I’m a “one-man orchestra” both in life and here at Bored Panda, even though my title is a visual editor. At Bored Panda, you’ll find me covering topics ranging from the cat meme of the day to red flags in the workplace and really anything else. Despite being born in the US, I ended up spending most of my life in Europe, from Latvia, Austria, and Georgia to finally settling in Lithuania. Just be patient, and the weight will come off, stabilize, and be easy to maintain this way. The slower the weight comes off, the longer it will stay off. I wasn’t so tired all the time, like I had been for those first four or five months postpartum. For me, it’s essential that I have an hour at night to shower, do my skincare routine, apply lotion, listen to a podcast, and go to bed early. James nourishes a part of me that I have historically filled with food. All of a sudden, I had something in my life that completely took over my mind. The most positive aspect of my postpartum experience has been how little I got hung up on my weight. Wow you look amazing and im on that never ending journey of watching what you eat/drink but when you look in the mirror its so toatally worth it, you look amazing.. Bored Panda got in touch with Tammy and Lyssie, the Nutrition Twins, who are registered dietitian nutritionists and personal trainers, to learn more about weight loss. If you want to see more weight loss success stories, check out our other article on this topic. For better or worse, changes in lifestyle take time to be reflected in our bodies. Now, over three decades and plenty of ups and downs later, I’ve finally healed my relationship with food, got my body’s fat percentage down to a healthy number, gained a lot more muscle, and feel at home in my own skin. Lack of motivation is a common problem that many people face when trying to lose weight. I opted for small dishes instead of large ones and started paying attention to what my body says—you will be amazed at how much one can eat if they aren’t cautious! I focused on nutritious food components like vegetables, fruits, and lean protein, and this regime gave me more energy and power as compared to smaller meals. This is perhaps why, reportedly, 80% of people fail at least once when attempting to lose weight. After all, not eating something that isn’t good for you is easy enough for a few days, but do you have the discipline needed to stop yourself month after month? Height 6'0", start weight 406 Lbs, current weight 290 Lbs, a total of 116 pounds down in 11 months. Height 5'6", start weight 347 Lbs, current weight 166 Lbs, a total of 181 pounds down in 7 years of hard work. I’d love to hear from you—How was your postpartum weight journey? I couldn’t have said this two years ago, but today I look at my body with much more kindness, more understanding, and far more gratitude. By James’ first birthday back in September, I had lost 80 pounds. I was obsessed with eating or thinking about what I was going to eat. The thought of going out for a meal with friends and family filled me with dread because I didn’t know how to eat like a ‘normal’ person. The more my weight crept up and the baggier my clothes got, the more I withdrew from life. From then on, food became something I loved and hated at the same time because I just couldn’t seem to get enough of it every time I ate. During my weight-loss journey, I faced various challenges, including cravings, lack of motivation, and plateauing progress. It didn’t help that I was hooked on high-sugar, high-fat and ultra-processed foods, which in that combination, kept me wanting more and more of it. The false narratives that we’ve been fed about food all this while, is. What it doesn’t do is help you fix is why you’ve been gaining the unwanted weight in the first place. I was a scrawny kid, but once puberty hit, it’s as if someone hit the Eat-Till-You-Drop switch in my brain. Whether it was reminding me to pack my gym bag or joining me for walks, they were always there, making the journey feel supported and shared. I switched to healthier options like Greek yogurt and light cheese, keeping my meals delicious but low in sodium. YouTube became my go-to for meal-prep inspiration, proving you don’t need fancy gadgets to eat right. This way, I didn’t have to stress about cooking every day or ordering food. Discover their personal hurdles, dietary strategies, workout routines, and the impact of family support on their weight loss success. Exercise Isn’t The Only Answer Seriously, the woman to the right looks truly centered, confident, and ready for life. We should all probably treat our bodies better than we do. The human body is an amazing machine. I realize that if by giving everyone a ‘thumbs up’ actually giving nobody a ‘thumbs up,’ but I’m just so darn happy for yawl, I can’t help myself! Great to see the progression! Great achievement…but you need a new T shirt! 