How to Lose Weight

I have lost 60 pounds. That’s unreal…I almost don’t even believe it myself. If you are reading this, you know that to lose weight isn’t easy, yet I lost 60 pounds. That’s nearly the weight of two of my kids COMBINED. And you know what? It was SIXTY pounds of pure FAT. I am stronger than I have ever been, and there isn’t a single part of my body that isn’t toned. Knowing I no longer lug around an extra 60 pounds of fat all day, everyday is just crazy.

How did I lose weight?

That’s the question of the day. People are always so eager to know how did I lose weight….and then lose interest as soon as I fill them in. Why? Because it wasn’t quick, and it certainly wasn’t easy.

My journey is riddled with trial, error, and failure. Through it all, I have still managed to achieve jaw-dropping results, but there is no weight-loss “secret” or one-size-fits-all formula for success to replicate.

I can’t guarantee X results in X amount of time by doing X things. However, I can share with you the knowledge I’ve gained through my weight-loss journey in hopes of helping you achieve your desired results more quickly.

Oh, did I forget to mention it has taken me just over 4 years to drop those 60 pounds? I decided I need to stop leading with that bit of information, because when I do I can actually see people give up before they even start. I mean, no one wants to be on a diet for 4 years!

It has only taken me this long because I’ve made more than my share of mistakes, especially in the beginning. Sheer grit, perseverance, and determination are the only reason I didn’t quit with all those wrong turns. The good news is that I’ve learned from my mistakes and can now help you avoid making the same ones I did.

Here are some things I’ve learned about how to lose 60-pounds

1. You have to want it

Before you begin your weight loss journey, you must realize and accept that it won’t be easy. Oftentimes, people begin diets not realizing how much work they will need to put into it to have success. Life will get hard at some point, and losing weight will take real determination and effort.

If you are unhappy and would like to lose weight, YOU HAVE TO WANT IT. It will take drive, determination, and focus. It’s not easy, yet IT IS ATTAINABLE…but you have to work for it every. single. day.

I went into my weight loss journey very unfocused and undriven, so it’s taken me over four years to get here. The most momentum I have ever had has been in the last 5 months, because I am finally focused. I WANT IT. I’ve lost 15 pounds so far this year alone, and I plan on continuing that downward trend.

2. You have to have a worthy “why”

For the longest time I wanted to lose weight just to look good in a swimsuit. I’m almost embarrassed writing that down, but it’s true. The problem is that looking good in a swimsuit is not enough to help you make smart food choices 365 days a year. Especially when you live in a landlocked state and wear a swimsuit maybe 10 days out of the year. My “why” was weak, so it didn’t drive me to lose weight.

Then I identified a “why” that gave me the motivation for real change. It is huge, important, and outside of myself. My “why” is my children.

I am intimately aware of the struggles involved with weight loss, having been overweight from childhood into adulthood. While I am thankful for the character the extra weight allowed me to build as an adolescent, I don’t appreciate the lack of freedom that trying to lose weight has brought to my life.

The last thing on earth I wanted was to pass my lifelong struggle with food down to my kids. I never want them to have to struggle with their weight. Now I realize this was my driving factor for lifelong change. Setting a healthy example for my children was the “why” I needed to consistently make the hard choices. I started an exercise routine and began trying to change my poor eating habits.

3. Losing weight is not one size fits all.

I bounced around like a pinball trying to lose weight for over three and a half years of my journey. I went from this plan to that plan, and from one strategy to another, jumping ship constantly based on what methods other people followed and had success with.

During this time I still managed to lose 45 pounds, but it was a mess. I’d burn out and gain back 5-10 pounds, lose it again and then some, burn out, gain 5-10 back, and so on. If I had wised up to what works for me earlier on, I’d definitely be at my goal by now.

I do believe what works for me absolutely will work for anyone. In fact, I think it’s the most chill and freeing way a person could lose weight. It is, however, a method often met with skepticism and resistance. Even though it is simply calorie counting!

I was skeptical at first, too.

I get it. But now I know it works for me and will continue working for me for the rest of my life.

My friend tried to get me to count calories for YEARS! I kept telling her I couldn’t lose weight with calories. I understood calories in vs calories out was how weight loss happened, but I meant that I mentally could not handle tracking every bite that went in my mouth. Not to mention, the thought of only eating 1200 calories a day was unsettling.

Then the same friend suggested eating 1800-2000 calories per day. 1800-2000 certainly didn’t sound like restriction. It sounded totally doable, but how could I lose weight eating that much? Then I saw a different friend accidentally lose 10 pounds last year, eating – you guessed it – 2000 calories/day.

