…remain focused on one’s journey is really hard. This I found came with self-motivation, remembering why you started and making healthier food swaps.
Are you afraid to eat anything now? What are your guilty pleasure foods?
Actually, I’m not afraid to eat anything now. I live by the mantra, “Everything in moderation.” Too much of anything isn’t good for us. I’m not telling someone to dedicate his or her life to strictly eating healthy foods for the rest of his or her life. One should incorporate cheat days and times where he or she is able to let loose a little and enjoy the journey without being so caught up losing weight or how many calories that donut has. At the end of the day you can lose as much weight as you want but if you still aren’t happy, then is it really worth it? I choose to live a life of happiness and the freedom to do whatever I want. With that, some of my guilty pleasure foods are peas ‘n’ rice, baked macaroni, Indian, Spanish and Thai cuisines.
When did you feel you made progress?
I felt as if I made progress after 3 months of starting my weight loss journey. I couldn’t see the pounds coming off but I remember people telling me that I looked as if I had lost weight. I would lose 2 lbs here or 5 lbs there but when I lost my first 30 pounds, I was ecstatic. I was more focused than ever before and I was determined to make losing weight a lifestyle.
Has losing weight changed your relationships?
In some ways losing weight did impact my relationships. I was always a confident person even when I was overweight but when I lost weight, I became even more confident and it was like a “new me” was born. I was still the same person but I was a lot happier and it showed from the inside out. Some of my old friends were okay with me losing weight but the minute they saw that I was actually in it to win it, I think it stirred a bit of jealousy.
I won’t go into details about what happened between us but I’ve grown so much that since starting my journey and I know now that it’s okay to let some people go who don’t really want the best for you. They never really told me this but their actions spoke and to me, that meant more than words. On the other hand, I’ve established new relationships since starting my weight loss journey and they’ve helped to grow as an individual in so many ways.
The first three steps would be:
1. Examine where you are now and where you want to be. What is your goal weight and how do you plan on achieving this? This initial step is very important as it will help to keep you on track and you’ll always want to go back here in hopes of remembering why you started.
2. Understand that losing weight does not happen overnight. What you put in is what you get out. I’ve seen so many people say they’re going to lose weight but the next time I see them, they’re eating something that’s reflective of what their goal is. Losing weight is all in what you eat: 80% diet, 20% exercise. You can’t expect to lose weight after you’ve spent a great amount of time in the gym if right after that you go for a hamburger and fries. Instead choose a lean meat, any calciferous vegetable and a complex carb that will keep you satiated and won’t spike your insulin levels.
3. Implement a good exercise routine into your daily regimen. Along with a clean diet and loads of water, 10-20 mins of cardio preferably High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and resistance training will help one to lose fat while building muscle. Incorporating these three things along with a good amount of sleep and rest into one’s weight loss journey will help tremendously in shedding that excess body fat.
If you need more motivation or personal advice, please feel free to email at: aliciafitsique@gmail.com and follow on Instagram either at: @aliciacandiece or my fitness page at @myownfitsique
My Story: “The Ability To Get Back Up After You’ve Fallen Is Key” was originally published on blackdoctor.org
