[hocus pocus]

I was obese and lost a lot of weight the healthy way within the last two years or so, and I also have a history of binge eating and restricting. Unfortunately, what got me in the mindset to lose weight was an upsetting event and I started losing as a form of self-hatred before it became healthy.

I do think it helps, as Holly mentioned, to try to see it as a lifestyle. Emotions are often tied to food and while I still struggle with it, I try to practice mindfulness and pay attention to what my body is telling me. Looking at food as a source of energy for my body, like fuel for a car, has helped. I enjoy science so knowing the scientific part of what my body does with the food helps too.

Everyone is so different when it comes to their journey but for me, I never wanted to give up my favorite things and I never did. I struggled a lot before because of that. I like certain fast food places, so when I go I get a smaller meal or split the meal with someone else. I never gave up that or anything else I loved to do, I just made the proportions healthier.

Losing weight and changing your lifestyle can be overwhelming so I also suggest slowly doing it over time. Trying to do too much at once can be challenging and discouraging. For instance, I worked on my food and lost the majority of my weight with food intake. Following this, I added exercise in. This gave me time to become familiar and comfortable with my food habits before adding something else in there.

Let us know if you want to talk some more. You can message me anytime if you'd like to.