115 Lbs is my next goal.I cannot believe how far I have come on my journey. The food varied, mostly based on what I made for dinner because I usually ate leftovers for lunch, but my emphasis was always eating as many whole, single ingredient foods as I could. I’ve never been much of a snacker or the type to eat many small meals. And so I ate, more and more each day until I was full-on bingeing every night in a sort of last supper attempt, promising myself that I’d stop tomorrow and begin eating healthier. I ate quick, convenient meals when I could, at all hours of the day and night, but noticed that nothing I ate seemed to taste like much of anything. This pointless routine left me feeling exhausted, hungry, burned out and getting fatter instead of leaner. I used to think that doing as much cardio as possible was the best way to lose fat. After decades of struggling with my weight, I’ve finally learnt that exercising can help with fat loss, but this one habit on its own won’t drive the results that I want. What I didn’t understand was that exercise alone is a terribly inefficient way to lose fat, and really, there’s no way to out-exercise a bad diet. This pattern rears its ugly head whenever my life spins into chaos. Get all the fruit, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy, whole grains and even kitchen supplies you need to cook healthy, flavorful meals at home. At this point, I knew that the only way forward was to make peace with where I was, learn how to treat my body right and start living my life. My own ups and downs with weight gain stemmed from my constant binge eating for comfort because I was struggling with other aspects of my life that I didn’t know how else to cope with. To celebrate this huge milestone, I’m giving thanks to the strong, healthy body that’s gotten me through so much in life, and considering what I’d do differently if I were to go back in time and start all over again. Many people like to see what they’re aspiring for, and once they see a vision, they can keep referring to the physical photo, or even the memory of the photo. No fees, cancel anytime As a member, you’ll get a pre-made meal plan, recipes and shopping list for five dinners and sides, plus one breakfast and lunch emailed to you every week. But being aware that mistakes are just temporary detours allows me to be kind to myself and find my way back to where I left off, with the habits that help me feel like my best self. It's Been 3 Years Since I Started The Journey. Start Weight 330 Lbs, Current Weight 198 Lbs For my entire life, food was the most important thing on my mind. I wish I was the person who fell in love with the gym or couldn’t start their day without a run. At night before bed, my favorite thing to eat was a big bowl of oatmeal with a banana. Daniel made some crock pot meals like his famous barbacoa (which I’m pretty sure is just him throwing whatever ingredients he can find in the cabinet into a crock pot with some cholula hot sauce). I weighed 80-some-odd pounds more than my comfortable weight and I felt it. Specialists suggest that setting realistic, segmented goals is a great start. If nothing else, this article is showcasing how different people’s bodies are able to carry around an extra 100 lbs! You'll be inspiring people every day. The real difficulty tends to be maintaining a lifestyle that allows you to get to the weight you want. Yet, there I was, loathing how I felt in my own body and feeling disgusted at what I saw in the mirror every single day. The more I hated myself, the more I ate, feeding the vicious cycle of binge eating, self-loathing and weight gain I found myself stuck in. It was only when I put my mental health first that I could focus on building healthier eating habits, get my body’s fat percentage down to a healthy range, and keep it there. My early attempts at losing weight through restrictive dieting worked, but I eventually regressed back to my old eating habits and re-gained all the weight I’d lost. Messy And Uncomfortable Anonymous Secrets That Made The Internet Feel Like Group Therapy (New Posts) For my entire life, food was the most important thing on my mind.You look amazing and great transformation!John Whittaker is a disciple of Jesus and a Bible teacher whose goal is to provide what he calls “blue jeans theology”–theology for everyday life.It didn’t help that I was hooked on high-sugar, high-fat and ultra-processed foods, which in that combination, kept me wanting more and more of it.Wow, the trimmed beard is a great improvement too.One of his greatest joys in life is being a husband, father, and grandfather.The thought of going out for a meal with friends and family filled me with dread because I didn’t know how to eat like a ‘normal’ person.Many people like to see what they’re aspiring for, and once they see a vision, they can keep referring to the physical photo, or even the memory of the photo.This is perhaps why, reportedly, 80% of people fail at least once when attempting to lose weight. I began with a few classes per week and started lightly; this way, I could build up strength and work more intensively later on. This was another area of my life where, quite figuratively, I had to reinvent the ‘exercise’ wheel. This habit, however, did not last long, and I couldn’t keep up with the healthy process of meal prepping. However, of all the challenges I have encountered, the hardest one for me was controlling my food intake while on the regimen. I opted for small dishes instead of large ones and started paying attention to what my body says—you will be amazed at how much one can eat if they aren’t cautious!I was obsessed with eating or thinking about what I was going to eat.So out went the dreary sweats, and in came new clothes that made me feel calmer, happier and more alive…in the dress size I was at.At this point, I knew that the only way forward was to make peace with where I was, learn how to treat my body right and start living my