In the beginning.....

I'm going back to the beginning of my weight loss story in late 2011. I've thought a lot over the past year about why this time was different. Why I was able to stick with it this time. I have made many attempts at weight loss over the years and I wondered why this time feels different. Here's what I think....

I think in order to truly change and lose weight you have to admit to yourself that YOU and YOU ALONE are the reason you are overweight. It's not because you have an office job where you sit in a chair, or that you have kids (I was claiming baby weight when my daughter was in preschool), or that you just don't have time or don't like fruits and vegetables. Blah, blah, blah. I had to face the fact that I had gotten this big on my own and I was the only one to blame. (I know sometimes there are medical conditions that can cause weight gain, but that's rare)

Once you realize that and take ownership of it, you realize that you can take control of the situation and change it. Once you see that it's not some out of control circumstance that made you fat (trust me I blamed everything but myself), then you see that it is something that you yourself can change.

It started small at first. I started going to the gym 3 days/week and doing 20 minutes on the elliptical and I started using myfitnesspal (Which I love! I'm Kbeatty32, so look me up) to track my calories and once I lost the first 5 pounds I really started to feel like I was taking control of my health. Just take baby steps and feel proud of every single little accomplishment. Just don't treat yourself with food! I told myself once I lost 10 pounds I would get my hair highlighted. And I did. When I lost 20 pounds, I bought some new jeans. Just last weekend I hit 55 pounds and treated myself to an amazing swimsuit I have been eyeing for about 6 months.

So, to sum it all up, just take ownership for it and take steps (big or small) to change it. I know it's easier said than done. Trust me, I know. But keep focused on the outcome and that is to feel good about yourself and to feel healthy and younger. I know it's such a cliché, but for months I had a piece of paper on my fridge that said, "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." Oh, so true. That piece of cake at 10 pm is going to taste good for about the 3 minutes it takes you to eat it, but once it's gone all you're left with is a horrible feeling and regret. When I get hungry late at night, I chug water and just go to bed. I wake up feeling proud of myself for not eating crap. THAT is motivation in itself!