Day 1 is a day I’ll never forget. I woke up early after a late night out, called my mom, and headed to the gym. I hadn’t been before, and unfortunately high school PE didn’t prepare me for this battle. Armed with a new pair of leggings and my workout buddy, I fought to get my health back on track.
The most important thing I have learned through my weight-loss journey has been the connection between my mental health and physical health. When I was at my heaviest, before I stepped foot in that gym, I was miserable and in a dark place. My life certainly wasn’t going the way I had expected, and I let my anxiety and depression take the wheel. Creating a healthy lifestyle for myself has allowed me to get my life back on track and feel light again mentally.
While I had plenty of weight to lose, my goal was only to get healthier, treat my body right, get stronger…. Your body is your home, so you should take care of it, I decided. I made necessary changes to my diet and lifestyle. I ate healthier, I cooked better, and I got active more. I learned what exercises I liked and other ways to get some “free cardio” in without hitting a gym.
Treading through the first few months of my journey to take back my health, I could see the postive changes in my mood, how I felt, my emotions, and decreasing anxiety levels. I have control again, I am free of everything that was weighing me down before, and by building this lifestyle for myself, I am a happier person for it. I only wish everyone else could experience this, but I too spent many years back and fourth starting diet after diet….
It’s day one or one day, and you make that decision. Sometimes I mess up, sometimes I fall off course, but when you jump back into your routine and healthy habits, it becomes a part of your lifestyle instead of just “some diet” because you feel fat.
Do it for yourself. Do it for your mind, body & soul. Forget the “I’ll start Monday” crap you keep telling yourself, and make the decision to take back your health!
Take care of your body; it’s the only place you have to live!
Just Your Best 