life.I consulted a nutritionist to address my unhealthy eating habits and followed a personalized diet plan.Starting weight was 340 Lbs, now down to 280 Lbs, and 30 pounds left to reach the goal weight.We got home just before Halloween, just in time for me to break in our new kitchen with all the holiday baking I could possibly do.I walked every day, cleaned my house non-stop (scrubbing inside and under cabinets was became a hobby), organized and then reorganized, and dabbled in DIY landscaping (which, yup, looked extremely DIY).The slower the weight comes off, the longer it will stay off. Just Hit 100 Pounds Of Weight Loss But make no mistake—my bare body (under those clothes) does not look like a model’s, and it never has, not even at my thinnest.By James’ first birthday back in September, I had lost 80 pounds.Serious question, will a bit of excess skin tighten up naturally over time?Height 5'1, from 210 Lbs to 123 Lbs, a total of 87 pounds down in 4 years.Current weight 103 Kg, goal weight 80 Kg.My height is 163 cm.115 Lbs is my next goal.I cannot believe how far I have come on my journey.I weighed 80-some-odd pounds more than my comfortable weight and I felt it. Great article and great job to all those people!!! I've been using a free app that has a community feature, so far I've lost about 25 pounds calorie counting and trying to get my steps in. I really want to lose weight. Surgery is one of the few proven techniques for long term weight loss. Height 5'4", start weight 308 Lbs, current weight 172 Lbs, a total of 131 Lbs down in 16 months. The invaluable contributions of my family were encouragement, accountability, and understanding in times of difficulty; they were critical to my success. I emphasized whole, well-balanced foods in my diet, consuming an abundance of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Beginning the process of losing weight presented its fair share of obstacles. Being surrounded by family was something I could not appreciate enough as it allowed me to talk to people who cared. She helped me establish a schedule that my body needs, and she established a specific plan that could take care of any potential health conditions. Someone Asked “What Is The Ugliest Building In Your Country?” And 50 People Didn’t Hold Back And everywhere I go, I carry a crazy cute 27-pound weight with me. Then when he became mobile, I feel like I am more active than when I used to run several miles on a treadmill. I ate a lot of hard boiled eggs for breakfast because they were easy to prepare ahead of time. Every part of me ached, especially my back, which I threw out several times while lifting James. These challenges made it difficult for me to achieve my weight-loss goals. Moreover, I had a habit of indulging in unhealthy foods, especially junk food and sugary drinks. I often felt demotivated and would give up on my healthy routine for days, which hindered my progress. My starting weight was 253 Lbs, and my current weight is 153 Lbs. I am hoping to lose another 16 pounds, then I will have lost half of myself. Start weight 308 Lbs, curent weight 170 Lbs, I've lost 138 pounds. We really encourage our clients to fill up on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods like vegetables, before eating the rest of their meals. Despite having overcome plenty of my own hang-ups, fears and dysfunction around food, there are still days where I end up overeating, beating myself up for overeating, and then feeling tempted to use exercise as a bargaining chip. I was a chubby 17-year old the first time I decided to stop binge eating and lose the extra fat weight I was carrying around. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, beating other people at board games, cooking, good books, and bad films. My height is 5'8", start weight 285 Lbs, current weight 210 Lbs, a total of 75 pounds down in one year. John Whittaker is a disciple of Jesus and a Bible teacher whose goal is to provide what he calls “blue jeans theology”–theology for everyday life. I am proud of all these people, but now they are just easier to kidnap. It's really hard for me for a few reasons but I did it before and I have a strong feeling that I must do it again. Accepting where I was meant being kind to my body, and this included wearing clothes that honored it and made me feel good about being in my own skin, regardless of my dress size or how I looked. I felt like I was trapped in body that didn’t reflect who I really was and didn’t know how break free…until I came to a point where I felt, as they say, sick and tired of feeling sick and tired of living this way. I dreaded leaving the house and being around other people, and getting dressed in the morning was depressing because all I saw myself wearing were baggy T-shirts and sweatpants. Now, I go to the gym primarily to build a strong, capable body and just as importantly, be around supportive, like-minded people with similar goals. But ironically, my source of comfort (food) triggered even more negativity and anxiety because the way I behaved around it made me feel ashamed, unhealthy and out of control. That equates to almost two full days of eating for me current calorie budget. You’re changing your eating habits bit by bit, instead of all at once, so you won’t feel deprived. Height 5'5", start weight 308 Lbs, current weight 198 Lbs, a total of 110 pounds down. Truly amazing how anyone can lose that amount of weight in such