Reaching my first goal

jahboo

Hello, I've been using the MyFitnessPal website and app for over three years, I'm not sure when I joined but once I made a serious plan to lose weight and become healthier, I've made sure to keep to it. There have been times when I've been too busy in my daily schedule and I miss a day, but I'm always back.

For me, my weight loss goals has been something since I was a kid, and I'll be honest: for many years, losing the weight was not a serious issue. I had bad eating habits, was always told about things that may happen to me if I don't make the change and I just didn't care. Even when I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, I didn't take it that seriously. It would take a car accident for me to realize that I need to make serious changes in my life, because I may not get a "next" chance to do so. That lead me to begin walking, something I had started a few years before which lead me to go back home to Honolulu and climb Diamond Head for my birthday. I had a goal back then and was motivated to do something, which I did.

Eventually, I'd have a stationary bike habit and went through about three or four. Because of how much I was riding, I wore and break them down. Maybe it was because of the quality, I don't know, but it brought back the memories of all the bicycling I did in my pre-teen and early teen years. I still want to return to that to make bicycling something to do on a regular basis.

My dieting has been a struggle, finding different methods and techniques, some working, others not. Last year, I was told I should try the paleo diet. I thought it was another trendy diet but I did it anyway. I found myself losing a noticeable amount of weight in a few weeks. I then moved out of paleo and while I didn't gain any more weight, I didn't lose any more either.

In the last few years, I have been making plans to do more with myself in terms of health improvement. I was eating less, I was walking four miles a day, and my sister had told me about wanting to take part in a 5K run/walk. A month ago, I had a mini-stroke. Diabetes and high blood pressure/hypertension were to blame. While at the hospital, I had to stay on a low sodium diet to monitor everything, so that I wouldn't have something else happened. When I returned home, I found that I lost eight pounds during my stay. After years of trying different things, I realized that outside of watching my carbs and calories, a primary issue was to watch my sodium and keep it low or if it's high, then below my daily limit. Having a mini-stroke made me think and rethink things. I had been committed in getting healthier, and perhaps something in my body was saying "time to better yourself".

After getting out of the hospital, I decided to remain on the low sodium diet. I've been out of the hospital for a month tomorrow and have lost 25 pounds. Since joining MyFitnessPal, I have officially lost 50. I had always said that in my means of losing, I want the "first goal" to lose 50 pounds. I have not been at this weight for 24 years. I'm looking better, for the most part i'm feeling better, and I am at the beginning of reaching my "second goal" (250 pounds) and if possible, a "third goal". I no longer want to be the person I once was, and what made me get there in the first place. As I continue to work on myself, I do realize that with each goal reached, it will be about maintaining.

I do know that there isn't one formula or plan for weight loss, I've been through many for years. Now I have found something that has worked, and I'm so happy. A part of me wonders what I'll look like when I am down another 50 pounds. As hard as it has been, it has been worth it and I don't want to stop.