After reading through each of Erin’s posts about how she was able to accomplish her goal of getting healthier, I started looking at my own life to reevaluate how I’ve been doing with my own goals. It didn’t take long to realize I wasn’t as far along as I hoped I’d be by this point in my life, with one goal in particular.
According to a weight loss comparison chart that I just looked at, I’ve lost an “an average sized chimpanzee” worth of weight. This fact is obviously great. I’m not denying that and I am so grateful I have had so much success in this endeavor.
That being said there are things I am or have experienced along the way that I didn’t fully anticipate or want. They suck, and I’m going to vent about them.
I’ve lost around 70 lbs this past year. Until last week I hadn’t removed any clothing from my closet. I don’t like spending a lot of money on clothing and I haven’t hit my full goal. So to me it didn’t make sense to invest in new items. The only new clothing I have bought during the journey is a pair of work pants. Stepping into my closet was no longer enjoyable and I decided to give in and tackle the unpleasant project.
I dedicated an entire Sunday to the endeavor. I knew this was going to be a project, but there were many things I learned along the way.
Losing a lot of weight is exciting. Not only for the person who does, but for the people around them. I end up having discussions and encounters with people about my 70 lbs weight loss about once a week. Sometimes more and sometimes less. Most of these interactions eventually lead to the person asking me how I did it.
As someone who really dives into the things that interest me at the moment, I understand the question. Our culture has made diets such a mystery. Fast weight loss is constantly being advertised. One diet says no carbs, another says no fat. Half of society considers one food “good” and the other considers it “bad.” Then when someone tries out diet pills, fads and weight-loss hacks nothing works.
When people see someone they know and trust having success with losing weight, it’s like they’ve found an “in” to the mystery. I can never think of all the tips I have when talking to my friends and family, but I’ll try my best to now. This is what has worked for me:
“Color had the power to bring her back to life. As long as it was a part of her, she was at peace.”
“The family lives in the woods alone. They prefer to keep it that way.”
“We think it’s hidden in the blue jewel she’s always wearing around her neck. Doesn’t matter though, you’ll never get it off her.”
“She was his greatest mystery. A face he always searched for, but never thought he’d find.”
“In my opinion, the world could use more sprinkles…wish everyone felt that way.”
I’ve noticed something as a young adult. Peers around me seem to talk a lot about being successful and how they are going to be successful. It’s very possible if not certain that I am in the minority in not fully understanding where they are coming from. I’m not really one to stress about much, and I’ve pinpointed the period of my life where I honed this demeanor.
In the middle of my high school experience, I was cut from the volleyball team. Coming from a family of athletes and being a 6′ tall female I felt my heart shrivel in my chest when I got to the last name that was not my own. I moved through the rest of the day on the verge of tears, being the emotional human that I am. Something I had worked so hard for and wanted so much had been ripped away from me.
