pseudo-civilized submitted: Left: November 2015, 175...

pseudo-civilized submitted:

Left: November 2015, 175 lbs.

Right: April 2016, 170 lbs. 

Goal: 150 lbs. 

According to the scale, I’m only down 5 lbs. This is a great example of why your body is more than a number on a scale, and I wanted to post these photos for anyone who was stuck where I was: frustrated and wondering why that stupid number won’t go down!

More important than that number is how I feel. I am more energetic. I crave healthy food and exercise. My clothes fit and look better. Wearing jeans and a bra isn’t so painful anymore!

Here’s a bit of my story: I was at my goal weight of 150 last summer, after an intensive backpacking expedition where I hiked anywhere from 7-15 miles per day, carrying 55 lbs on my back. During last fall, I gained 25 lbs due to a depo birth control (NOT good for weight loss!), a lack of exercise, and an excessive intake of bacon cheeseburgers that I hope was driven by the hormones. I do not recommend the depo, but that’s another story. In November, I’d had enough. I felt sluggish, tired, and winded after climbing a flight of stairs. I remembered how fit I’d been while backpacking and I NEEDED to get back to that. 

My tips: eat healthy and build a better relationship with your food. Try cooking! Pay more attention to what your body is telling you. Stop eating when you feel full (this has probably been the most helpful thing for me). Drink water, and lots of it! Especially before meals, it will help you feel full faster, and it also aids digestion. I could go on and on about water, but the bottom line is that your body needs it, so DRINK IT!

I’m lifting twice a week with a fitness class at college, which is great motivation. I try to run 2-3 miles per week, and do yoga on my off days. My goal is “Do something good for my body once per day.”

I still have off days where I eat junk and lay in bed all day and complain about my bloated belly. No big deal, cause other days I go lift a bunch of heavy things and then go for a run afterwards and admire how good I look in the mirror. Remember the process! Please feel free to ask questions, I’d love to help or give advice :)

MotiveWeight http://ift.tt/1Y83zjP