On September 18th, 2013, my life changed forever…This was the day that I last saw my father, who had Alzheimer’s disease. He went for a walk and has never returned home to this day…
Yes, there still is devastation, anger, and hardship dealing with grief and lack of closure.
Initially, I dealt with this emptiness and heartbreak by binge eating and drinking. I started to gain 1 to 2 pounds each month. A couple of years later, I discovered I gained over 45 pounds! I went from 170 pounds to weighing in at 218 pounds!
I felt like an imposter. I didn’t look the part. It made me feel guilty. I’m a personal trainer, who has helped hundreds of clients with their own goals, and yet I struggled with my own…
Sure, fit comes in all shapes and sizes. But, I didn’t feel my best…
At 218 pounds, I was snoring. I had knee, neck, and lower back pain. I had to take naps to get through the day…I felt like I was 10 years older…
I went from wearing a medium t-shirt, to a large, and then having to wear an extra-large!!! I had enough. I was fed up and disappointed with myself.
How the heck did I let myself go? I was still working out 5 to 6 days a week, which proves you can’t out-exercise poor nutrition. I started to binge eat. I was eating meals for 2 to 3 people.
I knew I had to change. But how? It felt like a huge mountain to climb. To lose 45 pounds, seemed impossible. Then I thought, if I broke my goals down into mini goals, it’ll be so much more achievable and less intimidating.
Here’s How I Started on my Weight Loss Journey:
- I focused on losing 5 pounds at a time. I celebrated each 5-pound weight loss. Soon 5 pounds, turned into losing 10 pounds, 20 pounds, 30+ pounds…
- I pre-planned my meals. Previously, I was eating out a lot and eating out of impulse finding the quickest and convenient foods to eat.
- I included foods I enjoyed.
- I made small changes every 2 weeks to my daily macronutrient intake. Fad diets, such as severe caloric deprivation, are unsustainable. Yup, I’ve tried them myself. I thought, why torture yourself? It’s about gradual consistent change.
- I read my goals daily to remind myself why I started and how far I’ve come!
- I revisited my relationship with alcohol. I used alcohol to deal with grief. I realized alcohol was a gateway to binge eating and emotional eating.
- I hired myself a personal trainer and nutrition coach. Ironic? I was losing weight but needed support and accountability.
Is Knowledge power???
I have the knowledge on how to lose weight. I have a degree in Kinesiology and have helped many clients with their own goals for the past 15 years. However, I’ve learned through my own personal weight loss journey, that knowledge alone, isn’t enough…Knowledge is power, only when there’s action involved.
We all have some idea of how to lose weight. We all know what we should be eating, but the challenge is implementation. We can all come up with reasons why we’re not taking actions to get to us closer to our goals. Oh, it’s not the right time.
The time will never be right. We’re all adults with busy live, tackling one thing after another. You can blame it on a lack of willpower. Don’t beat yourself up that you don’t have the ‘will power’. You are so capable of achieving your goals! Honestly, it’s not all about will power, which I’ll discuss further for another time.
A coach will sift through your reasons, your challenges, the chaos, and provide you with action steps to get you closer to your goals. I understood the value of a coach, as I’ve helped hundreds with their fitness and health goals. I’ve seen firsthand the impact coaching has on someone.
So I hired myself a coach! Fast forward a couple of years, I have lost over 50 pounds. I no longer snore, no longer have knee, neck, or back pain. I have a ton of energy and feel years younger! Plus, I sleep better!
I’ve reached my goals, but I know a huge part was having my coach in my corner, keeping me on track to get through birthdays, special events, anniversaries. I still work with my personal trainer and nutrition coach to this day.
I’ll admit my nutrition isn’t perfect. I can enjoy the indulgences of life, because I have strategy in place. I plan my meals for the week, for the day, much like I plan all my meetings and appointments for the day.
Having gone through the process myself of gaining and losing weight, I have a greater understanding of my clients and what you may be going through.
Having time to focus on myself each week on my health and fitness, gives me the energy and mental clarity to tackle the challenges life throws my way. I get more done. I feel amazing!
Words of Encouragement
”The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu
If you’re struggling with your weight loss, and getting started, you are so capable. If I can do it, so can you. I have two businesses which take a lot of time and energy. I also have days that I struggle mentally and emotionally dealing with grief, and days when I feel defeated…
I get how you may be feeling. I understand the challenges of getting started. It’s hard trying to make time for yourself, while you’re helping others with their needs.
I want to reassure you, you can achieve your goal and don’t have to wait for January to roll around or an upcoming vacation to get started.
Get started now! Whether that means to start exercising 1 to 2 days a week, limiting alcohol each week, planning your meals, or eating out once a week. Start with that.
You’ll thank yourself 30 days, 60 days, or a year from now. Just imagine how great you’ll feel! If I can help you in any way, please let me know.
Keep an eye out for more tips on my journey to help you with yours. I’d love to help you with yours, whether you try my program, or just read my posts. I appreciate you either way!
Sammy Noh