The next few posts will focus on areas in my life where I have intentionally decided to make sustainable changes, the inspiration, and what drives my desire for life-long change. I hope that the posts will inspire others to real introspection and intentional practices that will manifest their own desired outcomes.
Over the last two years, I have been on a journey to improve my life holistically (physically, spiritually and emotionally). Let me be clear, continuous development has always been the goal but some areas are easier to work on than others. However, I decided to be intentional about recognizing and facing areas in my life which show-up over and over with no real evidence of improvement.
The number one challenge for me has been my roller coaster weight situation. Yes it’s been a situation. Okay here it is, full disclosure, 2 years ago I was 236 pounds. Now, for a 6’5” athlete, this number may not seem like a lot but for a 5’ woman of a certain age, this was a weight headed for disaster. I must admit, I really did not see myself as overweight. In fact, I had something that my daughter and I joked about, the “skinny women syndrome” even though my clothes did not fit and I could not walk up a flight of steps without gasping for air. Some may say, I was delusional.
Any Life Coach will tell you that a coach needs a coach. Little did I know my coach would be barely 21, a college student and living in my house. My unintentional coach was my daughter. This is how the conversation went down. “Mom, I want to talk to you about something when I get home.” So I immediately put my “Coach Mommy” hat on and prepared for whatever she might need. Little did I know, she was about to tell me that I was overweight and that she was scared for my life. Some days later, she bought me a Fitbit and this was the beginning of my intentional step by step journey towards sustainable weight loss. With God by my side and a lot of praying, my journey began.
Sustainable Built-in Movement
Right away I started intentionally moving more, parking further, taking the stairs and catching the train during the week which required me to walk a mile to and from work each day. After about a month or so of getting into a new routine of being active, I began entering Fitbit challenges and walking around my neighborhood on the weekends. I also began working out 30 minutes a day six to seven days a week. Although I was feeling good, something was missing, I needed to change my eating habits.
Sustainable Eating Habits
Like a lot of professional “Dieters”, I have tried almost every program around. Without a plan, I began by eating smaller portions. I noticed some results but not enough and I was still eating poorly. So “Coach Daughter” challenged me to stop eating meat during her winter break from college and that she would prepare all my meals. Reluctantly, I agreed and after a month, I noticed more weight loss. Here I was a walking, exercising, pescatarian. The ultimate change for me was deciding to incorporate more fruits and vegetables while eliminating added sugars and dairy, Whole 30 model. My weight dropped drastically, my cholesterol numbers improved and I felt better than ever.
Of course, this is only a snapshot of a process that has taken nearly 2 ½ years and continues to this day. Everyone’s path to their weight loss journey is different but whatever path you take make sure it’s healthy and sustainable without delusion, no looking back but only reaching back to help someone else. Tony Robbins stated in one of his talks, “to avoid hitting a wall, focus on the direction you want to go.”
In an earlier blog, I wrote, “ Finding a way begins and ends with making the decision to change oneself for the better. Finding a way is perseverance, taking the first step no matter how small and/or how challenging it feels or appears. Finding a way is patience, allowing the process to take root and grow into something beautiful and fluid with the understanding that finding your way is always changing.”
Thanks Coach Morgan-Victoria for making mommy better.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9 ESV
