10 Things I Wish I Knew Before Losing Weight

Everyone knows that it's important to live a healthy lifestyle, but nobody tells you just how different your life will become. In 2017 I lost 70lbs, and although I wouldn't take that back for the world, there are some things I wish I'd known when starting my journey. 


1. You won't notice results right away

Losing weight can be a very long and frustrating process. In the first month of my journey I lost nine pounds, but still felt like I looked the same. I had build these huge expectations of all of my clothes suddenly becoming way too big, but in reality I still wear some of my "fat clothes" today - they just fit a lot better. 

My solution to this frustration was to take progress pictures once a month. I could go an entire month not seeing any difference in the scale or in my clothes, but then comparing the pictures I could see that I had slimmed down a bit. To make it easier to compare, I made sure to always wear the same sports bra!

2. People around you won't be so quick to notice or comment on your weight loss

And you can't fault them for it! It was very hard to swallow, but I learned to appreciate that when people see you every day, they aren't likely to notice a five-pound difference. On the other hand, they may notice and just not know how to talk to you about it!

3. Your body is going to go through a lot of changes

Don't spend a lot of money on shoes, because your feet might get smaller. I went from a size 10 to an 8 after losing the weight.

A change that blows everyones mind, including my doctors, is how much my vision improved. I have been prescribed glasses for reading since the third grade, but by the time I started university needed to wear them constantly. Last year I began to notice that my vision was cleaning and realized I could go an entire work day without wearing my glasses! Now I usually only wear them when I'm reading, doing a lot of computer work, or if I have a headache.

Oh, and start investing in good shampoo because your hair is going to thin out a ton

4. You are going to hit some plateaus, and maybe even gain some weight back

And that is okay! Weight loss isn't a smooth, downhill slope, and is instead more of a roller coaster ride. My journey was up and down so many times, and it is very discouraging. But don't give up, you will break through your slump!

5. Having loose skin doesn't make you unattractive

It is instead a symbol of how far you have come

6. Some people are going to get jealous, or try to sabotage your journey

These are not the people that you need in your life. You are putting yourself first, and if people don't support that, you might want to consider cutting them out of your life. 

7. You are going to sleep so much better

I spent years taking sleeping medication, but once I started working out and losing weight I found it so much easier to sleep through the night. 

8. Eating a cookie does not mean your diet is over, and it does not make you a bad person

You are allowed to have a treat every once in a while, you can't cut everything out or you will go on a binge - trust me. 

9. Meal prepping is going to become your best friend

Be prepared to spend almost an entire day cooking, but it is so worth it to have a weeks worth of meals available for work. When I was working full-time at my retail job, I looked forward to meal prepping on my day off because there were so many recipes I wanted to try and it was a nice chance to spend time to myself. 

I wish I had learned to research a ton of recipes ahead of time because I did get bored of my meals a few times.

10. It is the most difficult journey to take, but it will be so worth it

You are going to cry many nights, and want to give up many times, but you are going to feel better than you ever have. Your hard work is going to pay off when you not only get to wear the clothes you've always wanted, but when you are able to do things physically that you never thought possible. Believe in yourself!