Chapter 22: Words of Wisdom

I've already done a chapter about not waiting to start your weight loss journey because the sooner you start, the sooner you can start seeing results.

Well, that advice especially applies as you age. The older you are, the harder it is to get the pounds off. (Trust me, I know from experience.)

Even when you think you're older and wiser, a body and mind that is so used to overeating isn't going to easily fall in line with your vision for a slimmer, healthier you.

So, I think it's worth repeating: Don't wait to do tomorrow what you can do today!

I’m 4 and a half months into my #weightlossjourney and I’m so glad I started when I did!

It only took a couple of months to start seeing results and hitting some encouraging weight loss milestones.

If I hadn’t made a change when I did, I’d still be back where I was, unhappy with my body and myself.

Do this for yourself. Don’t wait another minute to start!

Chapter 21: Tuning In

When you treat your esophagus like a human garbage disposal, it's tough to keep track of the foods that are affecting your body in a negative way.

When you start eating healthier, it doesn't take long to realize which foods are problem foods for your stomach.

For example, whenever I eat salty food, I get thirstier than normal (obviously!) and it's pushed me to cut them out of my diet as much as possible. Dairy makes me bloated and isn't worth it, so I've cut down on it, too.

Just like anything else, you get out of it what you put in. Your body will respond to the fuel you choose to give it. This journey of weight loss is all about getting in tune with your body. Nourish it and it will take care of you in return.

The healthier I eat, the more healthier I want to eat!

Little by little, over the course of the past few months, I’ve been making better and healthier food choices.

Veggies used to be a side dish and now they are the star of the show. Green smoothies have become a staple. Fruit is my dessert now.

And I feel better than ever because I’m making it a priority to get my vitamins and minerals from the food I eat.

Chapter 20: High Quality H2O

I know, you’ve heard it a billion times. Drink more water. Make sure you drink enough water. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

I was skeptical about it at first, too, but then I tried it. I drank at least 64oz. a day for a week and it actually helped me lose more weight. And the best thing about it? I didn’t even make any other changes to my diet or exercise routine. 

You’ve heard about all the benefits, so why not try for yourself and see if you notice a difference. 

Drink up!

Not only has drinking more water helped with my weight loss, it’s made my skin not so dry and has helped me feel fuller when I drink it before, during and after eating…

💧

Chapter 19: Chew Your Food

I was looking into doing a cleanse and came across something that just might be a game changer. One of the plans recommended chewing each bite of food at least 20 times. When I tried out the technique, I quickly realized that I’ve been chewing about a third of that!

As a former binge eater, I never took the time to chew my food properly. It was always shove it in so we can get to the next course.

Now, after taking the time to chew and savor my food, it takes me twice as long to finish my food and gives my stomach the chance to register that it’s full a lot earlier.

It’s amazing how something so small can make such a big difference.

I really think that thoroughly chewing my food has helped with my digestion. I mean, how could it not!

And how have I been mistreating my body for so long and been allowed to get away with it?

Why haven’t I taken care of my health until now? Why did I have to hit rock bottom to actually take action and change my life?

The important thing is that I’m doing something about it now. I’m so glad I didn’t wait another day to go on this weight loss journey. I am almost four months into this and can’t imagine ever going back…

Chapter 18: Me, Myself & I

Losing weight forces you to get real comfortable with yourself. During those times when you don't have any calories left for the day, you're left to simply be with yourself without the distraction of food.

When you aren't able to eat your feelings  because you're moving into  a healthier lifestyle for yourself, you're  left to actually process those feelings.

Junk food isn't your friend anymore. Yeah, it can be scary, but hiding at the bottom of a bag of cookies isn't who you really are.

Making friends with yourself is the only choice you have left. Start treating yourself the way you'd treat your best friend. Stop punishing yourself with bad choices. Take care of yourself. Because, at the end of the day, you are the one you spend the most time with.

My relationship with food has changed so much during these last few months of my weight loss journey!

I don’t eat simply because I’m bored/depressed/whatever anymore.

Now I eat to give my body the vitamins and nutrients it needs to function.

How freeing it is to take control!

Chapter 17: Setting Goals

After all these months of my weight loss journey, I just realized something I've forgotten to do. Set goals.

Sure, I set the general goal of losing weight when I started this whole thing, but I'm talking about smaller, baby step-type goals that you set for yourself each month.

Little goals like drinking more water, or trying a specific workout challenge are totally doable and would feel really good to be able to cross off each month.

How nice will it be to have a sense of accomplishment about something other than the numbers on the scale or the size of your clothes?

Rachelle Vaughn

Sometimes, when you are so focused on the big picture, it’s easy to overlook the little things.

I’m definitely going to start setting some smaller goals for myself each month from here on out!

Chapter 16: Documentation

When I started this weight loss journey, the first thing I did was take "before" photos.

Looking back, I really wish I would have taken measurements as well because not all of my results are reflecting on the scale.

