Inspiration

I’ve been on a journey these last 12 weeks. On February 13th, I decided to live a healthier life and simply eat better. I looked online for local nutritionists but couldn’t find any that offered what I was looking for so I started asking my friends and one of them recommended Josh, a nutrition coach from Working Against Gravity. The program requires a 3 month commitment in terms of fees but compared to what you would pay for a one-off session with a nutritionist, 3 months with Monday - Friday messaging access and guidance has been well worth it. 

The first week that I started, it was just about logging everything I ate into the MacrosFirst app and then on my first check-in date, Josh reviewed what I was eating and suggested starting points on how to ease into counting macros - a process that I was truthfully dreading as it seemed so complicated and what I was sure would be a ton of extra work for me during my day. I started thinking of how much time it would take to find recipes, weigh food, deal with cooking and prepping meals, so much so that I had already turned my mind off of it before I barely began.

Week 2 was when I really started following a macro goal set up by my coach. I was really frustrated and I was so hungry. I felt like I was going over my numbers consistently which made me even more frustrated. The great thing about the program is that you can write to your coach anytime and they will respond in 24 hours so you always feel like you have support. Each week you have a check-in where you have to weigh yourself, track your body changes with photos and take measurements. You also have to reflect and write about the experience and what you’re feeling great about and not so great about. Honestly, at week 2, I was ready to give up. I felt so annoyed with myself for taking on something that created so much hassle with tracking every single thing I ate and feeling like I was dying from starvation. I realize now that I had actually just been overeating for so long that my body was going through withdrawal from missing the extra food and junk that I had been consuming.  In hindsight, the hunger that I felt was my body readjusting to normal portions, higher protein and less carbs and fat. 

As the weeks went on, it got easier. My macros kept going lower and I continued doing my personal training sessions. I have now also joined a pilates gym to ramp up in hopes of making my body stronger with more resistance. It all takes work but it truly is a journey. For me, progress is always positive and I celebrate even the smallest of wins because I earned it. 

Like most things in life, the more you do something, the easier it gets and you soon forget about the initial pain you experienced. It’s been a pretty eye-opening experience thus far and I’ve learned a lot about myself. 

1. I became much more aware of what I was actually eating. I used to house a large bag of Spicy Doritos in 30 seconds and now, I realize that while it tasted so great at the time, I didn’t feel great after because I wasn’t fueling my body with quality food. Not to say I don’t eat Spicy Doritos now but I know how to portion them and fit them into my day in a much more balanced and healthier way.

2. When I started paying more attention to my portions, it made me realize how much I was overeating. I used to eat an entire bag of Haribo gummy bears easily but if I did that while counting macros, I would have torpedoed my entire nutrition for the day. Counting macros doesn’t mean not eating what you want but just being smarter about what you and how much you are eating. I could still eat gummy bears - just not an entire bag. I could eat one portion which would count for some of the carbs and fat in my day but it still fit it into my numbers. I was dying on the inside when I counted those 13 gummy bears out but when I ate them, I was surprised that I actually didn’t want anymore than that - 13 was actually enough. Maybe it was my body getting used to less sugar or maybe I was just full but after 13, I didn’t actually want anymore and it was at this moment that I noticed that if we are given unlimited amounts, we will eat unlimited amounts but you actually don’t need it.

3. Through this experience I have also learned that I am extremely goal oriented and once I have set a vision for myself, I am 100% committed to the journey. I’ve learned to be proud of myself for my own dedication and knowing that I’m working towards a healthier version of myself for me and for my family.  

Twelve weeks in and I’ve lost 9 lbs so far. My goal is to lose 13 lbs more by this fall. I know that it won’t be easy. There are days when I’ve questioned if all the extra work is worth it, especially when I’m tired and hungry or am dining out and can’t eat as much as I want to. But I can see the difference in my body and I can feel the difference in my mind. I have more self-confidence and overall, I just feel lighter, physically and mentally. I am hoping that I will persevere and make it to my goal but I am also being easy on myself if I don’t get to my exact weight because this is a change that I am making for the long term so it has to be done sustainably. Wish me luck!