My Journey to Health and Weight Loss: Lessons Learned
I’m sharing what I learned on my journey and the top things I think everybody should know as they embark on a health and weight loss journey.
My Weight Loss History:
I have lost over 80 pounds three times in my adult life, and each time was a different journey. The first time was in my twenties. I worked out intensively and followed a low-fat diet. However, I developed autoimmune conditions, and my weight returned when I couldn’t maintain the exercise.
In my late thirties, I repeated the process, by counting only calories and again I gained it all back and then some. Finally, in my late forties, I decided this would be the last time I would lose weight.
My Ketogenic Journey:
On January 2, 2017, I embarked on a ketogenic journey. I followed the “rules” meticulously, but I faced issues like autoimmune flare-ups and hunger and struggled with weight loss. Lesson one: Your health journey should be tailored to your unique needs and not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Metabolic Flexibility:
I discovered the importance of metabolic flexibility, where our bodies efficiently switch between using fat and glucose for fuel. It was a game-changer in my health journey. Lesson two: Don’t compare your journey to others; it’s unique to you.
Learning About Balance:
As I became a nutritional therapy practitioner and learned a more ancestral approach to eating, I realized that there’s no one-size-fits-all diet. A diet needs to be tailored to the individual and what is going on with their bodies. The goal should be metabolic flexibility, not just weight loss. Lesson three: Focus on what works for your body, and don’t demonize food groups.
Wrapping Up:
On this seven-year journey, I’ve learned the importance of listening to my body, learning my triggers, and the importance of focusing on nourishing over deprivation. Your path to health is not going to be a straight line or the same throughout, and it’s okay. Make those changes along the way and keep reaching for your goals.
Remember, you can do this, and you can do hard things. Your health and well-being are worth it.
Episode 25 is referenced in the podcast episode you can check it out here