What It's Really About
The first time I ever tried to lose weight, I ate ~ 700 calories per day.
I didn’t know better. I was 20 years old, my sister was getting married and all I wanted was to make sure I looked good for her wedding.
I started with the Special K diet: for 2 weeks, you eat a bowl of cereal twice a day and eat one additional balanced meal. For that I chose to eat Lean Cuisine meals and would occasionally add a salad because I was DYING of hunger.
After those 2 weeks, I signed up with Weight Watchers. A level up from Special K, let me tell you, but still not the most ideal.
I learned how to obsess over every single calorie that entered my body.
I didn’t learn the importance of movement.
I learned to go hungry all day so that I could eat out with my friends for dinner.
I made some changes but I didn’t work on my mindset. I didn’t stop the emotional eating. I didn’t stop hating my body. I didn’t feel better. I didn’t learn how to connect with and listen to my body.
I’m sad for the 20 year old me who really thought that this was the way to go.
Needless to say, I gained it all back and the biggest lesson I learned was to ask for the to-go box while ordering my meal.
The saddest part about this story is that it isn't just mine. It’s similar to the story of nearly every single client I’ve worked with.
Which is why my favorite thing to do as a fitness pro is show people that there is another way to approach weight loss and fitness.
It’s about learning to connect with your body. It’s about learning to listen to your body. It’s about learning to move your body, nourish your body, love your body and treat it with respect.
It’s not about diets and meal plans; it’s about eating a little bit slower, eating a little bit less, and adding in a lot more nutrient dense foods.
So I want you to try a different way. Try eating just a little slower and checking in with how your body feels. Try taking just a 5 minute walk. Try a better way, one that leads to life-long transformation rather than another yo-yo diet.