In three months, I have gone down almost three sizes and it would be nice to be able to report how many inches I've lost as well as pounds.

No matter how I've chosen to document my progress, I know that those "after" photos are going to feel awesome to post...

Rachelle Vaughn

Tomorrow is my big monthly weigh-in and I’m more excited about taking progress pics than finding out what the scale says.

I can’t believe we’re already at the three month mark! So glad I’ve stuck with this weight loss plan!

There’s no turning back now…

Chapter 15: Motivation

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to lose weight, whether you are doing it for health reasons, you have a physical goal you want to achieve, or you simply want to fit into a specific size of clothes, use that to propel you forward and keep going throughout this difficult journey.

Whenever you start to falter and need an extra boost of motivation, remind yourself why you’ve decided to lose weight in the first place. Make a vision board on Pinterest and revisit it when you’re having a rough day. Get out those jeans you want to fit into. Scroll through photos of the marathon you want to run.

Keep working toward that goal and you will get there eventually!

Most of my reasons for losing weight are vanity-related…and that’s totally okay!

When I’m having a tough time, I’ll go into my closet, get my “skinny” jeans out and unfold them and look at how cute they are and how wonderful it will feel to be able to fit into them again.

Do whatever you need to do to not lose sight of your original motivation.

Someday I’ll fit into those jeans and I’ll get to post a photo of me rockin’ the hell out of them!

Chapter 14: The Meat

Before and after photos are the glamorous side of weight loss. Yes, it’s nice to see progress and drastic transformations, but that’s only a teeny tiny part of it.

What you don’t hear much about is the actual journey itself. The being hungry, the mental toughness you have to develop while strengthening your willpower, the waiting for the pounds to drop. 

The meat of the journey, the day in and day  out of it, is the most important part because that’s when all the work happens. That’s when you have thoughts about giving in and giving up because it’s so damn hard.

Transformation doesn’t happen overnight. And that’s part of what keeps me going. Because I haven’t put in this much work to throw it all away now.

The journey itself is the part that should be glorified…

As with most things, it’s a long, hard road to get to the “after” part of the story.

Chapter 13: Don't Wait

I started this weight loss journey on April 15th. It was a Thursday. I'd simply had enough of being unhappy at my current weight and size and decided not to wait another day to make a drastic change in my life and my well-being.

Don't wait until the "perfect time" to start losing weight because there isn't one. Don't put it off.

 Start now, start today. Don't wait until January 1st, don't wait another second to start eating healthy and making good choices for your body. It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, in the middle of the year.

Today can be the beginning of your new life!

I'm over two months into this journey and I can proudly say that I'm 16 pounds down.

If I would have waited, I'd still be back where I was in April.

Don’t wait. Do this for yourself. NOW.

Chapter 12: I Can, I Will, I Am, I Did

This is my new weight loss mantra. As in,

I can stay under 1500 calories today.

I will stay under 1500 calories today.

I am staying under 1500 calories today.

I did it! I stayed under 1500 calories today.

It's something I say to myself on a daily basis as I push myself to meet my goals.

What a wonderful feeling it is to be able to go to bed at night & know that I didn't falter. I stayed strong, even when I was hungry and the old me was crying out for a binge.

I can lose weight.

I will lose weight.

I am losing weight.

I did lose weight!

I CAN

I WILL

I AM

I DID

Chapter 11: Give it a Chance

Give your mind a chance to adjust to your new way of eating less and eating healthy. Give your body a chance to acclimate to exercising regularly.

Give yourself a chance to succeed at this new way of living before you give in and sabotage yourself and throw away all the progress you’ve made.

You might be surprised at how much willpower you actually have and how strong you really are.

Give yourself a chance to become who you dream of becoming.

After 2 months, I can honestly say that it doesn’t really get any easier.

I still struggle, especially when I’m hungry and don’t have any calories left for the day.

But I keep going because I’ve worked too hard to give up now. I want to see the end result more than I want to quit. Quitting is the easy way out and I’m not doing that this time.

Most days were a struggle anyways, so I might as well fit into my skinny jeans…

Chapter 10: Find What Works for You

Everyone is different. Yes, I know you've heard this a million times before, but we always seem to forget when we're busy comparing ourselves to others.

The steps someone else took to lose weight might not work for you. And that's okay.

Do your research and try different things. Customize. Make what you enjoy a part of your daily life. Ditch the stuff you hate because being miserable isn't going to help you keep the weight off once you reach your goal.

Find what works for you and keep at it no matter how bizarre it may sound to someone else. This isn't their life, it's yours.

There are a lot of things to adjust in this new healthy lifestyle. Food, exercise, mindset...

I’m constantly changing my workout and still learning what works best for how I live my life.

When something isn’t working for me, I make a change instead of giving up altogether.

Chapter 9: I Can't Be Trusted

If left to my own devices, I will eat too much and go over my calorie limit. That's a fact and that's what got me overweight in the first place. Without boundaries, I take advantage and easily get out of control.

