Growing up, I was the chunky one, and I always wanted to lose weight. However, it wasn’t that I didn’t have any confidence, I was very confident in who I was, and I carried myself well. Even at my heaviest (260lbs), I didn’t try and hide my body. I wore what I wanted and went to the beach in a two-piece bathing suit. I didn’t care about negative comments, I knew I was fat, and I had accepted that. But I wanted to know what I would look like slim, and that’s what motivated me to change.
I would eat fast food at least twice a day and then snack on candy bars in the evening. I loved eating, but I knew it wasn’t good for me. I tried really hard to lose weight, but I could never stick to another diet. My family didn’t take me seriously and would laugh whenever I said I was going on a diet. Although my mom was my biggest support, she always told me that losing weight was my responsibility, and I had to do the work.
One of my good friends was also overweight, and she decided to have gastric bypass surgery. I thought that might be the solution for me too, and so I would go with her to her doctor’s appointments. But after hearing how my life would never be the same again after the surgery, I changed my mind and decided to lose weight the traditional way.
I knew I had to change my approach to dieting because going all out wasn’t working for me. Instead, I started substituting foods. I did things like cut out the rice and have beans, and within four months, I had lost 40lbs. I was amazed at how good I looked and took my weight loss journey to the next level by going to the gym. I eventually lost 100lbs, and today I weigh 167lbs. My brothers were also big, and I inspired them to lose weight too. They are now fitness fanatics just like me.
When people ask me how I did it, I tell them the same thing every time. There is no magic weight loss pill. You can listen to as many success stories as you want to and look at pictures of your dream body all day long, but if you don’t put the work in, you’re not going to lose weight. It’s that simple really. People fail because they want immediate results, they eat two healthy meals, go to the gym for a week, and expect the pounds to fall off, but it doesn’t work like that. It’s a slow process, and you’ve got to have the patience and determination to see it through.
When I say things like this, I laugh at myself because that’s how my mom used to speak to me, and I would get offended. Now I sound just like her, but she was right. Weight loss is a mindset, and healthy eating is a lifestyle, not a fad. There’s no point in going on a diet so you can fit into your bikini on vacation, return to your old eating habits, and put the weight back on. Consistency is key. There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself but don’t overindulge.
