My weight has been the main focus for me since it has always been a major issue. I always thought I was ready to take on the challenge of losing weight and gaining control of my eating habits, but I never truly was ready. I knew how to eat properly but could never bring myself to last very long on the healthy lifestyle plan. I also knew that I wasn’t going to have long term results with a fad diet. My habits were going to need a complete overhaul. When you’re working full time and fast food is so accessible, it’s difficult to break the cycle of getting a quick bite to eat and getting back to work. I had a wake-up call a year and a half ago when my blood pressure was through the roof. The job I had at the time was beyond stressful and was leading me to an early grave. I decided I needed to do something, and that something was to gain control of my life.
I started out slow with a few changes such as cutting out all sugary drinks, not even fruit juice in the morning. I decided that if I was going to have fast food it would be something at least semi-healthy. There are a few places that offer decent options such as side salads instead of fries and grilled chicken instead of fried, but I didn’t pay attention to the sodium content, which can be very high in any processed food. I eventually cut out fast food all together except for the rare occasions, and even then it was still not even close to what I used to get. Do I miss some of my favorites? Yes! But the cravings for the food I used to love have dissipated and I rarely get a hankering for something bad.
One of the tools that has helped me the most has been the MyFitnessPal app on my iPhone. It’s a free app that has been my daily food diary for the past year. You can enter basically any food you can think of, even your own recipes, and it calculates the calories for you. It’s been something I recommend to anyone looking to track their calories and I’ve gotten a few people hooked and get to watch them succeed.
I’ve taken what used to be my biggest obstacle (food) and turned it into a catalyst for living a happier and healthier life. I feel better, look better, my blood pressure is perfectly healthy, and I can do things I never did before. I’m interested in new things that include being physical, which was definitely something I avoided at all costs since it was so difficult and often times embarrassing. I wasn’t going to chance being humiliated by attempting the impossible physical activity that everyone else so easily was able to do; I learned this in elementary school. This new lifestyle I’ve adopted has changed me from the inside out, both physically and mentally. I still have a ways to go, but I know I’ll reach my goal.
I’m sure this story resonates with some of you, but just know you’re not in it alone. We all have struggles we cope with, it’s trying to find a solution and sticking with it that can be difficult. Please feel free to leave a comment or contact me regarding your own story.
Cheers to healthy living!
