My 34th Birthday, 50 Lbs. Lighter
I would have never imagined that turning 34 years old would be such a milestone for me, but today I get to celebrate the successes that I worked SO HARD for when I was 33! Over this past year, I have lost 50 lbs., I dropped four pant sizes, cleared up my eczema, and dropped from XL/2XL tops to Mediums! My journey had many influencing factors that contributed to my decision to make a change in my life, but one of the biggest and most shocking moments came on the day I turned 33.
For my birthday last year, Mr. San Diego and I went to a Dallas Cowboys event at The Star in Frisco. They had giant letters on the field spelling out “Cowboys” and had the “Y” missing for a fun photo opportunity. Naturally, I wanted to be the “Y” and proceeded to have my photo taken. Instead of having an excellent image to share on Instagram, I almost cried. Right in front of me was evidence that I had been ignoring for a very, very long time. I was, without a doubt, the heaviest I had ever been. The fact that all of my clothing had X’s in them or that I had to buy larger jeans every few months was something that I could (and did) easily ignore, but this photo - it was an eye-opener.
How had I gotten to a Size 18 and 218 lbs.?! Honestly, it was really easy. Carbs and sugar have always been my favorite, and they’re readily available everywhere! I’m someone who finds comfort in food and, well, I enjoyed the comforts of picking up to-go food for dinner every night instead of cooking. It had been a pattern for years at this point, and between bad habits and yo-yo dieting, I had been a Size 14-16 for a long time.
The idea of being “skinny” no longer seemed like it was a possibility, even though it was something I had wanted for a long time. Taking control of my weight and health was something I had wanted to do for some time, but I couldn’t find anything that I could stick with. Being hungry is NO FUN and I love food way too much. I’d start a program for a month or two and then fall right off the wagon once I saw a sliver of success.
Seeing that photo of myself on my birthday motivated me to try again, but this time, I would try something new - something that everyone seemed to be talking about…KETO. In my typical A-Type Personality fashion, I bought books, took notes, listened to Podcasts, and did obsessive amounts of research to understand HOW Keto works. It was the first time I ever took a scientific approach to diet, and it was EXACTLY what I needed. Plus, I didn’t need to deprive myself of food, which was a HUGE plus. Understanding exactly how and why our bodies metabolize certain things made it SO MUCH EASIER to know why everything else I had tried before failed and made it easier for me to make GOOD decisions about what to eat. Clean Keto made soooo much sense to me, and it absolutely changed my life. I started in late September (yes, it took me about a month to even begin after deciding that I needed a change) and have stuck with Keto/Low-Carb since then.
Not only did I start eating better, but I also started focusing on eliminating toxins in the products I use, began going to the chiro twice a week to fix my spinal alignment for improved nervous system functionality, started a regular vitamin regimen, and as of a few months ago, I started working out regularly too. It was an entire life overhaul, not just a minor change to lose a few pounds. It wasn’t easy and it took a complete re-education to learn what was actually healthy, which I discovered wasn’t at all what I had been taught.
Now, a year later, I’m a Size 10 (which I haven’t been in over a DECADE), I’m no longer on any regular medication for my allergies or eczema, and I’m SO MUCH HAPPIER. I can celebrate turning 34 with pride instead of shame!
I still have a lot more work to do but I know that I can achieve my new goals because I’ve been doing just that for an entire year. I still have a muffin top that sticks out farther than my hips. I still have thighs that look like I sat in marbles for a long time. Working on those areas and comfortably rocking a bikini are my new goals, and I can’t wait to see where I’m at come my 35th birthday!