My 78-lb Journey

Have you ever been so sick and tired of being sick and tired? I spent my 20s slowly gaining weight after becoming a young mom. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact problem. I lived alone for the first half of my 20s with my son, carrying a huge amount of pressure I’d never experienced before, fresh out of my teenage years. Not only did I have to figure out how to feed myself, but now I also had to keep another human being alive. Most nights, it was just easier to order pizza after working a full-time job and picking up my baby.

Being active was never natural for me growing up unless it involved cheerleading practice or gym class. But looking back, that’s really all anyone needs—just a few days a week of exercise. It was easier back then when my biggest concerns were memorizing a cheer routine and finishing homework.

When I turned 21, things took a turn for the worse. A bad diet and no exercise routine mixed with liquor and late-night parties. I was just trying to balance being a mom while also being young. That meant working hard Monday through Friday and living it up on the weekends. The hardest part? I had a serious emotional eating habit. Happy, sad, bored—it didn’t matter; I was eating. Looking back now, after a late ADHD diagnosis, I wonder if I used food as a way to self-soothe or chase dopamine.

At 25, I hit my first existential crisis. I packed up everything and moved my son and me to a new state, determined to turn my life around. One of those changes was my weight. But it wasn’t until I was 28 that I actually started doing something about it. For years, I avoided calorie counting, consistent gym routines, and the hard work it required. I wasted so much time looking for shortcuts like “keto” and “intermittent fasting.” While those work for some people, they weren’t realistic for me.

It wasn’t until I bought a scale and weighed myself that reality hit me. I’m short (5’0”), and I weighed 216 pounds—more than I weighed at nine months pregnant. Seeing that number flipped a switch in my brain. I can’t fully explain it, but it was like I went into robot mode and thought, I can’t keep going in this direction.

For the first time, I prayed about my weight. I’d prayed to God for everything else, but for some reason, I felt like this was “my” problem, not His. Looking back, that’s so silly to think. After that prayer, I googled how many calories I should eat daily. The average was 2,000 calories, but I was eating double that. I decided to start small, with a deficit of 1,800 calories and used the FatSecret app to track my food. I logged meals, took pictures, and connected with others doing the same. I lost 15 pounds just by watching what I ate.

Once I got the hang of calorie counting, I started going to the gym and lowered my intake to 1,300-1,500 calories. I focused on weightlifting instead of cardio. On days I couldn’t make it to the gym, I used YouTube home workouts—“GrowWithJo” is my favorite! She has great playlists and makes exercising fun, especially for beginners.

That first year, I lost 36 pounds. Some days were tough. Living in a house where people constantly order food or going out to eat with friends felt like torture. Cutting back on alcohol was another challenge, but I adjusted. I swapped sugary drinks for skinny margaritas or tequila with diet soda.

The biggest change? My mindset. I stopped rushing to lose weight. I knew I’d get there, so I enjoyed little things in moderation. I started substituting meals—a junior burger instead of a double—and it made a difference.

(If you’re starting, I recommend focusing on calorie counting and protein intake before adding exercise. Master food first; otherwise, it can feel overwhelming to do it all at once.)

After a year, I hit a plateau. Discouraged, I slacked off, gained a few pounds back, and skipped the gym. Then, a friend introduced me to reformer Pilates, and it was a game-changer. Not only did it challenge muscles I hadn’t used in years, but I also made friends. The sense of community kept me consistent—and the price tag motivated me not to skip classes! Now, I’m exploring new workout methods like cycling.

Here’s the twist: I got blood work done and found out I was pre-diabetic. Diabetes runs in my family, so it was a wake-up call. Thankfully, through weight loss and lifestyle changes, I’m now out of the red zone.

Even now, I sometimes feel anxious about keeping the weight off. My brain constantly calculates calories when I eat. But I’d rather deal with that than the health issues I faced two years ago. It’s like the saying goes: Everything is hard. You just have to choose your hard.

Key takeaways:

• Admitting you have a problem is the first step. 

• Count the calories that work for you in an app.

• Focus on being active (you can make this fun and what works for you)

• Find a community that will encourage you and keep you accountable.

• Change your mindset + enjoy YOUR journey.

_________________________________________________________________________

My prayer to you this week:

Hi God, it’s us, Your children. Some of us are struggling with weight, and it’s really affecting the way we live our lives. You called on us to do something great and most of us are hiding in shame due to something so trivial as appearance. You are the God who created the sun, the moon, and the stars. We ask that you heal us and heal our relationship with food. Please help us release the shackles on our feet. This is something that You can do and we know now that there is no problem too big or too small. Let us treat food as a source of healing, fuel, and nourishment so that we may have the energy and vitality to walk in our purpose. In Jesus name, I pray.

Amen.