I enjoy cooking food and I enjoy eating. However, dieting? Not so much. Although I have always been a mostly healthy eater, I’m not one to avoid a late night bowl of ice cream. But indulging a little too much, and a little too often resulted in a slow gain of 100lbs pounds by my late-30s.
When I was younger, I managed to maintain my weight of 105 pounds by being active. During college a car wasn’t in the budget and the bus rides were always packed, therefore I walked everywhere. After college, I was very active over the years with my three daughters and I was able to appreciate and maintain my weight of 135. The weight came when I moved south and started a desk job. With that came long hours, fast food lunches, and plenty of late night snacks. It seemed like overnight my weight climbed to 235 pounds, which was too much for my 5-foot-2-inch frame.
One day my husband pulled me aside for a picture. We haven’t taken a picture together in years. Looking at the physical proof, I was embarrassed by how much weight I had gained. I asked him not to post it online. I went home and rushed to the scale to see that I had gained 100lbs. I started looking through the pictures on our phones and I wasn’t flattered by what I saw. I was so disgusted that I deleted most of them.
The next day a got a gym membership, which I thought I needed to take control of my weight. I started exercising at the gym most mornings. Even though I was burning plenty of calories through exercise, I wasn’t losing any weight. I found my eating habits were preventing me. While on the other hand, the busy season at work was quickly approaching.
My girlfriend suggested I do the liquid diet since I wouldn’t have time to work out. This diet included drinking spicy lemonade and water only, a laxative tea at night, and salt water flush in the morning. THAT took a lot of willpower! So after 21 days, I lost 25 lbs. However, once I returned to my way of eating, I gained 20 back within a month.
Feeling defeated with two months remaining in the busy season, I had to face the fact that what I was putting into my mouth had to change. I researched the low-carb diets. After looking at the meal plans, I felt it work perfectly for my current lifestyle. After the busy season, I was happy, I was down 30 pounds with no exercising.
Welcome the holiday season! By New Year’s Eve, I was at my largest weight ever – 238 pounds. I did more research on the most popular diets. I read the good and bad stories. I realized all diet and fads are not a one-size-fits-all answer. Therefore, I decided to research me. What I learned about myself has changed my life. I can’t wait to share it with you in my next blog, how lost 70lbs and jump started my weight loss journey In the meantime, have you tried a diet and had success or failure? What were you weight loss challenges? Please share in the comments below. I really would love to know.
Until next time, shine amongst the stars!
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Yep all a fad diet does is make you feel goid while you are on it and losing as soon as you as you stop all the weight cones back…eorkibg on changing what I eat and how much right now yo help me lose some pounds.
I had to kick the fad diets to the curb!!! Thanks Michelle🌷
I am at my largest weight ever and it’s a struggle. I make strides everyday to get where I need to be. Thanks for sharing your story!
With weight loss “the struggle is REAL!” Martha you will get to your ideal weight sooner than you think. 🌸🌺
Thank you for sharing! You’ve inspired me to do something with my 227 lb self.
I would like to be there during your journey and you stay with me as I continue. Keep me updated🌹
Thanks. I’ll keep you posted. Due to my hormonal imbalance I’m not in a position to work out yet. Yesterday I started holding my stomach in which helps me tremendously. Today I’m drinking lemon water while holding my stomach in. I need to pick up chia seeds because they help me to feel full.
Lemon water is the first thing I drink in the morning. It helps me wake up, lol. We got this hun!!🌹
I am right there with you! I’m at my largest weight ever and about to set off on the biggest adventure of my life. No diets, just living.
Brie, I had to make a choice and the choice was a hard one, then it became a way of life. I share the steps I took on my latest blog. “How I lost 70 and jump-started my weight lose Journey. ~ 🌺
http://lavandamichelle.com/2017/09/01/how-lost-70lbs-and-jump-started-my-weight-loss-journey/
I too have had that moment of disgust, where I see a photo of myself and zoom in on my flabby arms and my back rolls. How long have those been there!? It can be so difficult to make a change when you’ve been able to eat a certain way all your life with no bad consequences. Those desk jobs can be killer. Kudos to you for getting on track and joining a gym the very next day. My advice is to truly make a lifestyle change. Change your diet and incorporate exercise in a consistent way, something that you can maintain for the rest of your life rather than crash diet and exercise for a few months. By making this a lifestyle change, you are less likely to see the pounds come back in the future. Best of luck!
Thank you for reading & sharing your thoughts!