How'd You Do It?

I get asked that a lot. How did I lose weight? How do I keep it off? How did I, how, how, how? People treat my weight loss story as a Big Deal, and yes, it is. It certainly is for me, and I appreciate that people look at me for inspiration, for support in their own journeys.

The truth is, it was a long, drawn-out series of small changes. Just going to the gym one day. Asking for help. Making that first step. Deciding to give up Dr. Pepper for Lent (I'm not Catholic. The timing was right and it gave me a goal to work towards). The weight loss kept a good pace, yet it took me three years to lose 90 pounds (there were some stalls in there).

I'm happy that my story inspires people, and I love that people have been sharing my Huffington Post story with their own friends. There is, however, a certain amount of pressure with that, because I know that sometimes, the answer to "How did you do it?" is not exactly what people want to hear.

The thing is, I'm not on a diet. I never have been. There is no pill, no miracle this-or-that. I didn't lose weight and go right back to my old ways. I'm living a lifestyle that chooses predominantly healthy food choices. I have my moments where I slip. I do allow the odd burger (and yes, I enjoy every bite), but for the most part, my diet is fruits, veggies, lean proteins. And I work out. A lot. Today, for example, it was a two-and-a-half-mile run before I even got in the car to go to the gym. At the gym, it was a grueling kettlebell routine involving single-arm lifts, sumo dead lifts, lunges while raising the weight over my head, and swings. I was drenched in sweat and definitely feeling the burn.

I see, all the time, posts about giving up various foods, or doing one or two things, where people are making an honest effort to lose weight, feel healthier, etc. And I applaud that. But I can almost tell, from the get-go, who will succeed and who will fail. Because it's not about making one big change, it's about making hundreds of small ones. I didn't just give up soda, I gave up most foods that contain high-fructose corn syrup. I gave up fast food. I gave up convenience foods. This adds a lot of time to the food prep I do (I'll have to write a post some time about the weekly prep I do for my breakfasts for the week). For me, it's worth it. For some people, it isn't.

I've had two new friend requests on Facebook today, from people who are inspired by my story, shared by a mutual friend who is proud of me. I'm flattered, and I'm terrified. Because people are looking at my story and they are inspired by it--awesome! But they are also looking to me for answers to their own questions, for inspiration in their own journey. While I am happy to help, I'm also wary of not having the answer they want. The absolute truth is, losing weight is hard.

But for all of my trepidation, I am also really, really excited. See, I hope to be certified as a trainer this year, and it's amazing to see that my story can really help people believe. It gives me some "street cred," so if I walked into a gym and signed up a client, I could look that person in the eye and say, "I know what I'm talking about, and I know what you're going through" and mean it.