The first step to weight loss isn’t a perfect diet, the exercise routine you think you should do or the finding the best supplement that will make things easier… the first step is choosing that you and your life are worth putting in the effort. That you have just as much value as your job, your family, other people or anything that you tend to put before yourself. That isn’t selfish, and I’m going to share my story with you to help explain why.
I weighed 277 lbs at my highest weight. I was angry, I was afraid, I was sad, and as much as I compared myself to others, deep down my anger, sadness and fear was really directed at myself. I was angry that I let myself get to that point, I was sad that no matter how much I was told my value wasn’t determined by the scale, I still felt worthless, and I was afraid that I doomed myself to never feel like myself again and that I would never have a life I was proud of because all the things I did think positively about myself were overshadowed by the fact that I was overweight.
Looking back, it was never the number on the scale that made me feel those things, it was the constant reminder that I didn’t value myself enough to take care of myself. That I didn’t feel enough love for myself to look in the mirror and decide I was worth putting the effort into. The more I fed those feelings, the more I ate and the further I got away from feeling like I could change my life.
I never loved food, I would eat so fast I barely even enjoyed the things I was eating. I was numbing myself, I was punishing myself and I was checking out. I already felt worthless, and then I was called fat, made fun of, rejected, ignored… I was either invisible or the joke, so I learned to put on a mask. I made fun of myself before others could, I pointed out that I was fat before someone else did, and I made being overweight my identity as a defense mechanism.
I spent ten years in this mindset, dieting and losing weight, just to put it all back on and more, over and over again. Then something shifted. I met someone I really liked, and he liked me too, but didn’t want to date me. I asked why over and over again and finally he said, you are too fat to date. I knew that was the reason, but hearing someone say it out loud changed something inside of me.
All the sudden I realized I never wanted me being too fat to be an excuse for anything ever again. I took a real look at my life.
I loved rollercoasters and amusement parks, but I never went because I was too fat.
I loved hiking, but I never went because I was too fat.
I loved doing my makeup and fashion, but I didn’t put effort in because I was too fat.
I loved swimming, but I never went because I was too fat.
This list could go on, but I think you get the gist of what I am saying. It was definitely cruel what that person said, but it woke me up.
realized I was worth more than I believed, and the only thing truly holding me back was my own mindset. It wasn’t a lack of willpower, determination or anything that we are typically bombarded with. I wasn’t going to find some magic diet or pill that would suddenly make the weight come off because the first thing that had to change was my own self-worth.
That’s the first step of really starting a weight loss journey that is going to last. Identifying and understanding how and why you are getting in your own way. What are you letting be more important than you? Why are you letting that be more important? What beliefs do you have about yourself that are sabotaging your efforts? Because I can promise you, it isn’t a diet or a workout routine or anything other than your own habits, thoughts and the stories you tell yourself that are stopping you from reaching your goals. Through my weight loss journey and my coaching journey, I’ve learned they aren’t excuses, they are stories we repeat in our mind, and until we get curious then face those stories, we’ll stay in the same cycle.
That is why working with a health coach, especially one that has been in your shoes can be so beneficial. The meal plan, the education and skills are extremely important, but the real value is helping you dig deep to understand what is standing in your way and having someone that cares to help you really break through that, whether you have 10 lbs or 100 lbs you’d like to lose.
Your story could be similar to mine, it could be that you work extremely long hours and can’t find the time to prepare meals, it could be that you don’t want your family to have to change their diet too or a million other things. They aren’t excuses and you can’t just willpower yourself into trying harder. The first step is identifying why so we can come up with an achievable solution.
If you are ready to stop repeating the same cycle, let me help you break through those stories and barriers, so you can truly live a life you love and are proud of because I promise it is possible and I promise you have the capabilities! Click the button to schedule a free discovery call!
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