It’s been my experience over the last five years that you don’t just lose 125 pounds without discovering some seriously deep stuff about yourself.
Here are 25 lessons I’ve taken away from my own health journey:
1. My past does not equal my future.
2. An all-or-nothing mindset is dangerous.
3. Using the word “can’t” limits what I allow myself to do.
4. It didn’t take hitting rock bottom to start altering my life.
5. Comfort zones are based only on what I am used to doing — they are changeable.
6. A confident woman can do anything.
7. Accomplishments build on one another.
8. I didn't need to be a nutrition or fitness expert to lose weight.
9. I didn't even need a formal education to succeed at getting and staying healthy.
10. It is not necessary to have a spiritual foundation in order to lose weight, but it’s good to have for maintaining the weight-loss.
11. Being “big boned” doesn’t actually run in my family.
12. Blaming others for my obesity did nothing to improve my situation.
13. Self-sabotage comes in many different forms.
14. When someone compliments me, they mean it.
15. The habits of “normal people” didn’t get me to where I wanted to be.
16. Comparing myself to others only made me feel like I was doing it all wrong.
17. No matter how much I achieve, some people in my life will never show me that they are proud of me.
18. It’s OK to fail a lot. Nothing is ever going to be perfect.
19. Happiness is much easier to feel when I'm healthy.
20. Weight-loss experts all offer conflicting advice. I learned to listen to my body instead.
21. Drinking doesn’t make me a more exciting person to hang out with.
22. I didn’t look remotely close to what I thought I would after losing 125 pounds.
23. It took a while for my mind to catch up with my body’s weight-loss.
24. Cellulite didn't disappear when I lost weight.
25. It took overcoming a huge obstacle in my life to discover what I am sincerely passionate about.
Did you lose a large amount of weight and experience some life lessons of your own? Please share your experience!
By Naomi Teeter | Mind Body Green
