with summer right around the corner, it seems that all i see online now is content about how to get your “summer body” and some ridiculous fad diet paired with an unrealistic workout plan. honestly, all i can say is people, when are we going to give this up? yes, there are people who can lock in for 4-6 weeks and see substantial changes, but my guess is, if your here that hasn’t been working.. and sorry to break it to you babe, it most likely never will. but, i can tell you what will! starting a healthy weight loss journey where you focus on your diet, physical, and mental health. that right there, is truly the answer to losing and keeping the weight off.
now i know that when thinking of a conventional “weight loss journey” it’s easily imagined to be this long period of time where you eat nothing but lettuce and fruit, workout every day of the week, cant get off the scale, and not enjoying any moment of it. its so funny how common (i even used to think like this too) this is, because its literally so far from the truth. i am currently in the middle of my weight loss journey and i am feeling the best i have ever felt in my entire life and i’ve successfully lost over 30 pounds without restricting any food at all! & guess what? with the right lifestyle changes, commitment and dedication- you can too!
let me tell you how:
as someone who has literally tried every fad diet known to man, lost a substantial amount of weight before, and then gained it all back, i literally understand how frustrating it can be to find out how to crack the code to weight loss. but honestly, the reason it is so frustrating is because.. there is NO SECRET CODE. as much as you want to believe there is, there is no magical diet and there there certainly is no bomb ass detox that will make you lose 20 pounds in three weeks (no matter how much your favorite instagram influencer wants to tell you there is). in reality, there is not one single thing you can do to lose weight and keep it off other than by shifting your lifestyle and creating those healthier habits.
although it may be a harsh reality, without that lifestyle change as a whole, your weight-loss journey will continue to be this endless cycle of finding unhealthy ways to drop a couple of pounds and then when you’re burnt out or tired of eating like a rabbit for a few weeks you give up until you’re back at the point where you are disgusted with your body so you decide to start over.
this year is all about focusing on your wellbeing, and becoming the healthiest, strongest, glowiest version of ourselves. i can absolutely guarantee you if you focus on that for 3-4 months, not only will you feel so much better mentally, but you’re going to lose weight without even knowing. and i’ll be here to help you every step of the way!
when wanting to lose weight, i would say there are 5 major changes you must make:
first thing’s first. you can’t out train a bad diet, period. as much as you think you may be doing this, or doing that, at the end of the day if you’re not eating properly eating in a caloric deficit and balancing your diet it will be substantially harder to obtain your goals. this doesn’t just mean not eating out of cutting out junk food, while yes, that is important it also includes not eating enough, or being so restrictive that you binge on all the things you had been craving. because now, what you’re doing is essentially working against yourself since you aren’t getting the right amount of nutrients your body needs to work off fat and to also build that muscle. the biggest myth associated with this is that you have to eat the same 3 things to get the results you desire.. false. eating a balanced diet can actually be pretty fun (especially for people who like to cook). it’s also important that you take your vitamins, even if you have to throw them in your blender and make a smoothie like me. when making meals, get creative and dont be afraid to try something new! pintrest has so many easy and quick recipes ideas for people who struggle with a variety. you can also try meal prep services if cooking just truly isn’t your thing. if you want, i can even start posting some on here for you guys if you want to see some of the meals i make. trust me, i hate cooking so they are super easy and dont take much time or clean up.
you gotta get active! moving your body is literally the easiest way to manage your weight, and the best thing about it all is there are so many ways to do it. one of the reasons i feel like i was able to lose weight so quickly was because i consistently was in the gym 5-6x per week burning around 500-700 calories each workout. now i will say, when starting your fitness journey that is a lot! and unless you’re truly committed to that i would not set that as a goal because it can be easy to burn yourself out. for me per se, i have always been an overall pretty active person so i was used to working out more. plus, i had just moved to dallas and literally had nothing else to do with my time. i say all this to say being active does not necessarily mean pumping iron in the gym for hours every day of the week, no. it just means getting up and getting your body moving! i also suggest going to buy some cute gym outfits or any other necessities you may feel like you need, and taking the time to get yourself together for the workout of your choice. you will find the more you are active the more you feel better, have more energy, and have a more positive mindset, which all aid in weight-loss.
this is something i highly recommend you do (if not already) when starting your weight loss journey. if i were to look at myself literally 8 months ago you could never tell me that i would be living on a routine basis in my day to day life. i was very much the girl who woke up 2 minutes before work, cocked in and went back to sleep. fast forward to now, i literally aim to get to the gym by 630 because it makes me feel so good about myself and allows me to be so much more productive since i am maximizing the hours in the day. anyone starting a fitness journey should 100% create a routine to start following, which will also help you become more active. if you get up at 9, try getting up at 8 and taking a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood to start your day. doing this can be so beneficial in so many ways as you are not only getting your blood pumping as soon as you get up, but you’re also able to get some fresh air, take time for yourself, and lose body fat!
proof is in the pudding. if you’re someone who is serious about losing weight and keeping it documented it a must. i personally am a bit obsessive so i take pictures probably about once a week, but i would recommend taking progress photos once every two weeks. this way you have a visual of your progress and how close you are to reaching your weight loss/fitness goals! i also like doing this because once you start to see the progress, i can 100% promise you that will be all the motivation you need to keep going. there’s nothing better than the feeling you get when you see your hard work pay off!
keeping your mental health intact is also very important when it comes to your weightless journey. without this you don’t have the foundation you need so it makes it so much harder to accomplish your goals because essentially, you’re fighting yourself. i think some of the best ways to keep your mental health intact would be journaling, stretching, yoga or meditating, and praying. always remember to love your body in every stage that it is in, and to be thankful that even though your body may not look the way you want it to, you are healthy and whole. that is to never be taken for granted.
making the necessary changes can and will be a challenge, but with the right mindset and dedication you can literally do anything you put your mind to!
i know there are always so many questions on weight loss, fitness and healthy lifestyle habits to make you the best version of you! know that i am here and you should always feel free to shoot me a message anytime, i’m always checking my emails!
until next week,
xoxo, dru.
