How I Knew The Time Was NOW To Get Healthy

This picture was taken on February 12, 2019. I sent it to my mom and sisters because I was dressed like my mom. She loves to wear vests and black jeans. I didn’t think anything about it. I’d been this size for a while and just wore clothes to try to conceal it. Or so I thought. I was not doing anything to be healthy at this time.

Hearing those dreaded words: OBESE

On March 13, 2019, I went for my yearly physical. I got on the scale and weighed 210.4. I am only 5’5″ tall. So according to the BMI chart, I was officially OBESE! That day I made the decision to finally get my health back. It was so much more than the weight loss that I desired. I’ve lost weight many times before for the fact of being smaller, just to gain it all back. This time was different. I was going to get healthy, not skinny.

What I was going to do about it

I made a plan. I wrote down what I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to weigh 145 pounds and wear a size 6. So that meant I needed to lose 65 pounds and drop 5 pants sizes because I was in a size 16. I involved my husband because he is my biggest supporter. I wanted to make better food choices, but not do a crazy diet. At that time I decided calorie counting was the way to go. I downloaded the MyFitnessPal app. I logged everything I put into my mouth. It became a competition in my head. I wasn’t going to let that app beat me. Did you know if you put in your exercise into the app you get more calories? So on a day, I ate more I would walk 30 minutes or do 30 minutes of cardio. Just so you know that is not how it really works. I have learned this since then. Calories in and calories out are not that simple.

It was working

The first month I was down 15 pounds. Alright, I’m heading in the right direction. On January 25, 2020, I turned 40 and I weighed in at 160 pounds. I had reached a big milestone. I had lost 50 pounds by my 40th birthday. That is where it stopped. I was wearing a size 10-12 at this point. Then the scale started trickling back up and I was up to 165 right before summer hit.

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The books that changed my life forever

On August 25th I bought the book that would change everything. Fast Feast Repeat by Gin Stephens. I read this book in 3 days. And I dove in head first into intermittent fasting. This was not a fad diet, this was a lifestyle change that I am happy to say I am still doing. After reading this book I then read The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. These two books together have forever changed the way I look at how and what I eat. In October 2020 I was down another 10 pounds and in a size 8.

I DID IT

Finally, by June 2021, I did it. I hit that goal. I was 145 and in a size 4-6 (depending on the brand). But that’s not the best part. The best part is that today May 26, 2022, I still weigh 145 pounds. I have maintained this weight for a year!! I did this effortlessly. No crazy diet, no crazy exercise plan. Ask my family how much I eat. I eat WAY more now than I was when I was counting calories. It’s kind of a joke in our house that I eat more than my husband at dinner.

Remember when I said I was going for healthy not skinny? Over the past year, I have really worked on my health. I recently read two books Why We Get Sick by Benjamin Bickman and Metabolical by Robert H. Lustig. Because of these two books, I have shifted towards cutting out ultra-processed foods and sugar from my diet. Not to lose more weight, but to feel better and live longer.

Keep growing keep learning

I was never a reader before. Like I hated reading. Since reading Fast Feast Repeat I have read over 25 books. I’m doing this for me and nobody else. I am not going to preach to you what you should and shouldn’t eat. I’m not going to judge you either. I chose to do this journey my way and it’s been amazing. One word I have learned through all of this is bio-individuality, and that is the idea that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to health and nutrition. If you ask me I will tell you what has worked for me and why I do certain things. I live by the 80/20 rule. So yes you will see me eat a cupcake at a birthday party every once in a while or some pizza out with my family. But I also know making that choice that I will feel like crap the next day or two. I also know that the next day I will make better choices and be back on track.

Let me know in the comments if you would like me to do a post about what intermittent fasting looks like, and how I do it.

Keepin’ it real,

Magan Outlaw

Intermittent Fasting Is Easier Than You Think