Taking Control of my Health 

Fitness and health have always been a challenge for me. As a teenager, I struggled with my weight despite being an active member of the swim team and dancing regularly. No matter what I did, I was never “small” enough.

My fitness level declined rapidly in college when I was juggling up to four part-time jobs and managing a demanding course-load. This left little time for sleep, let alone exercise and mindful eating. By the time I married my husband, I was about 300 pounds. 

Becoming a mother 18 months after getting married, added equal parts joy, stress and pounds. Just fourteen days after giving birth, my infant had a serious health scare that added almost incapacitating bouts with anxiety to the already looming postpartum depression I was experiencing. 

I had no idea how out of control my health had gotten until my daughter was three years old and someone took a photo of us together. I didn’t recognize the woman I had become and was mortified at how out of control my health was. I finally worked up the courage to step onto the scale and was horrified to see that the number was dreadfully close to 400 pounds. At that moment, something screamed in me, “No more! Not another step more!” I knew how dangerous morbid obesity was. I was well aware of the health complications, the long term disability risk and, most terrifyingly, the amount of time it cuts off life expectancy. I knew that if I wanted to be around for my daughter and be the mother she deserved and I desperately wanted to be, I needed to change and I needed to change fast.  

Over the years, I have tried so many things. I’ve gone on so many diets, taken so many supplements, and embarked on so many workout regiments. And while I have had some major successes, more often than not I would slip up and the unhealthy weight would begin to creep back on. 

There were some circumstances that were beyond my control, like the COVID pandemic and my surprise caboose baby who came to us with some medical complications. Of course, there were things that were within my control, including my insatiable appetite for sugary carbonation and all things salty and fried.

I learned after years of yo-yo dieting and extreme workout programs that I needed to make a lifestyle change and not the type where I would just try a diet or exercise routine for a while and hope it sticks. I needed something manageable, consistent and flexible to match my ever-changing life as a working wife and mother of four children. That ever-changing life now included two chronic illnesses that were forcing me to put my fitness first in order to function well with my health struggles.

Over the past several years, through trial and error, sweat and tears, with the support of my loving friends and family, I have lost nearly 200 pounds. I can now say with confidence that I am stronger and healthier than I have been in more than a decade, and it has been done through zero gimmicks; just lifestyle changes.

While I am still very much on this journey, I hope to bring you along with me as I share some of the things that have worked for me.

It’s been a journey of trial and error, with many trials and errors to name, but here I am ready to share what I’ve learned over the past seven years to this point. 

Fair warning: If you’re here for a quick fix or gimmick weight loss experience, my story is not for you. I want to let you know that I am not a doctor or health and fitness professional, and this is my journey. I hope that what I share might help someone who has struggled like I have. 

Without further ado, here are some of my tips for taking control of your health in a sustainable way

1. Know how many calories you are consuming daily.

Most health changes, big or small, happen in the kitchen. Keeping an honest inventory of what fuel you are putting in your body allows you to make the necessary adjustments to suit your goals. If you’re not building muscle like you would like to, perhaps adding protein. If you’re struggling to lose the body fat you want, maybe you’re not in a big enough calorie deficit. There are many resources available to help you track your intake and calculate meal plans and intake goals to help you achieve your individual health goals.

2. Move your body daily.

Any movement that is more than what you’re doing now counts. Park farther away at the grocery store. Walk around the neighborhood with your family. Pump out a couple of wall push ups at the office during your break. Take it at your own pace, especially when you’re just starting. There are lots of workout programs out there that cost nothing to access and cater to all fitness levels. 

3. Take your sleep seriously.

While everyone’s sleep needs vary, it is necessary for our bodies and minds to recover fully in order to function to the best of their ability the next day. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, depression, among other ailments. While it’s tempting to stay up and scroll or squeeze in that last episode of your favorite show, your body and mind will thank you for taking the time to get adequate sleep.

4. The scale is a tool, nothing more, nothing less. 

This one might be considered controversial, but the scale is probably the least reliable tool to measure success by when on a fitness journey. So many little factors can affect the number, from the amount of water you drank in a day, to what your hormones are trying to accomplish in your body. I have personally experimented with the scale and watched my weight fluctuate almost 10 pounds over a 24 hour period. It’s very important to track your progress in other ways, like progress photos, body measurements, exercise progressions, how you feel/look in your clothes, etc. The scale should literally be at the bottom of your list of ways to track your progress. 

5. Get yourself a good
support system. 

Having people to help cheer you on and keep you accountable is an invaluable part of your health journey. I cannot tell you how many times I have leaned on my own support system, especially when I slipped up and wanted to quit. I also love being supportive of others and feel more motivated when I know others are depending on me. Don’t be afraid to reach out to others. Most people who are passionate about health and fitness are happy to share their experience with others.

6. Make positive health choices and create daily habits.

This was probably the hardest lesson for me to learn. I had mountains of motivation, but it meant nothing until I really established good habits through discipline. I look at my workout time as a daily appointment with myself that is as non-negotiable as brushing my teeth and taking a shower. I’ve integrated it into my daily routine to make it even easier to keep. When I’m making my kids their evening snacks, I’m also mixing my pre-workout. While they’re changing into pajamas and brushing their teeth, I’m changing into my workout clothes. After I tuck them into bed, I exercise, stretch, check on my kids one more time and then shower and go to bed. It’s the same routine every night and makes it so much easier to get done.

7. Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint.

I’m very sorry to say that you are not going to look like that instagram girl or guy after 90 days even if you’re following their program to a T. Your body wasn’t built in 90 days, so it isn’t realistic or kind to expect your entire physique to completely change in 90 days either. It can take weeks of consistency before you feel any changes, months before you see any changes in the mirror and longer still before others notice; and that’s perfectly normal! There are so many other factors that affect one’s health journey from genetics, to stress levels, just to name a couple. Your fitness journey is yours and yours alone, so don’t let the journey of another person get you down. Give yourself and your body grace and it will do amazing things as long as you keep working at it and make reasonable changes you can stick to.

As for me,  I have recently found a routine that works for me and my life. I am still very much in the thick of my health journey with many more goals I am working toward, but I know I am headed in the right direction. Most importantly, I have learned to love the body I am in while I work hard to strengthen it. My positive health choices are having the additional impact of affecting the lives of my family and hopefully others in a positive way. 

If you think it’s too late for you, I promise you it isn’t. There is always room for positive improvement and you can do anything you set your mind to. Best of luck to all on your health journeys and I hope you found this helpful. 

Note: This article shares general tips and ideas. Be sure to talk to your doctor or a healthcare pro before making any big changes to your health routine.