I became obsessive about learning more about how to lose weight. I am constantly on Pinterest for new workout moves, fitness motivation quotes, and tips.

I googled and googled questions like “How many times a week should a person work out if they want to lose weight?” “Can I eat something sweet once a day and still lose weight?” “Does drinking tons of water help you lose weight?” It was all about the “weight loss” when I was new to all this.

I mean, yeah. That number on the scale can be so discouraging, but you can’t let that control you! It’s how your clothes fit. It’s how you feel. Improved endurance. Better sleep. More energy and so on. DO NOT let that scale destroy you. I have been there. Keep at it. Over time it will show your hard work and smart choices! You don’t gain 30 lbs. in one month, and you aren’t going to lose that in a month!

A few things I did to help me was first to measure myself. I did my measurements the day I started to lose weight. I’ve lost 25 inches since I started. I didn’t lose some weeks, but when I did my measurements, I lost an inch or two. I’m like, “How’s that even possible!?” Another tip. Take pictures! Booty shot. Arms. Full body. Listen, you may hate the way you look, but when you start reaching those goals, and you look back!? Oh, my goodness, it’s incredible!

The best thing I can tell you about the scale and numbers is to find that one “person.” That one person who you can tell anything to. A person you trust and know will be by your side 100%. Then, every week weigh in with that person. I am sure you remember me mentioning Tania Myers back when I said I was going to start to lose weight. When I started, we walked one mile, 30 days straight together. Both losing 20 lbs. together from June until August. I wasn’t big on the exercise right away and thought just some walks would help me get a nice boost start. I remember us dying walking up the smallest hill. I couldn’t do the whole hill without stopping. I then started to focus more on the food rather than worrying about exercise at that point. The following January (six months later), I decided to do “Country Heat” through Beachbody. It was a workout that was good for beginners, and you danced. That sounded like fun! During that month, I lost 13 inches! I was blown away.

Tania was still in with my weight loss, but we weren’t on it much together that fall. I think after I did “Country Heat” she bought the DVD too! She was ready to start really getting those numbers down too. I suggested that we weigh in every week together. So that February or March (I can’t remember exactly which month), we told each other what we weighed and what our goals were. I wanted to get down to the weight I was when I was first married. She wanted to get back in her favorite Daisy Duke shorty-shorts she used to wear back in the good old days. We laughed and dreamed of being our high school weight again. Then we set realistic goals, ones that we knew we could hit. 50 lbs. would be a good goal. Our first goal was to hit 30 lbs. (we were almost there), then 40 lbs., then 50 lbs. — and by George, we both hit those numbers! Texting each other every single week on weigh-in mornings whether we were up 2 lbs. or down a pound.

We have never missed a week yet! Having someone to hold you accountable is one of the best things you could do for yourself. Having Tania to go to during big or small victories is so awesome. Even on tough days, I can text her and vent. Like, “Girl, I just went 400 calories over what I was supposed to eat today!” She would tell me it’s OK, just work it off tomorrow, or that I need a day like that every once in a while. I can be really hard on myself! But then I look back and see pictures of myself and think, “I did that!” Fifty pounds is a lot of weight, and I have kept it off since I started back in 2018. Tania and I will find pictures of each other and text them, just for a reminder of just how far we have come.

I am happy to say I can do even bigger hills and not stop. See, small little victories! I was almost to 60 lbs. I got to 58 lbs., and it’s like the weight just stopped. I let that scale get the best of me. I went back down to 50 lbs. just a few months ago. See, I thought I gained that back over the holidays until I looked back at my weigh-ins. Another tip that has really helped me. Take pictures of your scale or write it down in a small calendar book once a week.

Once I looked, I realized that I had slowly started gaining that back since the end of August till November! Then over the holidays, I actually maintained. I told Tania this, and she looked back on her weigh-ins too. The crazy part is that we both gained in the same months! We were like, what on earth happened this fall? (2020) COVID? Comfort Food? Not exercising as much as I was?

We didn’t understand why we didn’t catch this, though? See, I was still in my maintaining zone. I went up and down in that 5 lb. area for months until I got discouraged not hitting that 60 lbs. If I didn’t have those pictures with dates to look back on, I wouldn’t have caught it. Neither of us would have. Every week we were telling each other up a pound or down a pound but never really tallied. But those “up .3 lbs.” add up over time. Now, we are tallying up the end of each month!

So, this month, I was down a total of 2.3 lbs. I’ve really kicked in the exercise again and I’m just loving it. I hate when I stop, honestly. I instantly feel heavier. Exercise just makes me feel more confident and healthier! I have done a lot of Beachbody programs and really enjoy it. Right now, I am doing the Control Freak 9-week program. Loving it! I work out five days a week, but my goal is at least three days at the minimum!

Listen, I am not skinny, but I am not extremely overweight like I was. I feel good about where I am, but I really want to lose at least another 25 lbs. That’s my goal. Get back down to my wedding weight. I have dropped four pant sizes and three shirt sizes. Fifty-three pounds and 25 inches as of today. All by just starting out with small changes and having one of my very best friends right by my side.

I actually literally just hung up the phone with Tania; we talked for an hour. I called about one thing, and then we got on our weight loss. Setting new goals for this year, together. I have been trying a lot of new products, workouts, and new snacks and foods to keep things new and fresh for myself. You have to keep things new and fun! Yes, it’s hard work, but you have to do what works for you!

Maybe counting points works for you. Maybe counting calories works for you. Maybe writing everything down and seeing what you eat every week will work for you. Find what works for you and something you can stick to, and I am telling you, you will be on the path to success! Do what WORKS for YOU!! I’ll never be a size 4. I’ll probably never be a size 8. I’m fine with that. I want healthy. I want to feel good. I want to be proud!

I love to eat; y’all see the way I cook. I am not giving up things I love — I am working so I can have what I love but still be disciplined. Create healthy habits, not restrictions. Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements. You already have what it takes!

Five Ingredient Healthy Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of egg whites
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese or any other cheese
• 3/4 cup chopped cooked broccoli or any other veggie
• Pinch of salt or pepper

(You also could add ham or turkey sausage if you don’t want the veggies! Or you can use both!)
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375, grease muffin tin with cooking spray.

Whisk together egg whites, eggs, and salt and pepper. Mix in cheese.

Steam your broccoli or I use the broccoli you can steam right in the bag. Divide broccoli in 12 muffin tins. (This is when you would add the meat also.)

Pour egg and cheese mixture over the broccoli in each cup. Fill almost to the top but DON’T over fill. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until eggs are set. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.