I can't be trusted. If I pour a bowl of cereal for myself, most likely it will be about 3 times as much as the recommended serving size.

So that's why I continue to measure and count out everything and am diligent with keeping track of every single one my calories. Posting here every day holds me  accountable and ensures my weight loss success.

Can’t wait for our monthly weigh-in in two weeks!

I know all of this calorie counting and working out is paying off...

Chapter 8: Take Control

You are the one in control of what you eat and how much exercise you do. Don't place blame on others and don't expect anyone else to take responsibility for the choices you make.

Take control of your body. Yes, there are times when you feel out of control, but there are things you can do to be in charge of your weight loss.

Carve out time to work out. Get up early and move your body. Replace time that you'd normally be on social media with a  workout. Don't eat junk food that you know is bad for you. Take control!

There’s very little we have control of in our lives and I’m so glad I didn’t wait another day to take control of my weight!

5 weeks into this journey and the clothes that were too tight to wear last summer are already baggy on me.

Take control of your body and you just might be surprised at the results...

Chapter 7: One Step at a Time

When I paint my nails, I don't think about how I'm going to have to paint all ten nails and then go back over them all and paint all ten again with a second coat. I just start painting them without over-thinking it. 

That's the same approach you have to have with weight loss and exercise. You have to take one meal, one workout at a time. You can't focus on the fact that you have lots of stubborn weight to lose and/or a half hour of grueling cardio to get through.

Getting too far ahead of yourself will only discourage you during this long process.

It's the same with how approach writing a book. I don't think about the 75,000 words I need to write, I just start writing the first word, then the first sentence, then the first page. The rest will come later.

If you only look at the big picture, and focus too much on the end goal, it's too damn daunting. Don't put that kind of unnecessary pressure on yourself. Focus on one moment at a time and the years will take care of themselves.

Chapter 6: It Doesn't Matter

Your excuses don't matter, that is.

I'm great at justifying my actions and I could make excuses for myself all day long. "I don't feel like it," "I'm on my period," "I didn't get enough sleep last night," "I don't have time"...the list goes on and on.

But I'm not going to do that this time around. I'm not going to keep making excuses for why I can't get the weight off.

It doesn't matter that I'm sick/tired/sleepy/ busy. There will always be some excuse trying to stand in the way of my goals and I'm going to do my part and stop making excuses, once and for all.

This time around I’ve been having a completely different mentality about working out.

I just do it. I don’t overthink it. I don’t complain about it. I don’t put it off to do later (and then eventually don’t do it at all).

It’s a part of my daily routine now. Because I’m done fighting it. Because I want it to be a healthy, pleasant part of my day that leaves me feeling good.

During these last 30 days, I’ve proven that I can work out during my period and after both vaccine shots, so that right there eliminates any future excuses.

When you make something a priority in your life, the excuses don’t matter anymore...

Chapter 5: Romancing the Workout

Being a romance author, I'd like to think that I have a pretty good imagination.

But, never in a million years would I have imagined that my hubby of 24 years would jump 110% into my weight loss plan this time and work out with me every single day. 

He's been the one person in my life who has loved me unconditionally and it means the world to me to have him right there with me, encouraging me and pushing me further than I could go by myself.

When you love someone with all your heart, their actions can say "I love you" just as loudly as their lips.

I’m so proud of all the progress we’re making together!

We are now 25 days into this new life of eating healthy and working out and I’ve never been so excited about the future!

Chapter 3: 30 Day Yoga Challenge

Almost two weeks ago, I began my first day of a 30 day yoga challenge. I'm doing standing yoga for now, to gradually ease myself into the practice, and because all those cat/cow poses are murder on my wrists.

In the past, I've completed a month of riding the stationary bike and 30 days of marching in place/indoor walking videos, so I'm not a complete newbie to the challenge concept.

Yoga is something I hope to continue doing long after the thirty days is done because I know it would be a healthy habit to integrate into my daily routine.

What I’m liking best about yoga is how I’m reminded to BREATHE.

So often during the day I find myself holding my breath and it’s nice to take a few moments out of my day to focus on inhaling and exhaling.

I’m enjoying standing yoga videos from @yogawithbird and @ashleymfreeman.

Chapter 2: Holding Myself Accountable

I started this account to have somewhere to hold myself accountable for my weight loss every single day.

My goal is simple: to not miss a post and to be honest about my progress. I won't slack off if I know I have an audience (even if it's just my sweet hubby!).

During this first week of working out and keeping my calories down, it feels like I've been killing it and I'm in the mindset that nothing can stop me.

I know it's going to get harder as I go on, but I'm not going to give up because I want to be an inspiration to myself and others.

If I know I’m going to post about my progress the next day, then maybe I’ll think twice about shoving those extra calories into my gob the night before!

That’s what I’m hoping anyway!