The Struggle Is Real…

What can I tell you – I LOVE FOOD — ALL KINDS OF FOOD!  Food is definitely one of my best friends.

When we’re young, most of us have a very high metabolism and are able to eat all sorts of foods and goodies, and still keep our “girlish figures”, LOL (I was Olive Oyl in the comic strip and cartoon, “Popeye”.  The only thing I had were two feet that were suspended from this “extremely” thin body.  I was miserable every single day because no matter how much food I consumed, I couldn’t gain weight to save my life.  When I graduated high school, I only weighed 102 pounds.  Then, not long after graduation, I had issues with my stomach and was hospitalized for a week wherein I lost ten pounds.  Well, can you imagine what I looked like — nothing but pure skin and bones.  I was so thin that the doctors at the hospital thought my parents weren’t feeding me.  My father wanted to give them a piece of his mind but my mother advised against it since I was in the hospital alone.

I finally gained weight — a whopping 115 pounds.  During that time, I couldn’t eat during  the summer because it was too hot, so I only ate fruit and drank juice, so I would lose about ten pounds every single summer.

I didn’t really begin to gain weight until I was 30 years old.  I was the perfect weight for my height at 150 pounds.  You couldn’t tell me that I hadn’t arrived  I was certainly ready for the runway, LOL!  When my stomach would become a little “larger” than normal, I would exercise immediately for weeks on end to get it back down.  I was serious about keeping my weight down back then.

Sadly, there came a time when I topped the scale at 205 pounds (I’m just talking about myself; some people are fine with their current weight; everyone is different).  I couldn’t believe it.  It seemed like it happened overnight.  What was I thinking as I was having to buy larger clothes?  It didn’t matter.  I continued to eat and shop — for larger clothes, that is.

A number of years ago, one of my friends and former coworkers had a “Biggest Loser” contest, and that helped me shed 27 pounds and put my 8 pounds away from my goal weight.  Did I make it there?  Absolutely not!  After feeling really, really good about myself and loving the way I looked in my former clothes that I had outgrown (I don’t ever get rid of timeless pieces), I felt like I could eat a little more and a little more, and then a little more.  What do you think happened?  I gained most of my weight back.  Thank God, I never reached 205 pounds again, but I wasn’t too terribly far from it.  How did I allow this to happen “again”?  Why couldn’t I remain disciplined in my eating?  The only thing I can say is that, “old habits die hard”.

Several years ago, my place of employment had a contest wherein I was able to shed some of the weight and inches that I had put on.  In fact, I lost the most all over inches and actually won in that category.  I was excited, again, about my weight loss journey.

Well, history repeated itself “again”.  I put on some of the weight and regained some of the inches.  I want to be disciplined in my eating habits and make exercise a regular part of my daily routine.  However, I make excuses for not tearing myself out of bed extra early in the morning or walking in the evening when I get off work.  I just can’t seem to peel the covers off me.  Perhaps, I need someone to shove me out as I hit the snooze button a million and one times on some mornings.  My 4-year-old granddaughter has more discipline than I do.  She went for her annual visit with her pediatrician, and I was told that she should not gain any more weight but rather we should limit the amount of snacks and juices that we give her because she’s in the 90th percentile for age as far as weight is concerned.  I had no idea my granddaughter was even paying attention until the following week when I picked her up from daycare.  The daycare provider told me that my granddaughter told said, “I can’t have a lot of chips.  I can only eat a little.  My doctor said so.”  I don’t know any 4-year-old who would be honest about that.  I was shocked and pleased at the same time.  It has now been several weeks, and she still says that.  Wow!  Imma need her to help me, LOL!

The struggle is real.  However, we have to start somewhere.  Many people fail because they set unrealistic goals for themselves, i.e., “I’m going to lose 40 pounds in two months. I’m going toto exercise for an hour each day.  I’m going to decrease my caloric intake.  I’m going to, I’m going to, I’m going to”.

The weight journey can be difficult, but it’s not impossible as I know first hand.  However, if you don’t stay on top of what got you there in the first place, i.e., losing your focus and momentum, you’ll be right back where you started; therefore, finding yourself disappointed.  Life, sometimes, has a way of getting in the way of things — children, jobs, spouse, illness, etc.; however, we have to learn to take better care of ourselves.  Sometimes, it’s okay to put your needs before the needs of others, and, no that’s not being selfish at all.  You’re just putting everyone on notice that you need time to do “you”.

Getting on the path of your weight loss journey, and healthy lifestyle really is mind over matter.  How much do we really want it?  It’s so much easier said than done, trust me, I know.  My metabolism has come to a “screeching” halt (okay, it’s really nonexistent) as I’m in the throes of that “dreaded” menopause, so diet alone doesn’t work; I have to exercise at least 4 to 5 times a week to see any type of difference which I haven’t done in about two months now.

I saw my doctor a month ago, for abdominal pain and bloating.  When I told her I had bloating, she looked at me and said, “How do you know it’s not fat”.  I laughed out loud because I certainly wasn’t expecting that response.  However, she was extremely serious.  Then, she looked through my records and saw that I had a previous complaint of bloating a number of years ago.  Then, and only then did she agree with me.

I “live to eat,” when it should be in the reverse “eat to live”.  There is a group on FaceBook, “Eat to Live, Not Live to Eat Conscious,” that one my best friends started; she includes all types of tips and gives great information on healthy eating.

There are many times that I know I’m full, and just continue eating because it tastes “sooo” good.  I tell myself just one more bite which turns into another and another and then another until I’ve practically consumed what I told myself not to.

Realistically, I know that I’m going to have to “make” time to get my exercise in and not view it as a chore or something that I can afford to do without because I really can’t.  I don’t want to gain all the weight back that I lost because now that I’m older, it takes a whole lot longer to shed even one pound.

If you are like me and “struggle” to keep the weight off, figure out where you went wrong and what triggers you to “fall off the wagon” and, then, correct the issue.  Be bigger and stronger than what is preventing you to be or remain successful.  Don’t beat yourself up when you miss or don’t make your mark.  Do better.  Get back on track.  You got this!

Always remember, #GurlYouGotItGoinOn

Love ya,

Grace

P.S.:  I now have a podcast that is featured on Spotify as well as Apple Podcasts and a few others, which you may find under Grace Deveraux or “Take A Leap With Grace.”  Also, you may find me on Instagram @Gracedeveraux.  Please stop by and check out what I’ve been up to. 😊