Finding What Works For You

How do I start to get fit and healthy? How do I lose weight? Where do I even begin?

Starting weight on January 21st, 2019

No, really. Because I’m 245.6 pounds, and just like everyone else, I hate working out. I’m a picky eater and I don’t like or know how to cook. My life revolves around carbs, but I heard carbs are the first thing you need to quit if you want to lose weight. But that’s the only thing I like to eat! I guess that “keto” diet Kim Kardashian raves about is out of the question. Right?  Which other celebrity talks about weight loss? What was that "South Beach" diet my mom once talked about? Didn’t Oprah do Weight Watchers? Or was it Nutrisystem? How should I do this?!!

I have no idea what I’m doing.

Those were the first thoughts that came into my head when I decided to embark on a weight loss journey early this year.

So I did what every other clueless millennial with questions would do: I asked Dr. Google.

It was Martin Luther King Jr.’s weekend, and I had decided I was going to get healthier. I googled different articles about weight loss, watched YouTube videos, and did some research.

I felt that I needed to be really prepared for this life change. Some people work better by spontaneously starting their journeys, but me, I needed some preparation. It was Friday, January 18th, and I decided I would start that Monday.

Then I came across this magical article by Alasdair Wilkins, which is still a joy to read, where he spoke about his own weight loss journey.

This quote right here spoke to me:

“Just so we’re completely clear about how unqualified

 I am to tell people how to lose weight, 

I’ll run down how I lost that 100 pounds. 

Basically, I just went to the gym, and I ... walked. 

On a treadmill, uphill, at a brisk pace, for about an hour every day

— and I do mean every day — 

from July to April. That’s more or less it!”

Is it that simple? Thought everyone said it was hard. Huh.

My thoughts flashed back to a month prior, when I started walking for half a mile a few times a week. After reading that article, I figured I was on the right track with the walking. I hated walking but I went at my own pace and stopped whenever I felt bored or too tired. Easy enough.

Then I thought it’d be good to look up recipes online and stop eating out. Cut out junk food and sodas, that's what everyone says, right? Okay. I could do that. I didn't drink soda often anyway.

I didn't want a quick fix. 
 I wanted sustainability. 

I wanted to learn and do.

I wanted to get healthy by doing things

 I could continue doing the rest of my life.

Things I would want to do. 

I also considered signing up to do Blue Apron or EatFresh, for the convenience of it. I decided against it because it didn't feel it was sustainable for me. I asked my sister-in-law to teach me how use the Instant Pot instead (I figured that was the easiest way to cook), I asked my brother to lend me his Fitbit to challenge myself to walk, and I asked one of my best friends to train me at the gym on weekends. (I went on to purchase my own Fitbit from my other best friend weeks later.) And I continued doing my research.

I started Twitter and Instagram accounts with the purpose of learning from others and documenting everything I was doing to keep track of my journey. At first, I chose CabiGetsFit, but then I changed it to GetFitWithCabi because I felt that was more inclusive. Let’s ALL get fit together. I was looking for support, motivation and ideas, and that's exactly what I found. I do want to talk about how amazing the weight loss communities on Twitter and IG are, the ups and downs, and how Instagram can truly help you stay on track if you are genuine about it. Or do quite the opposite. But that’s tea for another day.

Anyway, I still had concerns about carbs in my diet. I didn't know much about carbs, I just knew that I loved rice and bread and fries and sandwiches and breaded chicken and fish, and I didn’t want to cut carbs out of my life. But I didn’t know if I could get healthy without doing so. It was my understanding that carbs had to be the first thing out. That meant no rice. I didn't want to do that! 

I was discouraged.

That was until I came across the wonderful Angel 3.0’s YouTube video (particularly from minute 18 to 18:30, but the whole video is amazing and worth the watch!), where he talks about his diet at the beginning stages of his 185 pounds weight loss journey. Angel (Twitter and IG) talks about eating chicken (I love chicken) and rice (I love rice!) for months at first. White rice. Huh.

Well. I can do that!

So: walking, rice, and chicken. Water too, probably, right? Okay. That’s what we’ll do. I’ll walk. I’ll monitor my meals and calories using an app I have used before: MyFitnessPal. Angel said he also uses that app in his video. I’m familiar with it, so I guess we’ll give it another try. Can't be hard to figure out. I'm ok with not eating french fries as long as I can have some rice! I’ll drink water. I’ll cook some chicken and make rice in the Instant Pot instead of eating out. I’ll have creamy vegetable soup, which is the only way I can get vegetables into my system. I can also buy natural green and fruity juices; there’s a vegan juicing store near my house. I’ll have Greek yogurt. I’ll buy whole wheat bread from now on. I’ll have one egg instead of two in the morning. No more sweet tea, no more lemonade. I’ll have my vitamins. I’ll have tuna salad from Subway- Don’t know how healthy that is but it’ll do for now.

Okay. That doesn’t sound so hard. I can even move on to brown rice at some point. Golden. We can do this. Maybe the secret to losing weight is that simple after all.

I want to be healthy.

I’ll keep it easy. I’ll take it day by day. I’ll enjoy myself. I’ll listen to Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” song. I’ll buy a Rower to work out from home. I’ll reactivate my LA Fitness membership. I'll stop when I get tired, and workout when I want to. I'll push myself but won't pressure myself. And I will not, under any circumstances, get obsessed with the scale. A number won’t affect my mindset. In this research of mine, I’ve found so many accounts struggling, getting discouraged and obsessing over the scale- I cannot do that. I cannot get discouraged over a number. That cannot be me. This is about getting healthy, not losing weight. Weight loss is a result of healthy habits, but not the main star. So what would this journey be called? “Getting healthy journey”? Hmm. Doesn’t have a ring to it. I guess it’s a weight loss journey, but it’s also a getting healthy journey. A fitness journey. A self-love journey.

No drama, no busy schedules, no boys. I’ll focus on myself. I’ll put myself first. No distractions.

Those were my thoughts that first weekend. I planned it. I did my research about what I wanted to do, eliminated the diets I didn’t think would work for me, and decided exactly what my game plan was going to be. I was going to change my whole lifestyle, one day at a time…

…One chicken and rice meal at a time.

December 2018 vs May 2019

I knew I needed simplicity in order to get started. It's important to note that I did move on to introducing healthier types of rices to my diet (cauliflower rice and brown rice), among other foods are make me feel nourished and happy. But that was a process that happened overtime. I needed simplicity and comfort at first. 

So I kept it simple. Being prepared for the journey helped my mindset. It may not work for everyone, but it helped me a lot. Those first steps allowed me to get my mindset on track. I needed the preparation. But it's okay if you don't. Prepare, or not.

Just do it.

There isn't one single road.

Find what works for you.

Find a method that suits you and your life. 

Find what's right for you.

Commit to it.

Kick. Some. Booty.

Live, let live, and be kind to people. 

–Cabi