I’ve always said that this has been a lifestyle change for me, not a diet. A lot of people don’t really understand what the difference is.
At 220 pounds, I was sixteen years old. My lifestyle included playing rugby 3 times a week, for about 6 months a year. I worked at McDonalds, so I ate a lot of french fries and grilled chicken sandwiches. I ate very large portions, and at home our dinners were primarily made up of starches (ie potatoes and pastas). I drank a lot of sugary drinks, including pop and juices. That was my life. I ate what I wanted, I purged when I was upset about it, and I hated my body.
At 290 pounds, I was twenty years old. My lifestyle included zero physical activity. I didn’t even walk our first dog. I was always tired, and I spent 90 percent of my time lying in bed. I would get out breath just walking from my car into a client’s home. My back hurt, my knees hurt, and like I said, I was always tired. I was trapped in my own body, and I had confined myself to my bed. I ate massive meals, primarily made up of starch. We would eat pizza, candy and french fries for dinner. Some mornings, we would stay awake until 5AM just to go get McDonalds’ breakfast and then we’d go to bed for the night. That was my life. I ate anything convenient, I ate out a lot, and I didn’t purge. I had stopped caring about my body.
At 163 pounds, I am twenty two years old. My lifestyle includes going to the gym and/or running 3-5 days a week. It includes hikes with my husband and going on trail runs with my dog. I try new things, even if they are physically demanding. I rarely eat out, and cook most meals at home. I eat oatmeal for breakfast and eggs for second breakfast. I pack a lunch filled with fruits and vegetables. I eat a dinner focused around protein and vegetables, with starch only acting as a side dish. I indulge when I want to, but I don’t often need to because I don’t restrict myself from things that I enjoy. My tastes have changed; I crave nutritional meals instead of processed junk food. This is my life. I eat foods that fuel my body, but also my soul. I do not purge and I exercise because I enjoy it, not because I feel guilty. I take care of my health, and I am slowly learning to love my body.
Diets end, and when they do, people revert back to their usual lifestyle. I dieted many times through high school and college - it wasn’t until I fully dedicated myself to a healthy lifestyle that the weight came off. Changing your habits is hard, I’ll never deny that. But it’s completely worth it.
