Someone in one of my games mentioned how epic my chart on my profile was, and I had almost completely forgotten about profiles, so I clicked on my own to see what was there. I saw my first (and at the time only) blog post about eating carrots from like two years ago and am amazed... first of all the truths that I posted - definitely had a time capsule feel to it - and second, that at this exact moment, I'm sitting here eating carrots.
So, here's my check in. I stopped walking to work because I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis, and the pain was almost unbearable. I tried everything, I cried a lot, I gained a lot of weight, and one day by happenstance, came upon a treatment that worked for me. I can't be the only one out there who gets so hyperfocused on pain that they forget that there are workarounds and just give up on exercise completely. Well, that's what I did. I gained a ton of weight.
I started going to the gym again, but maybe one or two times a week. Nothing special. Then one day I realized that none of my pants fit. They were all too small. I had nothing work appropriate to wear, and that was a problem. So, I went to Old Navy. Right? I ashamedly purchased pants in size 22 and stretchy black pants that were essentially loose leggings in size XXL. I got home, cried, and decided to get serious about diet and exercise.
I told my significant other, who was fully supportive, and we immediately cut all processed foods, all salt, sugar, and were basically doing our own modified paleo/whole foods diet. No program, just eating whatever we wanted, as long as it fit our specifications. Originally we thought we'd do it for a month to "kickstart" weight loss. But we felt so good doing it, we just never stopped.
I lost about 30 lbs before realizing that I should probably be dietbetting. About this time last year is when I started dietbetting. Clothes were looser, but I couldn't really tell a difference.
Then, a few months later, we moved and I started biking to work. It was a short commute, only about 3 miles each way. On Fridays, I'd run the distance on the way home. That's when it really started coming off. Then people started noticing.
I still didn't really see it, although I could now fit into the pants that I had previously grown out of.
Six months in, I could wear everything in my closet - even the things from high school that for some reason I held on to (like my prom dress!).
Nine months in, I needed to buy new clothes. So I bought a few pieces, and continued to wear the pieces that didn't make me look like a clown.
Now, a year later, I've lost 80 lbs. I'm down to a weight that for my height puts me in a "healthy" BMI range. The top of the range, mind you. I'm wearing a size 6 comfortably, and just yesterday bought pants in a size small. I've increased my bike commute to 7.5 miles each way, and I'm training for my first triathlon.
Yeah - from size 22 to size 6, from XXL to S. Even I'm impressed with myself.
I'm not going to say it was easy. Plateaus are real and demotivating. But here I am, a year later, the smallest I've ever been as an adult, and in the best shape of my life, feeling healthy and happy.
Bottom line - this is doable. If I can do it, you can. And just like me, a year from now, you'll be so glad that you started today.