The Million Dollar Question

Many people who have known me over the years have witnessed my fluctuations of weight. Let’s all understand that I have never been small. I wasn’t really what I would call “fat”, but always had a little extra chunk. An extra jiggle in the middle, if you will. Even as a kid. As I said before, obesity runs in our family. If you look at the family tree, many were overweight to some extent. It only seems right that I followed pursuit. 

And I did. 

I mentioned in my first post, Where It Began, how my weight has ebbed and flowed over the last several years. Unfortunately, it started even before then. Today, I am back to about the weight I was when I graduated high school and several pant sizes smaller. (Odd how that worked out.)

Left: me in 2014, Right: me yesterday

So here it is, the million dollar question that continually gets asked:
How did you lose the weight?

The answer is not one that is a quick fix, nor is it one that is final, or required only one task. It is a combination of determination, willpower, and want. 

Everyone is focused on a miracle cure for weight loss. One that requires no effort and happens instantaneously. There isn’t one. It took a while for me to realize that. To recognize that I had to make these changes go From Habit to Lifestyle. The diet fads and exercise programs didn’t jive well with me. Maybe initially, but then I would get bored or discouraged, and quit. I lacked the willpower to stick with a healthier lifestyle at that time. 

I also didn’t connect with my reason why.  What was it that was driving me forward? Encouraging me to do better, and stick with it. I realized, after discovering my why, that this piece was essential to be successful on my journey to wellness. I tend to like to do things with a purpose in mind, a reason why. If I didn’t have that or recognize it, what was the point?

It was also important for me to realize that “skinny” and “healthy” were not synonyms for each other. I spend too much time focused on a number on the scale or a pants size, and less on the methods used to get there. A sense of wellness and healthy well-being involve so much more than a thigh gap and defined abs. 

So, I said all of that to say this answer:

I lost weight by finding my motivation and changing my lifestyle, with a goal of wellness. I altered my eating habits and found a way to practice exercise that worked for me. I realized there was no quick fix, and made it a point to make a permanent change, not a temporary one. 

It hasn’t been easy. It still isn’t. There are cheat days. Days I eat a slice of 14-layer cake because it calls my name. Days that adding in an exercise practice isn’t something I plan to do. But I keep pushing on. I am determined to do better for myself and my family. 

I deserve it, and so do they. 

Have a beautiful Thursday!

-Shawna
Copyright © 2017 Shawna: Whole, Hearty, Happy – All rights reserved