So I thought, “why not just try because it is better than going nowhere.” And here I am, 15 pounds down and so happy with the process. It’s actually easy to keep going…why would I quit?

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I also realized that I didn’t hate tracking calories, I hated the MyFitnessPal app. I started using Noom, and tracking calories has never been so fun! Plus, the Noom weight graph is so satisfying.

You can check out their tracker and graph by signing up for their week trial. Try other free weight-loss apps, as well, to find what works best for you. It may sound silly, but finding the right tracking app can make a world of difference!

4. Failure is part of the process

I didn’t realize this at first. Every time I didn’t stick with a diet I would have a major set-back. I felt like a loser who would never succeed, because success was for someone stronger than me, with more self control. I’d let it break me.

Looking back, I see what a raging success all that failure was. If I hadn’t taken a million wrong turns, I wouldn’t have found the right way…like a rat in a maze looking for cheese. I relate strongly to that rat. The good news is that I learned something from each failed diet.

I discovered I love Kombucha from my low-sugar phase and even brew it now. It has completely replaced soda in my life. From being Vegan, I learned how to eat less meat and cheese and integrate more vegetables into my meals. Tracking macros taught me how to increase my protein intake. I developed the habit of eating fruit for snacks with WW.

Don’t waste your time feeling like a failure. Fail, learn, and move on. All that lamenting and time spent feeling sorry for myself, only lengthened my journey to 60 pounds down.

Which brings me to…

5. Your mind is holding you back

What a revelation! A concept so simple we learned it as kids. Remember “The Little Engine That Could”? “I think I can, I think I can…” The train believed in itself and got up that mountain. That’s what it boils down to. Do you think you can? I’m sure anyone reading this is answering that question with an enthusiastic “Yes!” but it’s definitely not that simple.

A huge turning point in my life occurred when I realized my mind was hindering my weight-loss journey. I read this book…then re-read it and did the worksheets that came with it…and read it again. Then, I finally understood why losing weight had always been so difficult for me! Please read it if you struggle with weight loss.

There is so much valuable information in it that it will take some time to process. It won’t suddenly change your mindset overnight. However, it has been steadily chipping away at my negative, self-limiting thoughts for over a year now. Since I’ve read it, I’ve lost an incredible 22 pounds. Prior to the book, I had been stuck at the same weight for over a year!

6. You have to live your life

I have missed out on so many slices of birthday cake at my children’s parties, and don’t even talk to me about yummy holiday treats. The fear of derailing after eating something “bad” was so real that I lived in constant deprivation. I thought restriction was the only way to be successful, but even then my wins were few and far between.

I mean, losing 10-15 pounds per year is awesome, but for the amount of effort and sacrifice I was putting in, my results were lacking. My weight loss approach was not fitting in seamlessly with my life. I was miserable, missing out, and failing.

I’m glad I had the courage to keep trying different approaches, or I would have never learned what a great fit calorie counting (specifically Noom) was for me. I have thrived. During my time with WW, I had to plan my entire week in advance so I could squeeze in a piece of birthday cake. And when two of your kids’ birthdays are 4 days apart, this becomes a defeating challenge.

In the past, February would derail me for this very reason. WW is a game you play to lose weight quickly, but it can create unnecessary stress around eating junk food. These days, as a calorie counter with sustainable target numbers (ex: 1800-2000 calories a day) I can easily have cake everyday of the week. I don’t, but I could.

Any diet that causes me to feel deprived at my kids’ birthdays, on holidays, or during fun outings is simply not sustainable for me. Is it sustainable for you?

You have to live your life. Seeing that life happens every single day, I recommend choosing a weight loss method that easily fits into your day. Days turn into weeks, weeks to months, and months to years and putting your life on pause until you reach your goal weight isn’t worth it.

So there you have it

These are the six biggest lessons I’ve learned on my weight loss journey. I hope you found something encouraging, whether you’re just starting out, wanting to try something new, or simply carrying on.

The worst thing you could do is nothing. The next worst thing you could do is give up. You are capable of change, and you can reach your goals. I’ve already done everything the hard way for you. The sooner you internalize these lessons, the sooner you will also achieve steady, sustainable, lifelong weight loss.

If you’re anything like me, maybe you’ll read this and go the hard way anyway. Even then, you may find yourself sitting 60 pounds lighter, and a whole lot wiser, 4 years from now…so long as you don’t give up!

I’d love to know to hear from you in the comments. Be sure to follow me on Patreon!

If you need support with your weight loss journey, join Mom’s Kids. It is run by someone who understands how you feel 100% – ME. Hope to see you there.