Most people probably think that the beginning of a weight loss journey is the most difficult part. The number on the scale you are standing upon is at an all-time high, nothing in your closet fits "right now" and you just feel lost. Personally, I avoided being in photos for several years and hid underneath strategic layers of clothing.
My perception of what I should look and feel like was skewed; every day activities were not troublesome and my doctor said my health was in good {enough} standing. Life did not feel difficult, so really, why should I change? I went through a breakup and began a running routine as an outlet to relieve stress. Losing weight was not the primary goal; I wanted to change my lifestyle and become healthier.
It has been just over two years since I took the first step in changing my life. The beginning was challenging. I needed to move a large body on a treadmill. I remember feeling devastated when a guy working out at Planet Fitness stopped me on the treadmill to tell me to walk instead of jog since my knees were at risk for injury due to the impact. I did not listen to him. I moved my large frame through boot camp classes 6x per week. I was out of breath, my heart rate became elevated very quickly and I needed to take many breaks throughout workouts. None of this mattered to me.I pushed through and kept going.
Although the first few months were physically draining, the progress was amazing. Excess weight seemed to fall off of my body. Over the past two years, I went from a size XL/18+ down to a S/2-6. At the time, my goal was to wear a size 12. I believe that the sheer necessity for a new wardrobe is partially what gets beginner exercisers hooked. I looked and felt great. It served as great motivation for me to stick to my program.
In addition to the outward physical changes, my body was {more importantly} changing on the inside. When you are on a cardiovascular exercise routine improvements are made in fitness and athleticperformance. My body was remodeling itself rapidly and dramatically in response to the aerobic exercise. My heart was growing stronger and my lungs were changing; my body was adapting as a result of the time I was logging in the gym.
I am no longer a beginner. Improvements have become more incremental and progress has slowed. I adjust my training frequently as I aim to continue to challenge my body. Without the resistance from a challenge, we become stagnant. If you do not challenge yourself, you will not change yourself. I push myself every day.
This is the part that might be more challenging than the beginning. I am getting closer every day but it is a much slower process. Sometimes that reality can be difficult to face. There are no excuses and this is my number one priority. On any journey there will be struggle; ups and downs and obstacles to overcome at any point. I believe that I will never really "be finished" in terms of my health and fitness goals. Every week, I am setting the bar a little higher and challenging myself. I am in this for life and am not looking back.