How I Changed My Life
Eighteen months ago, I made the choice to change my life. I wanted a fresh start. I wanted to feel joy in my days again. I didn’t know where I would end up, but I knew I had to try one more time to change things.
These days I am exercising five days a week, eating real food (with the occasional indulgence), diligently tracking my calories, and talking openly about it with others. But it wasn’t always this way. Eighteen months ago, it started with a single step.
I only changed one thing.
I had been reading a lot about habit change and making big things happen, one little thing at a time. These two writers challenged my beliefs on acceptance and change. I knew that I didn’t have to accept things as they were, but I had to change them slowly in order to make progress.
I contemplated what shift would make the biggest impact in my life. What would have the most influence on future success? I realized that it would have to begin with eliminating the processed junk food from my life. This was the smallest action with the most impact.
I got rid of everything in the house. I donated what I could, and took the rest to work. I started buying more fruits and vegetables every week. I packed my lunch and snacks every day.
By focusing on one thing, I was able to start making big changes. At first, it was difficult because I didn’t know what to eat. I still grabbed a chicken biscuit and orange juice from a popular fast food restaurant some mornings before work. I still had potato chips and ice cream because I wanted it.
Just because I had made a choice to eat better didn’t mean I suddenly forgot how much I liked all those bad foods. But little by little, the balance started to shift until most of my food was real and whole.
The ripple effect takes over.
I was terrified of failing yet another diet. This is why I never called it that. What I wanted was a permanent lifestyle change; something that I could reasonably execute on a daily basis for the rest of my life. It had to work for me, and I knew the transition would need to be a slow one.
I set no time limit for myself on getting the junk out of my life. Every day became about making the best choices. I didn’t think ahead to tomorrow. For six months, my only focus was to do the best I could to eat better today. Somewhere along the way, I noticed the ripples beginning to form.
By focusing on filling my diet with more wholesome foods, I wanted to learn more about portion control. This fueled my curiosity about on how food affects our bodies. In turn, it made me want to get back in the kitchen and start experimenting with recipes and flavor combinations.
The more weight I lost, the more I wanted to bring other small changes into my life. So almost one year after I started eliminating junk food from my life, I stepped into a gym for the first time to meet my personal trainer. I was terrified again, but I just took it one thing at a time.
Lessons from the first year.
If there is one piece of advice I could give to you, it would be this: only one thing at a time. It’s great that you want to eat better, exercise, and chase that dream job. But pick one and start there. Break that one down into the smallest actions, and pick only one of those to begin. With dedication and commitment, you’ll achieve everything you want, but you don’t have to do it all in one day.
In 2010, I made these changes in my life:
1) Eat real food
In 2011, I made these:
2) Exercise regularly
3) Track daily calories
4) Write every day
5) Help others lose weight
6) Rebuild personal relationships
7) Build your dream career
Even though I wanted all of these things in 2010, I started with just the one thing. And it changed everything.
It’s your turn now.
I am in the middle of my journey, and I can only imagine how much better it gets from here. Everything in my life has changed from what it was eighteen months ago. Food and nutrition have become my passion, my purpose, my mission. I am using every gift/talent/ability I have to speak up about what I have done, and how it has profoundly shifted my life.
Some people ask me how I can be so open about something so personal. I tell them it’s because knowledge empowers us. I want to give people the tools and confidence to change their own lives in big ways.
You don’t have to accept things as they are. You can change. You just have to pick one thing and begin.
And if you’re having trouble deciding, let me know in the comments. I’ll do everything I can to help because I want to see you succeed.
Please tweet and like this post so we can spread the message of change to others.
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About Stephanie
Trading Pounds exists to help women find the inner healing that will allow them to gain the life that they want to live and lose the weight forever. This work is the fruition of my unexpected calling.{read more...}Connect with Trading Pounds
Thanks for the post, Stephanie! You really are a great inspiration for me, just when I need it.
For a long time I kept making the mistake of trying to change too many things at once. Just a few weeks ago, inspired by Leo of zenhabits, too, I chose one thing to change and I started to work out regularly. By now, it’s a well-ingrained habit (resulting so far not so much in weight loss as in firmer muscles and generally feeling better in my own skin), so in a few days I’ll be ready to add another small thing. This time I’ll tackle my eating habits – not that I eat junk food, but there’s definitely some room for improvement. I’ll keep coming back for more inspiration :-)
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Steph Reply:
June 16th, 2011 at 11:49 am
J ~ I am so glad that you find such inspiration in these posts! Firmer muscles are a great start (I’ve been building my own these past few months), and I know that if you take it one thing at a time, you will find the success you are looking for.
Best of luck, and remember to keep me posted on how you are doing! Steph
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Wonderful post. It shows how you can be successful in weight loss without the hassle of “dieting”. A couple of years ago I did the same thing and followed the same path and finally I got rid of that extra weight. I’m so glad that I chose to take it slow. Otherwise I wouldn’t still be a happy camper about this :-)
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Steph Reply:
June 16th, 2011 at 11:51 am
Congrats Jolanda! I always love hearing how others have succeeded by applying the same principles we talk about here. Glad to know you are still a happy camper to boot! :-) It gives encouragement to the rest of us that are still working towards the goal.
Thanks for commenting!
Best ~ Steph
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Great post! I saved it in my favorites. I’m struggle with an “all or nothing” personality, so it’s very hard for me to make small changes. I’ve decided to try–my first change is to drink a green smoothie every morning for breakfast.