a short time period! Unfortunately, many people adopt an “all or nothing” approach, where they will allow themselves no rest days, cheat days, and have very strict deadlines and targets. It was astonishingly easy to do, but I didn’t feel good. Remember when I told you I had lost 20 pounds immediately postpartum? You might expect weight gain during pregnancy, but you probably don’t expect the weight gain afterward. I walked every day, cleaned my house non-stop (scrubbing inside and under cabinets was became a hobby), organized and then reorganized, and dabbled in DIY landscaping (which, yup, looked extremely DIY). All in all, I gained 48 pounds during my pregnancy. Whether it was reminding me to pack my gym bag or joining me for walks, they were always there, making the journey feel supported and shared.Height 5'5", start weight 320 Lbs, current weight 140 Lbs, a total of 180 Lbs down.A lot of those who lose a lot of weight in a relatively short time period fail to keep it down in the long term.I started planning my meals every week, which was a game-changer for me.If you’ve got a rocky relationship with the food in your life, chances are high that it didn’t get that way overnight.Great to see the progression!You'll be inspiring people every day. Height 5'6", start weight 285 Lbs, current weight 180 Lbs, a total of 100 Lbs down. Height 5'1", start weight 287 Lbs, current weight 191 Lbs, a total of 96 Lbs down in 10 months. Height 5'5", start weight 225 Lbs, current weight 174 Lbs in 10 months through CICO. It wasn’t until I got some help from a personal trainer that things started to click. Sign up today to receive weekly updates right to your inbox! It’s true what they say about the miracle of childbirth, about how it gives you a new appreciation of your body. Because I was big for decades, I had a lot of excess skin leftover after I lost 135 pounds 12 years ago. But make no mistake—my bare body (under those clothes) does not look like a model’s, and it never has, not even at my thinnest. It will start coming back off again.Regular exercises, such as cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, also played a role in my journey.We were in full-on merry mode, eating our way through Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve—hence the 20-pound gain.I was a chubby 17-year old the first time I decided to stop binge eating and lose the extra fat weight I was carrying around.Unfortunately, many people adopt an “all or nothing” approach, where they will allow themselves no rest days, cheat days, and have very strict deadlines and targets.Taking this approach didn’t change my life and body overnight, but it did make me stop and think about whether something I was about to do or say would help or hurt me.So sure, I was starting at a higher weight than I might have liked, but what could I do? At my first OB appointment, my doctor told me I should aim to gain pounds over the course of my pregnancy, which seemed reasonable enough to me. Using the Gospel of John as the backbone, The Greatest Story Ever Told by Bear Grylls is a harmony of the Gospels retold from the perspective of various characters who … He is the creator of the Bible in Life online teaching ministry (at johnwhittaker.net) and of the Listener’s Commentary on the New Testament (listenerscommentary.com). It wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say that all that spare weight was weighing me down physically, mentally and emotionally. Family support played a crucial role in my journey and provided encouragement, accountability, and motivation to stay committed to my goals. However, I listened to my body, adjusted my workouts as needed, and prioritized rest and recovery. Regular exercises, such as cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises, also played a role in my journey. I consulted a nutritionist to address my unhealthy eating habits and followed a personalized diet plan. To surmount this, I placed planning and preparation as a top priority, arranging meals and exercises in advance to ensure I remained on track. They would cook healthier meals for me, drive me to workouts if needed, and all the while cheer me up whenever I needed some motivation. As for my health, there was something in particular that had to be done before I could start leading a more active lifestyle, and that was a visit to my doctor. Here, I am going to share that this weight-loss journey was not a nice cruise throughout the year. Having been through food hell and back many times over, I realized that no one ingredient or type of food (like carbs and fat) is bad for you. Believing misinformation like this is why I spent a big chunk of my life being fearful of food, and I allowed this fear to control me, instead of the other way around. Taking this approach didn’t change my life and body overnight, but it did make me stop and think about whether something I was about to do or say would help or hurt me. I had no plans to begin losing weight anytime soon and in our first week home, food was the last thing on my mind. The only tricky part—I was already 20 pounds above my happy weight (that weight range where I feel confident and energetic, where I’m not bingeing and my clothes fit). He loves seeing people come alive to the joy and transforming power of walking with Jesus in the midst of their everyday life. Snacking in between meals without consciousness was something that I had in