My sister has been on a health and fitness journey since February of this year, and she has been killing it! I wanted to not only give her a shout out for her amazing progress and dedication, but also to use her as an example of the power of exercise and nutrition.
Mindy was always active growing up and played softball all through highschool, but you know, you get older and life happens and you move less...and then before you know it, you've lost muscle and put on a few pounds. As an adult, she's gone through phases of trying to lose weight and exercise, but has never stuck with it consistently or long enough to truly see lasting results.
This time has been different. She has been lifting weights out in her shed 3 days a week and walks on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes 6 days a week. She has also gradually changed her nutrition by not eating so many sugary foods, increasing protein intake, tracking calories and eating more meals throughout the day. She used to not eat enough during the day, only to wake up and snack on junk foods throughout the night.
She is actually eating more now than she ever has, and she's not doing anything drastic or any specific "diet". As a result, her IBS symptoms and bloating has gone away almost completely. She has lost 30 pounds, even though she isn't worried about the scale weight, but moreso how her body looks and how her clothes fit. She just recently fit into a pair of jeans she hasn't been able to wear in 6 years!
The thing I'm most proud of her for is her mindset. Unlike times she's tried in the past, this time she is about making sustainable, healthy changes. She knows it's not just about the scale or how much weight she can lose as fast as possible by being super restrictive-it's now about her health, building muscle, and just overall feeling better. When you finally get to that mindset, that is when you will get true, lasting results! She knows it is going to take time, but she is in it for the long haul.
Here are a couple posts I stole from her Facebook page:
"For me, I always used time as an excuse. Well I don't have time to work out. Then something clicked in my brain. When you want something bad enough, you'll make time. I know it's only been about 6 months for me, but it gets to be routine. I've almost completely cured my IBS. I no longer have inflammation in my joints. I'm not aching getting out of bed in the morning. I have so much more energy. The positives make these changes so worth it!! And thank God I have a sister that can help keep me accountable and on track. I can't let this flame burn out!!! I have so much to look forward to now."
"I know I'm not a pro at weight loss, but I've done it a few times. Don't do what I did a few years ago and completely deprive yourself of certain things. If you're worried about every little thing you eat, that's not a life to live. I failed a few years ago because I over did it. I cut out everything and didn't allow myself the things I enjoyed. Yes, I lost weight fast, but it wasn't sustainable. I ended up giving up and binge eating because I didn't allow myself even the tiniest bit of food freedom. Carbs are ok, some sugars are ok. It's all ok in moderation. If you want something to last a lifetime, it has to be something you can keep up with and enjoy. I've lost 30 pounds since February. I still eat ice cream on the weekend and have made alternatives to sweet treats I used to love and can now still enjoy with a few ingredient swap outs. Don't try to lose weight really fast because more times than not, that's gonna get old real quick. Don't go by the number on the scale. I've weighed myself once since February. I could be losing fat and gaining muscle and the scale can't tell me that! I've leaned a lot from my sister that has been doing this for over 20 years. Don't crawl so deep into the weight loss hole that you end up unhappy. And remember to move your body! Like that commercial says, a body in motion stays in motion."
That is what it's all about y'all!
Of course, now she's getting comments about being "too skinny" or about how she eats, which completely frustrates me to no end. Who says what is "too skinny"? And why is it okay to comment on anyone's body size, skinny or not? And why can't someone just choose to be healthy and eat nutritious foods that they enjoy without it being about "dieting" or weight loss? Not everything is about losing weight!!!
Mindy is at a completely healthy weight, and as she said, she's not being super restrictive and still enjoys life. She simply wanted to make a change and live a healthier lifestyle, so that's exactly what she did! I think the sad thing is that it's just the norm these days in our society for people to be overweight and to eat unhealthy, that people think it's "weird" when someone is actually conscious of the foods they eat. No one will comment when people eat burgers and fries and pizza and fried chicken and soft drinks on the daily, but God forbid someone order a salad or chicken and broccoli.
Y'all. Weight loss is NOT the only thing. Yes, many people do need to lose weight and they would be healthier by doing so. But it's about HEALTH first and foremost. If you focus on that, then yes, you will mostly likely lose weight in the process...but you'll also gain SO much more! You'll FEEL better. You'll have more energy. You'll be able to DO so much more when you have more strength and stamina. You'll be preventing future disease. Yes, it's hard, Yes, you will have to make some sacrifices. But it's 100% worth it!
Comments
Post a Comment