Random Thoughts on the Journey to Health

As a recovering junk food addict, it’s still a process figuring out what/when/how much to eat every day. I was never really a healthy person until the beginning of this year, and I’m still learning day by day what it actually means to be “healthy”. Nineteen years of bad habits are hard to break, my friends. I am not an expert by any means, but I have gotten so much better about watching what I eat and knowing how it will affect my body. However, before every meal I still seem to have the same struggles. Let me set the scene for you.

Pacing back and forth between my refrigerator and the pantry, frantically scanning/logging everything into MyFitnessPal as if my life depends on it, sweating nervously because I’m 1% over my carb intake for the day… This is normal. Here are just a few thoughts that race through my mind as I make these life-altering meal choices:

Protein… Protein… I need more protein!

Is it appropriate to eat 5 eggs in one day?

If eat a banana now, I’ll be over in my carbs for the day… Am I willing to take that risk?

Where the heck did I put my measuring cup? I HAVE TO HAVE EXACTLY ONE CUP OF CEREAL.

How did I rack up this many carbs today?! 

Gotta count out the almonds… 1… 2… 3…

I’ll only have 760 calories for a snack and dinner if I eat that apple…. Mmmm, better not.

How many ounces of turkey is in one slice? … To Google!

Is butter a carb?

Okay, maybe that last one wasn’t real, but all of the other ones are actual thoughts that have invaded my brain whilst making a meal.

It is nothing short of a struggle to change your diet after building bad habits for so long. The amount of time I spend preparing and logging my food could easily be spent just going to the Drive-Thru and calling it a day, but I make the conscious choice to fuel my body with what it needs rather than what my mind wants. It’s not easy, and it definitely takes practice. Believe me, every time I drive by In-N-Out or Whataburger, it takes everything I have to not pull in and order one of everything on the menu. Like I said, I’m a recovering addict.

And yes, I do admit that sometimes I go a little overboard on the whole logging-every-morsel-of-food-that-goes-down-my-throat thing (Examples of some ridiculous entries: 1 gummy bear, 1/10 tsp Nutella, 2 grapes, you get the picture), but that’s just because I need to start eating mindfully for once in my life. I would always walk to the pantry so mindlessly and grab something (most likely super processed or super carb-y) without even thinking about it. If I start thinking about everything I eat, my diet will become much more intentional and food will serve the purpose it was meant to (instead of being a crutch or a social event like it had been for me for so long).

My life was forever changed when I made the decision to start living a healthier life, but I have had to work so hard to get to the point of not giving in to what my mind wants. I have to be 100% intentional on making myself better. Being healthy isn’t a goal that you achieve and it’s done; it’s just a day by day struggle that I’m trying to get through. And I know for a fact that I’m not alone in that.

Don’t let food be your enemy. Don’t let your diet rule your entire life. Make responsible choices, and you’ll be so proud of yourself that you won’t want that feeling to stop. There is no better feeling in the world than when you walk away from that Barbecue having only eaten the veggies on the veggie tray and NOT the greasy potato chips and cookies that took up most of the snack table. Pat yourself on the back every time you make wise health choices, and the confidence you build from that will reflect in how you make future choices.

All that being said, I feel like this blog had no central point except that (and excuse me for the High School Musical quote) “We’re All In This Together”, and that if these struggles are taking over your life and making you miserable, find someone to help you through because I can guarantee someone’s been where you have. Health isn’t easy, and we’re all just trying to figure it out together.

Why “Losing Weight Without Trying” is Crap

While scouring through Pinterest in the Health and Fitness section, you’re bombarded with “the perfect workout”, “the best protein shake recipe”, motivational quotes with pictures of insanely fit people, “ten tips for the perfect body”, etc. While being overwhelmed with all of that, you might come across articles with the title “How to Lose Weight Without Really Trying“. Sounds amazing, right? I get to lose weight without putting any effort into it? That sounds too good to be true!

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but the reason it sounds too good to be true is because it is.

I am by no means a weight loss expert, because I’m still struggling with it right now. That being said, I have lost almost 20 pounds, and let me tell you, I had to try. For anyone who thinks that you can lose weight without trying, I’m sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but it is just impossible.

As a society today, we’re always looking for the easy way out. “Life hacks” run my Pinterest and Facebook feeds, I see commercials for the end-all-be-all weight loss pill on TV, kids in school today aim for passing instead of getting an A. The same goes for weight loss. Everyone’s looking for a simple weight loss trick that will require the least amount of effort. What people need to recognize that weight loss is a journey and it going to take effort.

Here are a few things I learned that really sucked (that I’m still struggling with every day), and a few encouraging things that make the whole thing worth it.

It is hard…

Working out and eating right is not easy if you’ve built unhealthy habits.There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. Changing your habit of snacking all day and reaching for that soda takes discipline and hard work.

But you will absolutely feel better.

After a couple of months of no fast food and soda, having one makes me feel kind of gross. I had trained my body and my mind that healthy foods are the best foods and that you don’t always have to gorge yourself to have a decent meal. Workouts become easier when you fuel your body with the right stuff. It took a lot of fantasizing about chicken nuggets while eating a salad to get there, but once you’re there, it’s hard to go back.

You will have bad days…

It happens. We have days when we look in the mirror and don’t exactly love what you see. We eat a meal that has a calorie or two more than what MyFitnessPal allows. A workout doesn’t go exactly as planned. We all have days when it’s just plain hard to get out of bed and up and moving. It’s hard to resist that snack table at the party. I get it, believe me.

But the bad days are made worth it when you have a day where you feel great!

Pushing through the days where you don’t feel 100% will make it that much more rewarding when you look at pictures from a few months ago and really see transformation. You change a lot more than you can think when you make that commitment. Looking at my before pictures five months later is such great motivation for me, and I know I’ve come such a long way since then. This softens the blow when I have a not-so-great day. Find that motivation and know that you are changing for the better and changing every day, even if it may not feel like it.

Sometimes the scale will not be nice to look at…

Looking at the scale can be super discouraging. You worked hard all week but only lost half a pound? Anyone would be discouraged by that. You see friends who are losing two to three pounds a week, and you just aren’t seeing those results. It is so hard.

But the scale does not define you!

This may sound cheesy or cliche, but it is so true. So many factors go into actually losing weight. Everyone’s body is different, and you have to have faith that you are changing, even if the scale doesn’t reflect that. Weighing yourself every day and defining your progress by that is very discouraging. Instead, notice the way your clothes fit. That was the first indicator for me that I was doing something good. Step away from the scale and focus on how you feel!

Sometimes it may seem like you’re going through it alone…

I am going through this a little bit now. Everyone around you is eating what they want without a care. If only they knew how hard it is for you to say no to the burger and get a salad instead. The cookies your dad puts in the pantry every week taunt you every day. It is hard to do it alone, I know.

But finding a person or group of people can change everything.

Having my best friend go through the journey to a better life with was everything to me. She was an incredible motivator in our workouts, and she gave so many tips on eating healthier. I remember one instant where we were at a pizza party and all we did was stand there while everyone around us was eating pizza. We would sit in the cafeteria with our bananas and Kind Bars instead of chips and ice cream like all of our friends were. Having a person to vent to when all you want is that Chinese takeout and having a person to rejoice when your favorite pair of jeans fit again is so essential in this journey. Find that person and never let them go!

With all of that being said, losing weight is not easy, and you absolutely cannot do it without trying. But it is possible. With hard work and discipline, you can achieve anything.

“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it.”