My Weight Loss Journey, Part 1 - I'm Progressing!

This is such a personal journey, that most folks skip over posts like these. But I have a desire to shout it from the mountain tops. I'm progressing. I'm changing my life. I'm living and I mean, really truly living each day now. Did ya' hear me shout it from over here, haha.

I want to chronical my journey for a couple of reasons. First to look back and see how far I have come and secondly, to let others know there is hope out there, even if you think you have tried everything. I promise this isn't some big build up in an attempt to convert you to my way of eating or to plant seeds to sell you a product down the road. I eat real food and don't spend one extra penny to do it. I know, I really do sound like an infomercial. I can't help it. I can only imagine this is how folks feel when they've been born again.

My Story -

Essentially, I have lived in denial and a bit of a depression ever since my husband passed a few years back. I was in such ill health because of my eating choices that the dam broke. I either had to consciously just give up and except my chosen fate or actively make a lifestyle change. I'm so thrilled to announce I chose life. Truthfully though, it was only after I had a massive health scare.

I remember the distinct moment that the light bulb went off. That moment of clarity when I made the mental commitment to change my life. I have a Facebook friend (she's so much more than that) named Jenny. One day she shared a before and after picture of her weight loss. I was shocked, I had no idea that she use to be heavy. When I saw her photos, I allowed myself a fleeting thought to enter my mind, maybe there is hope for me, just maybe...

You never know what will trigger that moment or what impact your life may have on others. Jenny will forever be that spark of light that lit the path for me. I'll forever be in her debt. We all have thoughts, but do we have conviction? That's the difference between wanting and doing. Maybe it was the combination of hearing some hard facts about the poor state of my health and then seeing hope. All I know, is at that moment, I made a conscious decision to change my life.

Once I started treating myself with the care, compassion and kindness that I afford to others, I started to recover, both mentally and physically. I'm super proud to say I'm off of the majority of medications I was taking and have energy and stamina once again. Caring for ones body can be very rewarding and not just in the physical sense. I never understood that before.

This is a progress picture of me at the six month mark (which was 9/9/17). I have lived too ashamed and embarrassed to post any pictures of myself. Even my profile picture here is a couple years old. Today, I'm ok with who I am. I can even say that I am proud of my efforts to rebuild my body and to take back control of my life. I see two different people when I look at these pictures. One that had grown complacent and essentially given up and one who has recaptured the strength from within themselves.

You might ask what does this have to do with homesteading (since I tagged it as such)? To me, it's simple. As a homesteader, one of my goals has always been to try and raise my own meat and grow as much of my own food as possible. Doing this by myself, there were a few things that I simply don't have the equipment or time for, such as producing my own sugar and flour, among other things. My new way of eating is much more conducive to homesteading. Not only that but one needs to be healthy and fit, especially if on their own, to be able to do all that is needed on the homestead.

As being one who is very interested in being prepared for whatever may come, being in the best possible health and condition is paramount to ones survival. I might have been prepared in many ways, but being unhealthy and dependent on life saving medications was not going to get me very far in the event of a catastrophe. Looking back, storing grain and beans in 5-gallon buckets should not have been my first step in my preparedness journey, lol.

So far, this looks like it will be a continuing series. Stay tuned for part 2, where I will discuss exactly what I am doing and introduce you to my new way of eating.
Onward in Strength!
Mary Lotus