Finding the right time to start on the path to weight loss can be more difficult than it would seem. The pressures of life can get in the way, leaving the first steps of setting weight loss goals and planning on the backburner. As Wendy would discover, it can take a single health scare to act as the catalyst to start taking weight loss seriously. Hear from Wendy to see how she was able to start on the right path to sustainable weight loss goals.
Beginning the Weight Loss Journey
“My name is Wendy, and this is my SUCCESS story.
How exciting is that?
I have been a member of the YMCA since 2011 and regularly attend deep water aerobics classes. Like many before me, the diet industry and social expectations have had a choke-hold on me for most of my life. Body shaming (by myself and others), open hostility, low self-confidence, sneering, judgment, and bullying take an enormous daily toll. The mentality of a diet is a set-up for failure because it infers that you have to hold on tight until you reach your weight loss goal without a plan for re-entry into the world of real food. Many in the health industry would convince you that you need a pill or quick fix, or that you won’t succeed unless you spend thousands of dollars to eat the right food and use the right programs. Why even try?
After a serious medical episode, I was unable to eat for a week. I was blessed to see this as the springboard I needed. I enrolled in the 12-week YMCA Weight Loss Class. I found encouragement, education, accountability, friendship, and a toolbox full of tips, tricks, and strategies. As our coach, Courtney was a quiet presence who asked thought-provoking questions and gently (but firmly) guided each of us along our path. She let us figure it out for ourselves.
Eating as a Key Component of Weight Loss Success
“All foods fit” – what does that even mean? This concept is one of the KEY components of my success. It means that, basically, I can eat a wide variety of foods and still lose weight by controlling portion size in a balanced diet combined with daily exercise. Realizing that I will occasionally make unhealthy choices and granting myself grace for being human, made me certain I could, WOULD! succeed. I have learned that I can TRUST myself to limit portions, another critical component to my success, and even occasionally indulge in a square of Ghirardelli dark chocolate with raspberry filling because of that trust. I can go forward knowing that the journey and opportunities for success will continue for the rest of my life.
I don’t measure my progress by the number on the scale. For me, it’s about the difference in the way I feel – healthy, proud, energetic, confident, ecstatic! And, most importantly, the fact that I like myself for the first time in many years. WOW.
The YMCA Healthy Living Community
I hope my story will inspire you, light a fire in your belly, motivate you, and give you hope! I feel fortunate to say that my weight loss isn’t a struggle and isn’t even hard, because I have the tools for a sustainable lifelong plan to prioritize self-care as my #1 goal thanks to Courtney and the wellness investment that the YMCA makes in our community.”