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It was just about 1 year ago when I began my weight loss journey. I started off at 180 pounds (on a 5'8" frame) on January 7, 2024, and I dropped below the 150-pound mark around April 14, 2024. Since that time, I've dropped an additional 10 pounds and have been holding steady within a pound or two (up and down) of 140 pounds. I'd still love to drop another 3 or 4 pounds, but I feel like my body's set point is where I'm at, and I'm okay with staying at 140 pounds.
So, how hard has it been to keep it going? Honestly, it's not that bad. My body has gotten used to less sugar and carbs, and I rarely crave bread and sweets the way I used to. I drink my coffee black 90% of the time and enjoy it just as much as when I used cream and sugar. And on the rare occasion I do use cream and sugar, it's an enjoyable treat that doesn't add as many calories to my diet as, say, a dish of ice cream or a cookie.
By far, the most helpful things I've been doing are a) continuing to weigh myself daily, and b) continuing to write down everything I eat. With plenty of food- and alcohol-related events going on around the Christmas and New Year's holidays, I did see my weight creep up a few pounds, and seeing the numbers in black and white reminded me to take it a little easier. It wasn't that hard to eat a pretzel rod with a bit of chocolate on it instead of 2 or 3 sugar-laden cookies, or to skip a midweek glass of wine, or even to let that bowl of mashed potatoes or buttery rolls pass me by at dinnertime. And because I was writing it all down, I could see how having one extra treat every day or an extra serving of some rich food every day quickly made a difference in my weight. Fortunately, it also made it that much easier to get back on track and to see how quickly atoning for my dietary sins could reverse the needle on the scale.
I've changed my eating habits for long enough now that it feels normal to skip breakfast, eat a small protein-heavy lunch, and serve myself a smaller portion at dinner, and reduce my alcohol intake. But it also feels okay to occasionally snack on a few crackers and some cheese before dinner, or take a larger helping of a meal, or to have some scrambled eggs at breakfast, or enjoy a mid-week cocktail. It's like shopping: if you're frugal most of the time, the money you've saved allows you to splurge on something special every now and then. If you're frugal about your calories most of the time, you can splurge on a special treat once in a while and still bounce back to your preferred weight.
Maybe I'll drop that extra 5 pounds, and maybe I won't. But I know I'll continue to eat carefully enough to maintain a healthy weight while continuing to truly enjoy food and not to feel like I'm being deprived. I feel like I have really changed my relationship with food, in terms of being more mindful in my eating habits and focusing on the pleasure of eating.
During my weight loss journey, I posted the following diet-related weekly quotes:
The pounds you don't gain are just as important as the pounds you lose.
Today is another chance to get it right.
Your diet is a bank account. Good choices are good investments.
Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health. (Julia Child)
It's not about perfect, it's about effort. And when you bring that effort every single day, that's when transformation happens. (Jillian Michaels)
The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor. (Chinese Proverb)
Everyone plateaus. What you do next is what counts. (Noah Kagan)
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out. (Robert Collier)
The road may be bumpy, but stay committed to the process.
The only successful way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to find what works for you.
Eat clean to stay fit. Have a burger to stay sane. (Gigi Hadid)
I'd rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size zero.
Each of the quotes I found helpful at the time, but the one that continues to jump into my brain is "The more you eat, the less flavor; the less you eat, the more flavor." It reminds me that savoring a smaller amount of food is more satisfying than gulping down a larger amount without tasting it. This idea lets me enjoy my food without overdoing it or eating too much or too many unhealthy foods. It's no longer a weight-loss diet; it's a healthy way of eating for the rest of my life. And it's working!
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