3d • General discussion
The Moment I Knew.
In hindsight, there's always a breaking point. A moment where you just know something has to change.
If you'd asked me in my 40s and 50s, I would have told you I was active and relatively fit. I did yoga regularly. I had a group of close friends and we hiked every weekend. In the summer, we'd cycle 50kms around the city. I had a gym membership that turned into a donation. I'd feel guilty and show up for a group class or get on the elliptical. It never lasted. "I hate the gym. I'd rather be outside."
Losing weight was always on my mind. I was busy feeding three teenage boys so I was constantly thinking about food. Planning, cooking, cleaning up. Repeat. I loved that part of my life. I loved to bake. I loved feeding people. And I had a very receptive group.
But I would get too heavy, go on a strict diet, lose the weight, feel good for a while. And it always crept back. Every single time.
When I think about those diets now, they were mainly counting calories or cutting out all fat. I lived on soup and salad with crackers and cheese. Protein was usually the first thing I cut out.
I would go through periods of trying to accept my extra weight. I had such a great life. Maybe this is just how it would be. But that never felt right. I was always wanting to be thinner and it was just so hard. I hated photos of myself. I was always the biggest one in the group. Not obese. Just bigger than everyone else. I hated it.
In 2019, I discovered intermittent fasting and lost 30 pounds. Cut out carbs. It worked. I felt like I'd found the secret. I was feeling fit and trim, doing hot yoga, hiking, biking. Life was good.
Then the pandemic hit.
It took about a year. No yoga studio. Everyone afraid to get together. The weight crept back on.
I decided to do some landscaping in my backyard. Lifting large stones, moving them around. I felt strong enough to do it. Apparently not. The next day I could hardly move.
My chiropractor was still seeing clients, thankfully. I was going once or twice a week. He'd do treatments and adjustments and I'd feel better for a day or two. Then the pain would come right back.
He gave me exercises to do every day. I would attempt them, it would hurt, and I'd stop. He asked me every visit if I was doing them. I finally admitted I wasn't.
He said, "You need someone to stand over you and keep you accountable." And he gave me a number for a personal trainer.
I was embarrassed. I couldn't even show up for myself enough to do what was prescribed. It wasn't hard. It was just not something I was comfortable with.
That was the moment I knew.
I called the trainer. We started right away in my basement since the gyms were closed. It was slow going at first. After a couple of months we moved into the gym and my progress took off. Four months in, I'd lost 35 pounds. Fifteen more than I expected. I could see muscle definition I had never seen before in my life. I thought my trainer was magic!
That was almost 5 years ago. I've had no trouble keeping the weight off. The body fat part of it anyway. I've gained 10 pounds of muscle since then and I feel better than ever. My diet is dialled in and I actually eat more than I used to. I just know the right things to eat to give me the energy I need for everything I want to do.
And honestly? There aren't enough hours in the day for everything I want to do. That's new.
I went from hating the gym to it being my favorite place on earth. I feel like I've cracked the code.
So here's my question for you. What was your moment? The one where something cracked. Or maybe you're in the middle of it right now and you don't even realize it yet.
Tell me. That's what this space is for. 💪
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The Moment I Knew.
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