mind, and sugar treats had no comparison to my weak willpower. I started planning my meals every week, which was a game-changer for me. My weight-loss journey has been quite a ride, with its fair share of struggles, especially when it came to sticking to gym sessions and figuring out what to eat. Embarking on a weight loss journey comes with its unique set of challenges, and who better to learn from than women who’ve successfully navigated the path? I’ve spent 34 years in this one body, and maybe that’s just enough time to learn to accept that all of its scars are just memories of all that it’s done for me. It starts a vicious cycle of overeating sugar, then getting a sugar high, followed by a crash, and a craving for more sugar. If your body loses muscle, it’s counterproductive since it’s muscle tissue that keeps your metabolism speedy. We’ve had clients in the past who have kept photos of what they want to look like on their refrigerator and it’s inspired them to stick to a healthy eating plan.” Everyone’s weight loss journey is a bit different. I aimed to eat three healthy meals a day with one snack in the evening.And everywhere I go, I carry a crazy cute 27-pound weight with me.I wasn’t so tired all the time, like I had been for those first four or five months postpartum.I've been using a free app that has a community feature, so far I've lost about 25 pounds calorie counting and trying to get my steps in.Height 5'6", start weight 210 Lbs, current weight 145 Lbs, a total of 65 Lbs down in 8 months of calorie counting.If anyone is looking for an “easy” way to lose weight, it would be to give up the booze.After all, not eating something that isn’t good for you is easy enough for a few days, but do you have the discipline needed to stop yourself month after month? To this day, mindful eating is what allows me to eat whatever I want without needing to constantly count calories — a habit I know I wouldn’t be able to stick to anyway. I was eating too much at every meal, and how I ate — quickly and without much thought — enabled me to do that. Each and every one has a place in your life (yes, I’m also talking about the cake, ice-cream and chips), but how much of them you eat and how you eat them are the everyday habits that will truly make a difference. Sick of living like this, I decided that the only way I was going to start feeling differently about myself was to treat myself differently — like I was my own best friend. Combining Pleasure with Exercise Eh, I know the feeling. My knees feel for your knees! While it’s been common knowledge that obesity is on the rise, most folks likely don’t know just how common it is. I should do this with my 2YO son - every kilo he gains, I should lose one. “Focus on getting plenty of fiber and lean protein at each meal to help with satisfaction and to stabilize blood sugar. If you’ve got a rocky relationship with the food in your life, chances are high that it didn’t get that way overnight. As the CEO of your body, your one and only concern should be making decisions that help you feel good in your own skin. The first time I walked into my first group exercise class, just the thought of making a fool of myself made my heart race and the rest of me, break out in a sweat. It also became obvious that if I wanted to get and stay healthier, the journey I’d chosen would be a life-long one — no magic pills or shortcuts, because there was none. So out went the dreary sweats, and in came new clothes that made me feel calmer, happier and more alive…in the dress size I was at. If you ever do meet folks who judge you for your looks (and you likely will, because sadly, they exist), that’ll be your cue to walk in the opposite direction because really, what anyone else thinks of your body is not your business. Seeing this snapped me out of my self-absorbed expectation that the world (or this class, at least) revolved around me and my hang ups about my body. I knew that the bulk of my journey towards reaching my jeans goal would have to be about building the solid foundation I needed to get there, brick by brick. I bought a pair of designer jeans three sizes smaller and hung it up just outside my wardrobe, where I would see it every day, for motivation. I faced several challenges during my weight-loss journey, but the most prominent ones were a lack of motivation and unhealthy eating habits. I don’t have time to obsess over food, or spend an afternoon binge eating. I aimed to eat three healthy meals a day with one snack in the evening. Gaining weight during pregnancy—and then trying to lose weight after baby—is an emotional rollercoaster for so many women, and perhaps especially for those of us with lifelong issues with food. A lot of those who lose a lot of weight in a relatively short time period fail to keep it down in the long term. I Get Imposter Syndrome Sometimes And Feel Like I Haven’t Actually Lost Weight, Until I Look Back At My Old Photos Height 5'6", start weight 210 Lbs, current weight 145 Lbs, a total of 65 Lbs down in 8 months of calorie counting. Heigh 5'8", start weight 308 Lbs, curent weight 173 Lbs, goal weight 160 Lbs, a total of 135 Lbs down. The highest recorded weight was 236 Lbs, but I know I was heavier, and now I'm 194 Lbs and kind of stuck since I started weightlifting two months ago. Height 5'3", start weight 265 Lbs, current weight 157 Lbs, a total of 108 Lbs down in 3 years. Height 5'5", start weight 320 Lbs, current