“I needed to let my metabolism heal” – Kim’s Journey – Eat More 2 Weigh Less

So I began this journey in October of 2011…lost a little, gained a tad…hovered. I wasn’t logging regularly, I wasn’t exercising regularly…then 2-20-12, I changed.

A friend encouraged me to walk with a group and she also helped me to keep on track with my eating habits. We made a pact, if you will, that we would focus on getting healthy.

I began to log and was so excited to reach my first 100 days logged. I began walking and logging religiously. The pounds were melting off…at first.

I lost a lot of weight and began running…I know me..running! amazing!

Then I hit the dreaded plateau…and I was cranky, my hair started to fall out, my skin started to lose color, I was tired all the time, I didn’t have the energy to give my all during my workouts…I wasn’t happy with this journey any longer.

I started doing research and came across a little group called “EM2WL” (Eat More 2 Weigh Less) this changed my life!  You mean I can EAT and still lose weight?!?!?!

You betcha! No, that doesn’t mean you can go hog crazy wild eating junk and lots of it…it means find out what you burn every day and then do a small cut from that..don’t jump right to 1200 calories, that’s just down right bad for the body.

So, I started to up my cals even though I was scared to death I would gain I started upping cautiously.  I would up my cals but then burn excessive amounts to make up for it..lol. I was spinning tires..getting nowhere fast. Some folks have to learn the hard way and let the info set a while…that was me lol.

It took me a long time to trust that my body was smarter than all the low cal fad diets and I needed to let my metabolism heal.

The first week of eating more…I had energy and I started to sweat a TON during my workouts! My body felt so much better. I started to cut back on the cardio and keep my calorie burn from getting to high and trying to eat back most of my cals. I felt stronger and I stopped losing hair. I began to lose more weight…yay!

I have learned my body is complex…it is smart..it’s a machine.

I learned the difference between the amount of calories you eat and the amount you *NET* and how it affects the body.

I learned that if you over do exercise and do it the same all the time..eventually my body will just look at all that over training as “just another load of laundry”

I have learned that if I treat my body right it will love me back.

I have learned the ill and even scary effects of eating too few cals and I have since come to the realization that I do NOT have to kill myself with cardio and eat like a bird.

I am happy and I can see doing this the rest of my life because I am not depriving myself or setting unrealistic expectations of daily activity.

“Don’t do anything to lose weight that you aren’t willing to keep doing the rest of your life to keep it off”

I look forward to another year of logging to come. I hope to be another 50 lbs less this time next year. But even if I don’t reach that particular goal, I know I will be healthier, stronger and more fit.

I get the biggest kick out of people asking what I am doing to lose weight. It usually goes something like this…

Them: what are you doing? Just not eating???

Me: no, I actually eat a LOT!

Them: then how you are losing so much??

Me: when you give your body what it needs it loves you back

The look of astonishment on their faces cracks me up…

I have lost so much more than weight…my uneasiness around groups, being uncomfy in my own skin…I have gained a lot too..self confidence, pride, happiness.

I have lost many inches in the last few months…my clothes fit better, and I am reshaping my body. I have learned the scale is not the ultimate measure of success.

Follow Kim’s Journey at See Kim Shrink

Have an EM2WL transformation to share? Willing to let us tag along on your journey? We’d love to see it! Be featured on our Transformation/Journey page by submitting your story to Success@EM2WL.com