I’ve lost 114 pounds before.
Yep. You read that right.
And here I am, at 46, working on losing weight again.
For a long time, I think part of me felt like I should already know how to do this. After all, I’ve done it before.
But here’s something I’ve learned: Knowing how to do something and being in a place where you can actually do it are two very different things.
Life happens. Responsibilities change. Routines disappear. Priorities shift.
And sometimes, somewhere in the middle of taking care of everything and everyone else, you stop making yourself a priority.
That’s where I found myself.
I’ve done this before. But I’m not the same person.
About eight years ago, I lost 114 pounds by walking and tracking what I ate.
There wasn’t some magical secret.
I moved my body consistently, paid attention to my food, and kept showing up.
And it worked.
But I’m not the same woman I was eight years ago.
I’m 46 now. I’m navigating perimenopause, working two jobs, managing a household, and trying to create a life that feels peaceful instead of constantly overwhelming.
My body is different.
My schedule is different.
And honestly? My priorities are different, too.
I still want to lose weight, but I also want to feel stronger, have more energy, move more comfortably, and feel good about the way I’m taking care of myself.
This time, I don’t want my entire life revolving around a number on the scale.
Starting with 20 pounds
I have a bigger long-term goal, but right now, I’m focusing on losing 20 pounds.
Not because 20 pounds will magically change my life.
But because I’ve learned that looking too far ahead can make the journey feel overwhelming before you’ve even started.
Twenty pounds gives me something to work toward without making me feel like I have to accomplish everything at once.
And I’m not putting my life on hold until I get there.
I want to feel better while I’m working toward my goal.
Not just when I reach it.
Making movement part of my everyday life
One of the biggest changes I’ve made is bringing my walking pad into my home office.
I work from home, which sounds wonderful until you realize how easy it is to spend an entire day sitting.
And when you’re working two jobs, finding time for yourself can feel like one more thing on an already overflowing to-do list.
So instead of trying to create some elaborate workout schedule, I’m finding ways to move within the life I already have.
Sometimes that means a focused 30-minute walk.
Other times, it means walking slowly while I’m working at my standing desk.
And some days, it means doing what I can and calling that enough.
I’m learning that consistency doesn’t require perfection.
It requires finding something that works well enough to keep doing it.
The scale isn’t the whole story.
Don’t get me wrong. I still have a weight-loss goal, and I still want to see progress.
But I’m also learning to pay attention to other things.
Am I moving more than I was last month?
Do I feel better after a walk?
Am I building routines that support the person I want to become?
Am I keeping promises to myself?
Those things matter.
Because I can have a week when the scale doesn’t move and still be making progress.
And I refuse to let one number erase everything else I’ve accomplished.
I’m learning to give myself some grace.
This might be the hardest part.
I’m very good at setting expectations for myself.
I’m not always very good at being patient when I don’t meet them.
If I plan to walk five days and only manage three, my first instinct is to focus on the two days I missed.
But I’m working on changing that.
Three walks are still three walks.
Thirty minutes of movement is still thirty minutes of movement.
One better choice is still one better choice.
I don’t have to turn every imperfect day into a reason to start over on Monday.
I can just keep going.
Imagine that. 😂
This is what physical momentum looks like for me.
It’s not about punishing myself for gaining weight.
It’s not about chasing the woman I was eight years ago.
And it’s definitely not about pretending I suddenly love exercising every single day.
It’s about making my health a priority again.
It’s about building habits I can actually live with.
It’s about learning to appreciate what my body can do while working toward what I want it to do.
Some days will be easier than others.
Some weeks I’ll make more progress than others.
But I’m done believing that I have to do everything perfectly for any of it to count.
I don’t need to start over. I just need to keep moving forward.
One walk.
One healthier choice.
One promise to myself.
And then another.
Small steps. Real progress.
That’s physical momentum. ♡