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A Journey to Losing Weight

The ups and the downs, what to do and what NOT to do

By Shasta ScottPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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A Journey to Losing Weight
Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash

Weight loss trends. Fad diets. Exercise. Starving yourself. Calorie counting. Cut the carbs. Cut the sugar. Vegan/Vegetarian. Keto. More of this, less of that. Changing your lifestyle. Fashion magazines. All of these things set the standards for what and how both men and women view themselves and what is "socially acceptable" to look like. Health classes in high school classrooms tell you what an appropriate and average weight is for your height. You can be 5' 6" and 145lbs but it doesn't mean you're healthy. In grade school they give you the food pyramid, designed to show you different tires that tell you how much a food category (fruits, veggies, meat, dairy, bread) to consume. Health problems and injuries affect the weight loss journey, women with thyroid issues find it harder to lose weight and people, like myself, who have been injured playing sports as a teen, or trip going up the stairs, gained a lot of weight simply from lack of exercise.

Free Vector---Healthy Food Pyramid Chart https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/healthy-food-pyramid-chart_9741727.htm

Some people are naturally thin, thin doesn't necessarily mean healthy. They could eat all the red meat in the world, chips, fried foods, pizza, and still never gain weight. Or they could starve themselves either out of financial hardships, lack of resources, or just to fit into the world of modeling and "perfection." It's okay to be envious of such a metabolism, we don't all have that natural ability to shed weight. It may just be a myth but from my own experience it is harder for women to lose weight, and not just weight but fat. Maybe it's because we house tiny humans in our bellies for 9 months, so we naturally hold everything. Studies have shown men to have faster metabolisms, so if they cut one unhealthy habit like eating cookies or ice-cream, their results are often times quicker.

Losing weight faster isn't necessarily a good thing. I can't tell you how many times my mother and grandmothers told me "if you lose weight slowly, over time, you are more likely to keep the weight off than if you lose 5lbs in a week." I didn't realize until going on my own weight loss journey just how true that was. And maybe it's because I just believed it to be true or it just ended up being that way for me, either way, in this case, the tortoise wins the race against the hare.

A lot of advertisements tell you to consult a doctor or physician before trying new diet plans, like medications, a change in your diet can have differing affects. If you go from an omnivore lifestyle to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, chances are you're intake of fruits and vegetables and new protein rich sources will have an affect you may or may not have anticipated. Diet pills are are the biggest source of these warnings, I myself, not proudly, ignore the messages, I read the labels, the ingredients, my biggest question at the end of the day, does this product do what it claims to do? If it's a fat burner or a metabolism booster, what other changes do I need to make to see results? Exercise? Diet? Or does it work independently, with or without making any other changes besides taking that supplement?

At the end of the day, do what works best for you. If you don't know what that is, talk to friends who have seen results, consult a doctor, figure out your families medical history (so you can see where or what issues may cause you difficulties), if you're like me, use yourself as an experiment, try new things and don't be afraid if it fails. Downloading a meal tracker/calorie counter helps, it breaks things down to a science, you can set your goals, there are meal plans and recipes, and articles to read. Start with just walking or jump right back into the gym, be aware of when your body needs you to stop or rest, pushing your limits and setting physical goals for yourself is good, don't hurt yourself though.

It's normal to fluctuate, you get to your goal weight and then gain and lose and gain and lose. It's your body adjusting to that fat and weight being gone. For me it happens every 5-10lbs, I'll lose that much weight and then fluctuate between 5-10lbs, and it could go in either direction. As an example, getting my weight down to 160lbs and I'll fluctuate between 155lbs-165lbs, and it continues like that until I am ready to set my next goal.

Juice cleanses are a good place to start, they can be expensive so it may be something you have to save up for. Buying organic isn't 100% necessary, buying simple staples like onion, carrots, celery, apples, berries, and bananas are good sources of nutrition. Avoid pre-made frozen meals if possible, they often contain a lot of sodium to preserve freshness. Frozen fruits and veggies are okay because they are normally frozen at peak freshness, they go great in smoothies. Join a gym if that is your style or scene, hire a trainer if you have trouble motivating yourself of setting goals for yourself, or just holding yourself accountable.

Whatever you decide, just start. Don't wait till the next Monday or tomorrow, it's like new years goals, you don't have to wait for another year to pass to set a goal for yourself. Make your decision, remember everything is trial and error, you aren't going to nail it on the first try, it becomes a lifestyle if you allow it. Do the research and do your best to make informed decisions. And good luck, remember nothing changes over night, you're not going to wake up suddenly in the body you've always wanted. Be patient with yourself and enjoy the jouney.

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