I wanted to share this for someone who may be feeling dejected by not seeing the results they want already. Maybe we can relate.

The before photo was April 2021 and the current photo is now. I was about 155 pounds and now I am 133. I should also add that I am 21 years old.

I was never one to push myself incredibly hard in the gym or completely restrict myself from “bad” foods. In these past 2 years, I have joined a sorority, graduated college, dated around and had heartbreaks, traveled around Europe, started new jobs, and so much more. I can’t say that in the 2 years, I completely cut out carbs or sugar. I can’t say that I was hitting the gym 4x a week every week either.

What helped me the most was learning what foods are healthy and finding ways to balance my social life and fitness goals. I stopped looking at nutrition day by day. If my girlfriends were having a pizza & movie night one night, I would make sure I would consume healthier choices for the next few days. This way I would never feel ashamed for letting myself have some pizza with friends while at the same time I wasn’t regressing into poor eating habits. I also looked into what I believed was “healthy.” I tossed the sugary Kellogg cereals and Gatorade protein bars. I looked into whole foods and better alternatives.

I struggle with pushing myself outside of my comfort zone at the gym now. However, I still show up for my hour of exercise almost every weekday. I guess my philosophy is to always show up and try.

I just wanted to share my timeline and say that life happens and food is often shared. It may take you a little longer to reach your end goal, but you will get there so long as you keep your eye on the bigger picture. This is my evidence that it is definitely possible to still enjoy life and all of its treats while on your weight-loss journey.