anymore.
My next step wasn't so much a direct decision as an indirect one. I found a new job that had me on my feet 40 hours a week. I went from an extremely sedentary life into a much more active one. This one probably made me feel the best. Moving around was wonderful and as I moved, the easier the movement got. While I struggle with exercising, a job that has me on my feet is something I enjoy. I can tell my plantar fasciitis is clearing up and again, over the course of several months another 10 pounds or so slipped off.
From there, I learned about keto. Truthfully, I decided to take a lazy approach to it. A pretty lazy approach to it. I avoid bread and noodles and potatoes most of the time. I focus on proteins and healthy fats. I try to eat more vegetables. I generally avoid sweets, and other foods like that. I also slipped in intermittent fasting. I generally don't eat until midafternoon, then I have dinner and that's it, just two meals. It's been pretty easy for me honestly, I've never been a breakfast person so this just fits for me. And that's been the most recent 10 pounds.
I've also been more forgiving of myself then ever. When I gain back a couple pounds, I don't beat myself up for it. When I splurge on a bowl of pasta, I move on and eat healthier the next meal. More than anything I've spent the past almost year and a half slowly finding a new way of life. I back off keto when I need to for my sanity. I eat breakfast when I wake up starving. And I can have this flexibility with myself because I'm ok with this taking time.
I feel like I have gained a healthier relationship with food. Treats are truly treats. I don't splurge on ice cream, or candy, or sodas every day. Just because I have a bad day doesn't mean that I need to eat until I'm stuffed. I feel more in control of my eating than my eating is of me. Besides a generally healthier outlook on my eating habits, I've had several other NSV. The biggest one being a couple months ago, I finally had to break down and buy new jeans. I was struggling to keep them on! I also was able to pull an old pair I bought in 2016 out of the box they were packed in because I was down to that weight again. I've also been able to buy smaller sized shirts. The XL's I was struggling to fit in are now being traded for L's. I even snuck in one M. It's been great.
I've also reach my first major SV. I am now at my lowest adult weight. 208 lbs. My next goal is onederland. I know it's going to take me awhile to get there, I'm playing the long game. I don't want to gain this weight back. So I'm learning to live life differently and I have 40 pounds to prove it. And this time, I feel confident I will get to a weight I'm comfortable at. I haven't decided what it is, but I have no doubt it will come. It maybe be 2021 or 2022 before it happens, but I'm ok with that because this time I'm the tortoise and so far, I'm winning the race.
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