5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Weight Loss

I’ve lost over 90 pounds since I turned 18 and there’s so many things people don’t tell you about entering a new body. Here are five things that caught me by surprise during my journey!

1. You’ll start finding your favorite foods unappealing!

When I was overweight, I’d binge eat like crazy! All of my favorite foods were not healthy for me, but I found them comforting and would eat them regardless. As I lost weight, my stomach became smaller and in general I wasn’t able to eat as big of portions as I could before but I also couldn’t eat all the things I was so used to reaching for for comfort !! They became so unappetizing to me that even the smell of certain things would make me feel queasy! Food will start tasting a lot different as you go on your journey.

2. It’s like 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise.

Spending hours at the gym and then going home and putting unhealthy food in your body won’t do you any good! I would go to the gym daily and do intense cardio for hours at a time but when I would step on the scale I realized I wasn’t losing anything. Sometimes I would even gain weight! They go hand in hand don’t get me wrong, but rather than going to the gym and busting your ass for no results, focus on what you’re putting in your body. Cutting out sugar, reducing calorie intake, limiting alcohol and making balanced meals are all things that helped me! This is NOT me being anti exercise!! If you’re interested in knowing more about my routine I’ll be happy to share.

3. Weight loss is sometimes inconsistent.

No matter how strictly you stick to your routine, you will not lose the same amount of weight every week. Your metabolism will slow down as you burn more fat off your body. Sometimes you won’t lose weight at all for a week and in the next you’ll drop 4. You don’t always see your weight going down in numbers but trust me you will feel it!! No goal is unattainable as long as you’re putting in the effort and it’ll showcase in how much energy your body has and how much more able you are.

4. Your mental health will take a turn.

I experienced my mental health being both increased and decreased. At the beginning, it was on a downturn. I was extremely depressed because I wasn’t seeing the results I hoped for. This led me into depression that lasted a LONG time. I suffered with body dysmorphia, anxiety and eating disorders which made my mental health a lot worse. I kept persevering though. I kept pushing. I had personal reasons for wanting to slim down and I was going to reach them no matter what. The more I learned about my body and what worked for me, the easier it was to lose my weight and it made my mental health take a turn! This time it was having positive effects on me and I felt so much more full of life. Checking the scale more than once a day isn’t necessary, neither is beating yourself up if you don’t reach your goals as quickly as you hoped. All that matters is you’re trying to create a positive impact on your life and you’re doing an amazing job.

5. People WILL treat you differently

Unfortunately society has it installed that when women are thinner get treated different, but I didn’t expect how blatant the change would be. It has even caused strains on my personal close relationships due to how I got treated by people around me. Sadly enough, I was finally being included in things I was previously left out of. Even conversations!! People at my old job would normally ignore me but I was now being invited to after work activities or to hang out with certain coworkers. A friend I dropped even expressed to me that she sometimes felt awkward asking me out for dinners/brunch events due to my weight and appearance. I also get approached a lot more often by people who find me attractive. I was usually the one friend who would stay quiet when my friends got approached, but now I was included. It was bittersweet knowing how much more respect you get when you’re skinny compared to when you’re on the bigger side but I’ve learned to deal with it.

My journey was long and hard, and I often don’t talk about it. People who didn’t know me a few years ago usually have no clue what I used to look like! I’ll leave it here with don’t change for other people! I didn’t appreciate my body as it was and due to that, I ended up harming myself. I was so focused on losing weight to avoid being looked at different that I didn’t appreciate all my body had to offer. You’re beautiful and you deserve any changes you want to make to your lifestyle to be on your own accord ! :)

#bodytransformation #Lemon8Diary#growthmindset #weightloss #fitnessjourney