My motivation to lose 250 pounds? I was 24 years old and 350 pounds. I was fed up with looking and feeling bad & being put down by the people who claimed to love me. I was sick of getting stuck on a cycle of emotional eating.
It took me 10 years to get to where I am today with my health and fitness level. I'm not ashamed, because that is how I finally learned. Don’t be ashamed if you are overweight, or if you keep gaining weight back. Keep trying until it’s finally in your muscle memory! As long as you don’t quit, YOU WILL WIN! You’re worth it!
Minor health issues, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, got me serious about eating healthy and working out. It was more about thinking of the future and not wanting to be like my ancestors physically. Making the transition from living on chocolate, pizza, candy and potato chips to foods such as strawberries and yogurt sounds harder than it is. If I can do it, so can you. It's a slow process sometimes.
Start here: Find a supportive environment. Distance yourself from toxic or unsupportive people.
When you eat, picture yourself the way you want to look and feel. This mental picture will motivate you to continue healthy eating, and you will achieve your desired results.
Read labels to find good, nutritious food. I recommend fresh, organic, whole foods. Taste your food before adding condiments; get rid of most of them. Be creative. Salsa is one of the best condiments because it's composed entirely of veggies, fruits and herbs, with no added sugar.
Stop or limit coffee, tea: anything to which you mindlessly add sugar. Stop soda. Find alternatives to bread, such as putting your chicken on leafy greens and other veggies. Limit other carbs. Don't eat pre-made food or preservatives. Cut your portions.
Don't eat in front of the television, computer or on the phone. Feeling satisfied from what you eat will encourage you to stop eating when you're full. Drink water all day long; it cleanses you, hydrates skin and organs, and keeps hunger at bay. Water helps prevent wrinkles, whereas coffee, soda and anything else with caffeine dehydrates your skin and contributes to wrinkles.
Put your fork down in between bites. Put half of what you would normally eat on your plate, the other half in the fridge. Get up from the table as soon as you're done eating; then brush your teeth so you don't gorge on more food. Keep fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes and beans where you can see them, on the top shelf of the fridge.
Make your own nutritious food for days when you're too tired and hungry to cook; freeze some of it.. When you're victorious, reward yourself. Give yourself a bath, buy a book, but don't celebrate with food.
Take advantage of free drugs. You don't have to join a gym. Walking is free, and Mr. Sunshine smiles on you by providing vitamin D. Walking gives you endorphins and oxytocin from all the good feelings you get from accomplishing your short-term goal of walking that day and your long-term goal of knowing you're losing the bad weight. The melatonin you get helps you sleep and gives you an overall sense of well-being.
Practicing yoga and meditation daily has been essential to my weight loss and continued sanity, as it helps rid me of cortisol, a stress hormone that makes it hard to lose your stomach.
Depriving yourself of your Kryptonite will lead you to eventually crack and overindulge. Something is only a treat when you do it occasionally; do buy a single treat once a week. Don't be discouraged; weight loss takes time. Don't torture yourself, beat yourself up or put yourself down, and don't let others do it, either. Don't be too concerned with numbers. Go by your clothes because you want to trim down. Muscle takes up less space than fat, and you will see results if you are consistent.
I no longer need psychotropic medication since implementing these things into my life. (I live with post-traumatic stress disorder.) Here's a quote that inspires me, and I pray it inspires your success: "If you want to do something, you'll find a way, if you don't you'll find an excuse." -- Jim Rohn.
Liberty V Justice CEO I'm Worth It Inc.