weight 140 Lbs, a total of 180 Lbs down. In theory, the vast majority of us know how to start losing weight if we need to. Add in the more sedentary lifestyle most of us lead and it’s easier to see how this happens. The unfortunate truth is that food has never been more available worldwide and still is one of the main coping mechanisms we have with the difficulties in life. Height 5'5", start weight 353 Lbs, current weight 230 Lbs, a total of 123 Lbs down in one year. For example, in the UK alone, one in three people could be classified as overweight, with almost 10% of the population reaching severe obesity. Height 5'1, from 210 Lbs to 123 Lbs, a total of 87 pounds down in 4 years. Now I feel so much better in my own skin and for my family. Start weight 189 Kg, current weight 79 Kg.I am 38 years old and a mom of two. On top of that, food is a love language for many of us. Sometimes I still expect to see bigger me in the mirror. Every time I walked by the kitchen, I’d grab something—a cookie, a piece of candy—and momentarily it gave me a hit of optimism, like I wasn’t always going to feel as exhausted and rundown as I was. On one of my first few days home after having James, I stepped on the scale out of curiosity and noticed I’d lost 20 pounds. I felt fairly comfortable physically up until my last few weeks, so I was able to stay reasonably active in day-to-day life. My only aim was to eat as wide a variety of wholesome foods as possible while also honoring the many, many cravings coming at me daily. So sure, I was starting at a higher weight than I might have liked, but what could I do? Start weight 358 Lbs, current weight 201 Lbs, goal weight 199 Lbs. Your body is simply adjusting itself. It will start coming back off again. Height 6'0", start weight 301 Lbs, current weight 235 Lbs, a total of 66 Lbs down in 5 months. Starting weight was 340 Lbs, now down to 280 Lbs, and 30 pounds left to reach the goal weight. If anyone is looking for an “easy” way to lose weight, it would be to give up the booze. Current weight 103 Kg, goal weight 80 Kg.My height is 163 cm. So the secret to losing weight is to eat more fish? I lost 100 pounds in my two-year weight loss journey. Most people on a weight loss journey do have a target weight, but the real trick is staying consistent, week after week, even when the changes are not yet visible. “One of the biggest misconceptions about weight loss is that you have to starve yourself or always feel hungry or completely cut out your favorite foods. Statistically, many people do actually fail their weight loss journey, at least on the first attempt, so we wanted to know what people get wrong about it. So we’ve gathered some inspiring before and after pictures from people’s weight loss journeys. We were in full-on merry mode, eating our way through Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve—hence the 20-pound gain. We got home just before Halloween, just in time for me to break in our new kitchen with all the holiday baking I could possibly do. One of his greatest joys in life is being a husband, father, and grandfather. I Lost 100 Lbs Using Intermittent Fasting Serious question, will a bit of excess skin tighten up naturally over time? Wow, the trimmed beard is a great improvement too. You look amazing and great transformation! Height 5'7", from 278 Lbs to 165 Lbs, total weight lost 113 Lbs. You can pick specific recipes by cooking method, ingredients, dietary preference and meal of the day. The rest is a life-long journey that will include wins as well as missteps along the way. It’s probably taken years or even decades to develop, often taking shape as you look for ways to cope with the traumas and stresses of life that accumulate over time. Eh, I know the feeling.However, of all the challenges I have encountered, the hardest one for me was controlling my food intake while on the regimen.For me, it’s essential that I have an hour at night to shower, do my skincare routine, apply lotion, listen to a podcast, and go to bed early.On one of my first few days home after having James, I stepped on the scale out of curiosity and noticed I’d lost 20 pounds.We should all probably treat our bodies better than we do.The more I hated myself, the more I ate, feeding the vicious cycle of binge eating, self-loathing and weight gain I found myself stuck in.The real difficulty tends to be maintaining a lifestyle that allows you to get to the weight you want. Sign up to receive a weekly newsletters highlighting our resources and new content to help equip you in your disciple making journey. Working out became more consistent too, hitting the gym three times a week with my PT’s guidance. It helped me stay on a slight caloric deficit of 1,700-1,800 calories daily without feeling starved. They showed me how tracking my macros could align with my goals to build muscle and lose fat. $5 Meal Plan Cut back on the stress of cooking your own meals, and save time and money with a meal-planning service like $5 Meal Plan. My free, 4-week Lose 4 Pounds In 4 Weeks Without Going On A Diet email course is designed help you zero in on your overeating triggers so you can start nipping them in the bud once and for all. Either way, becoming aware of how your eating habits affect you is just the first of many steps to healing your relationship with food. At other times, what and how you eat are learned habits that you pick up from the people around you.