Lisa wrote:

“I like that saying. Will be using it on my weight loss journey as a mantra. Also, can you tell us about setbacks, if any, that you had? I’d love to hear how you overcame them. I just started following you, so I may have missed a post about that.”

I have been fortunate.  My weight loss trajectory is below.  I’ve been stable for a year and a half now.  I continue to eat the same way I did when losing weight. I don’t “cheat.”  I don’t go hungry.  I grocery shop.  I cook.  I prepare healthy foods in advance.  I travel with my food.  I eat the same breakfast every day.  I don’t eat food to please other people.

The blip you see in the weight there is “water” weight after an appendix operation.  I had to stop doing resistance training for 6 weeks after the operation, so I instead spent more time on the treadmill and significantly improved my performance there.

Two months ago, I experienced a tremendous amount of neck pain.  I’ve had 2 operations for herniated discs in my neck.  These and other health problems (and breaking a chair in a crowded restaurant!) helped to motivate me.  But with the severe pain, I didn’t do much exercise for a month.  After seeing my neurosurgeon and getting an MRI that showed no new damage, I am getting back on track with exercise.  Consistency over time, I believe, is more important than a “no pain, no gain” philosophy.

I believe that exercise is important, but that food choices are 2/3 of the battle in losing weight.