Diet Mentality

When you lose weight, you become an expert on counting calories, portion sizes, fat content, and ingredient labels. Food becomes all you think about. When a friend invites you out to dinner, your first thought goes from "I can't wait to see my her!" to "I wonder what I can eat there..." Eventually, you get used to this shift in thinking and it's just second nature to look at nutrition labels at the supermarket and measuring our your cereal and milk in the mornings.

When you finally reach your goal weight, it can be a mixed bag of emotions. For me, I was elated and so proud of myself, but also terrified. Would I have to diet for the rest of my life to keep this off? Could I eat more and not gain any weight back? In the months following, I kept up my diet mentality and kept on losing. My family members began to notice, and said I was looking too thin and needed to eat more. I was frustrated with my body. I did not want to lose more weight but I was terrified to go back to my old ways. 

Gradually, I increased my daily intakes and decreased my exercise from six days a week to five (now four). I began eating dessert every day again. I did not count every morsel of food that went into my mouth. I felt like I was coming back from the dead. Strength training really helped as well. In order to build muscle, your body needs to eat more calories. I cut myself some slack when I ate more than I usually do.

 And you know what happened? Absolutely Nothing. I did not gain any weight back. If anything, I feel and look BETTER. My face filled out more and I got some color back. My dad even remarked, saying I looked like my old self, but healthier. 

Trust me, I know how hard it can be to maintain. Even harder than losing. You are so used to deprivation, that when it's time to add foods back into your diet, it can feel like waiting for the flood gates to burst. Like you'll balloon and gain ten pounds in a week. You won't.

Just remember that no matter what the scale says, you are beautiful and kind. If you have to gain some weight back to find your happiness, so be it. Live life. Eat a few fries every now and then. Don't worry about fitting into a size two. Worry about giving up your life to fit (literally) in. 

And also remember that I am always here to talk :)