My secret to weight loss success

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OK. It’s confession time (again). I’m a healthy and fit nurse. I lead a (somewhat) healthy lifestyle (I eat a lot of fruit). I exercise two to four times a week. I take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. I’m a weight loss success story (lost 50 lbs and have kept it off for 2 years now). I see my doctor regularly for yearly check-ups (including checking my cholesterol).

I also eat ‘take out’ food (averaging once every week or two). I also eat ice cream (sometimes a whole pint in one sitting- just the other day). I’m a snacker (when I’m bored or watching TV I eat). I eat anything processed or packaged (so my sodium intake is at a heart attack level). I don’t eat anything organic (not on purpose). I drink ice tea like it’s going out of style. I drink way too much coffee (at home and at work). And I have a horrible sweet tooth.

So, why the rant? Why another confession?

Quite simply – I don’t have any secrets that you don’t already know about to help you improve or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Sorry. Yes, I have two bachelors’ degrees one in exercise and sports science, the other in nursing. But, neither of them helped me lose weight and neither of them have given me a ‘leg up’ on what is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ for me and my health.

It’s all about your interest in your own health. I decided a couple of years ago I wanted to fix my ‘problem’ of being heavy and ‘out of shape’. I hated being ‘winded’ going up a flight of stairs. I hated how bad my body hurt waking up and moving first thing in the morning. I hated not being able to do adventurous things because my body couldn’t tolerate them.

So I researched. I ‘Googled’. I read. Then I read more. Then I read more. Then I read more (get the theme there?). I asked questions. Then I asked more questions. Then I asked more questions (yes, another theme).After all of that I started trial and erroring everything I had read about. What worked? What felt good? What didn’t work? What did I not like? What did I like? What was helping me? What was hindering me?

I guess I’m confessing because I’m now healthy and fit and everyone I talk to, interact with and brush up against want to know what the secret is?! How did I do it? How do I keep doing it?

It’s never been about a certain food (or diet plan). It’s never been about a certain exercise (or regimen). It’s always been about what made me happy, what worked for me and my lifestyle, and making sure it became a permanent part of me and my life.

There is no silver bullet. There is no secret. I’m simply your average Joe who made me, my health and my weight a priority.

There IS a lot of hard work involved. There IS a lot of discipline involved. And there IS a lot of time involved.

I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it.

Any questions?