I have tried to lose weight more than once. I would keep up the momentum for maybe ten days. It wasn’t until my son was born that I realized that I was unable to keep my journey going because I was missing a crucial landmark on my path. My son (nicknamed Squiggy) was that missing landmark. I know how cliché that sounds, but his future and my role in it has been my catalyst for change.
My Landmark
I was 310 pounds when I got pregnant and was still 288 pounds at delivery. I felt great about my weight loss right after he was born. The weight stayed off while I was nursing, but the minute I stopped nursing, that weight came roaring back. It seemed like I gained back that 22 pounds overnight. I felt even more uncomfortable than I did before my pregnancy, and I was so disappointed in myself. I also worried about keeping up with Squiggy as he grew. I could imagine not having the ability to keep up with him at the playground as a toddler. I worried about having the stamina to play catch or soccer or just get up off the floor without struggling after Monopoly when he was in grade school. I could see myself missing essential parts of his high school years because I had carried so much weight for so long I had to have my knees replaced. I was anxious about not seeing him get married or meeting his kids because I was dead thanks to a preventable issue that my weight caused. Some of these anxieties were blown out of proportion by my postpartum anxiety, but with the scale tipping over the 300 lb mark, none of them were that unreasonable. I guess to be fair; I have to say that my motivation was a fear of missing out. That’s because my son has brought so much light and laughter in my life, I don’t want to miss a second of his.
Finding Your Landmark
So far, I am down 34 lbs. It hasn’t been easy, but whenever I think of quitting, I see his little smile, and I keep pushing forward. I started writing this blog to help others keep moving forward too. I cannot provide that catalyst for you, but I can help give you the tools to make the changes you need to make to sustain your motivation through the dark moments when quitting would be so much easier. Please don’t ever quit. This journey isn’t just about weight loss. Weight loss is only a drop in the bucket. This journey is about healthy changes, so we have more time to enjoy the things and people we love the most. Find your favorite picture of whatever it is that keeps you going and keep in close. Memorize it. This physical memento is your landmark as well as your light in the dark.