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Steph Reply:
June 21st, 2011 at 4:27 am
Kimberly ~ So glad you enjoyed the post. I think you’ve adopted the right attitude here, one small thing at a time. Good luck, and remember to keep me posted on how you are doing!
Best ~ Steph
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That is great advice. To start slow and just change one thing at a time is so important. Otherwise, it is too easy to be overwhelmed, get discouraged and then give up. The one thing that I have really changed into a habit is writing everyday. I either write on the computer or write in my journal, but that has made a big difference for me. Thanks. Enjoyed your post!
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Steph Reply:
June 21st, 2011 at 4:30 am
Cathy ~ Thanks for your comments. It is so true that overwhelm and discouragement seem to be the easiest things for us to focus on. So glad that you enjoyed the post!
Best ~ Steph
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I found your blog this weekend and am so thankful! I’ve lost 53 pounds over the last 2 years and have about 50 more to lose. While I’m happy about the progress, and the healthy habits that are ingrained now, it sometimes feels like it’s taking forever and I’m never going to get there. Reading all of your postings has renewed my energy and it’s nice to know others are out there too! Thanks so much for doing this blog!!!!!!
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Steph Reply:
June 27th, 2011 at 9:48 am
Traci ~ Some days it feels like it’s taking forever, but it seems that you have your head in the right place. It’s more about the journey than the destination when you want it to last. I am so glad that you found renewed dedication from the blog here!
Best ~ Steph
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Thanks for this post. I’m changing more than one thing right now because I can’t just change one thing. I started with exercise, and it has made me want and crave better food. I would rather eat fruit and yogurt than fatty ice cream. I love being active and feel like I need to be doing more.
And I am documenting it all. It’s reignited my writing. And it’s reignited passion for me. It’s amazing how one decision to go to the gym has, in less than three months, changed everything else.
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Steph Reply:
July 10th, 2011 at 8:57 am
Leslie ~ Like you, there are many changes happening in my life at the moment. Though I started with just one, momentum has a funny way of taking over the process. It sounds like you’ve experience that too! All the best as you continue forward ~ Steph
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Hi,
I have just signed up to your emails and I am exactly where you were about 18 months ago. I have been dieting in some form or another for the past 15 years and the thought of going on one more diet is just too much for me. I battle with compulsive overeating which i have realised is made worse when i experience stress and whenever i am on a diet…..so i know, that for me, i need to find a way to make this next step, the next journey, something that i can live with. I have started reading books on disordered eating and intuitive eating. I think it is so important to learn how to be able to listen to what your body is telling you and to know how different foods fuel your body. I have been searching the net on nutrition and trying to find a local nutritionist to see but they are so expensive or seem to only be promoting powders and bars so i think i am going to have to see what i can do on my own. I think i need to spend some time thinking about what the one thing is that i can do to make an impact…its either going to be to stop eating chocolate/sweets (although i am a little afraid that its only going to feel like a diet then and cause me to binge) or to make a commitment to eat proper meals 3 times a day. Living on my own means that if i dont feel like cooking dinner then i tend to find myself just having a few bran muffins with marg and after a few days i cant remember when last i had eaten a vegetable. Thank you for your blog and your emails. I downloaded your book last night and will be reading that over the next few days.
Lynne
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Steph Reply:
August 29th, 2011 at 2:27 pm
Lynne ~ A big welcome to you. So glad that you’ve found your way here. I am such a stress eater myself, and learning to recognize my body’s natural cues has really helped me with overcoming that tendency. Of course, when I am stressed, my body is also running on high-burn mode, so I still need a bit more food. But the difference is I no longer over-eat on those days.
Best of luck to you, and keep me posted on your journey! And if there is anything I can share to help you out, don’t hesitate to let me know!
Steph
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Loved your article! Although I don’t have a problem with dieting, I do have a problem with wanting to do so many things that eventually nothing gets done..I’m trying to remedy it this year and am slowly taking the smaller steps towards reaching a bigger goal. Along the way it’s easy to get distracted and fall back to the old habits..that’s why I need to read something motivational every other day. Your article helped me get back on track this dreary Monday :)
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Steph Reply:
January 26th, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Hi Soraya ~ I can’t begin to say it enough, but small steps really do make all the difference. So glad you found inspiration here for a dreary Monday.
Best ~ Steph
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Thank you for this article. The one those that I have picked for this year is in the spring a friend and I will be riding our first 100miles on our bikes. Because of this goal I am working out and training for this which has caused me to eat and think about more healthy options.
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Steph Reply:
January 26th, 2012 at 1:36 pm
Hi Lee ~ That sounds like a fun and fabulous goal! Enjoy the process and the outcome of all this dedication you are putting forth! All my best ~ Steph
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Thank you… so many times with changing anything you want it right then and there, change over night. But habits take time and change even longer. So many times I start a diet with the best intentions of a slow weight loss that is safe and maintainable long term blah blah blah, but it all seems too slow so I give up. But if I had of just stuck with it 12 weeks on that’s 10-12kgs lighter. And then 24 weeks on I would have been at my goal. Why is it that the ‘bader’ we want something the more impatient we get?
If being happy in any area of life is ‘worth it’, I realise now my issue to be worked on is not weight loss but rather my ‘stickablilty’ issues.
My focus for 2012 is being honest with myself and seeing things through….
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Steph Reply:
January 26th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Simone ~ You are so right about our impatience with change. I think it’s the desire that starts messing with our head, telling us that we are not moving nearly fast enough. I think you’ve selected a great new focus for 2012. Best of luck to you! Steph
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