Losing weight is hard. There is no magic pill. It requires strong-will, determination and a hard work ethic.

Losing weight changes you. For most, the inside remains the same which makes the outside changes hard to see or accept.

Over the years, the more I got into running, the more I focused on diet and the more weight I lost, the more anxious I became. Anxious that I would revert back to the way that I once was: The unhealthy girl who didn’t workout or pay attention to diet. That once fun-loving and spontaneous girl was now the enemy.

I convinced myself  that if I dare skipped a workout I would like it. If I liked it, I would keep skipping workouts. Eventually I would never workout and all of my hard work would be in vain!

Food made me even more anxious. I convinced myself that if I ate foods I used to enjoy, even just bites, I would gain back all the weight. Pizza, french fries, tacos, and queso were replaced with kale, quinoa and fish.

My life could, in no shape or form, resemble my old life. If so, my diet and exercise regime would spiral out of control. I would have failed.

Obviously these thoughts are nonsensical. I see that now. However, for some women, weight loss is about taking control over your body. After weight loss it’s very hard to relinquish that control. Losing some of that rigidity in a workout or diet regimen can leave you feeling vulnerable to “mistakes”.

If you’ve ever lost (or gained) a significant amount of weight, or just put too much importance on the number on the scale or tag on the jeans, you will love Andie Mitchell’s book: It Was Me All Along. This was the first book I read that was not only relatable (aside from her childhood), but gave me hope for a life sans food and exercise obsessions.

With the diet and exercise industry bigger than ever, I can only assume that more and more people will start experiencing these feelings without knowing how to work through them. My hope is that more women will bring attention to this issue and ultimately prevent the unwarranted anxieties that can accompany weight loss and lifestyle changes.

XoXo

Katie