Day 22 – Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

I promised to keep you apprised of my weight loss journey at the beginning of this blog challenge. As you may recall, I began in earnest on June 24th and every Monday would be the day I would venture onto the scale. So here we are, about a month in and I have lost ten pounds. The first week I lost seven pounds, the next week I gained a pound, the week after that I gained a little more but not quite a pound and finally today I lost a little over four pounds that brings me to a total of ten down. So I consider this a win.

I began to get frustrated because usually when I begin a weight loss adventure, I typically lose in the first several weeks but to have gained weight at the beginning after being vigilant about my intermittent fasting and food selections as well as my portion sizes, was off-putting to say the least.

But here’s the thing…I am changing habits. I am going to the gym more days than I’m not. I don’t make it every day but I do make it at least five days per week. I stop eating about 5:00PM every day unless circumstances really get in the way and I can’t eat until a little later. I definitely put at least three hours between the last time I eat and when I go to bed. I am making better choices and I’m limiting portions.

The part about making better choices may be a little puzzling to those who know me well. While I would sell my soul some days for popcorn, and will steal french fries from your plate if you eat lunch with me, I really do not eat bad foods and haven’t in many years. I haven’t had a drop of alcohol in almost ten years because I figured my liver went through enough abuse with the chemo and Herceptin it had to endure because of my breast cancer. I don’t eat processed sugar. I don’t eat animal products except the occasional egg and I eat fish. For the most part I’m vegan.

So, you might ask, why do I need to lose weight? There are several factors at play here. First, I’m a master at finding vegan foods that taste really good and was eating more of those foods than I should have. I stopped exercising regularly a few years ago and, until I started this journey, was really hit or miss on exercising. And then of course there are the medical conditions. I have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis which means my body attacks my thyroid as the enemy. I’m medicated for that but who knows if that makes me hold onto and gain weight. I am also on a beta blocker because of my heart attack, which artificially holds down my heart rate and therefore my metabolism. And this drug famously makes people gain weight, although they don’t tell you that when they give it to you. And of course…I’m a woman of a certain age. And us women of a certain age don’t lose weight the way we used to when we were at a much lower age.

Here’s the bottom line…I’m in this for the long haul. I’m changing habits and I’m getting stronger and gaining more energy every day. The time is going to pass anyway, so why not make improvements along the way? There is always something to improve in our lives because we are all works in process. If we were perfect, how boring would that be??? Stay with me on this road. You might pick up a few tips you can use and you can keep me company.

As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.