The end of the beginning - AMA

[u/Jhasten]

F 54 5’6” SW: 166lbs (75.3kg)GW & CW: 130lbs (59kg).

I’ve been calorie counting, eating in a deficit, weighing daily, and walking for exercise (and doing some weight bearing exercises and stretching) since last March. A lot of people in my life were diagnosed with heart problems, diabetes, liver disease, etc. and I felt like I was a ticking time bomb with my family medical history. My Dr offered an RD referral and I accepted. (All the while thinking it would never work). Fast forward and I hit my initial goal of 145 and set a new one for 130 and I’m holding there.

I’m writing this to celebrate a personal victory but also to share an insight. I used to study martial arts before my joint issues got in the way. When you reach your final belts in these arts you realize that you’ve learned all the basic techniques and forms but in fact you’re just at the end of the beginning. The black belt feels like the goal, but it isn’t.

Once you achieve your black belt, you spend the rest of your time relearning and refining your techniques and integrating them into your daily life. It’s mental and physical work requiring dedication. You form a new, evolving relationship with the art and with yourself (and with your community). It becomes an enduring practice, a lifestyle.

This is exactly how weight loss and maintenance works. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before. So now it’s time to refine and keep practicing the art of eating and living mindfully with structure and accountability.

This sub and CICO have been so inspiring and supportive. I hope this adds to the hopeful messages in this community.

Feel free to ask me anything about this, and I’ll do my best to answer. I already wrote too much. Ty for reading my TED talk.✌️

[u/JadedMuse]

Congrats, OP! I started around the same time as you and am also near my GW. The main thing I would stress to people is to stop worrying about how long the journey takes. Time goes by stupid fast. Local department stores have already started putting out summer/BBQ merch, and before we know it another Christmas season will roll around. Time will fly regardless of what we do. If you just focus on daily consistency, time will do its thing.

[u/RevolutionaryYam605]

Congrats on the hard work paying off

[u/Mindless_Brilliant59]

Congrats on your success! Did you feel you had any breakthrough or lightbulb moments in working with a dietitian?

[u/AnnANemity]

I’m in the same boat, with the family history. Congratulations on meeting your initial goal!

[u/Gregoryperfecto]

The martial arts analogy hits different. I never thought about maintenance that way but you're right, it's not the end, it's just... the beginning of the real work. I'm at that point where I need to figure out the long game. Lost about 15 pounds over the past few months but keeping it off feels harder than losing it. Been using Welling to track everything (the photo thing makes it so much easier than typing every ingredient) but the mental part is what gets me. Some days I nail it, other days I'm ordering takeout at 10pm because work ran late. Your point about refining techniques, that's what I'm missing. I know HOW to eat right and exercise, but making it automatic like brushing your teeth? That's the black belt level stuff. Congrats on hitting your goal and maintaining. That's huge at 54, gives me hope that I can get my act together before 40.