How significantly can life change in a mere 60 days? Quite a bit, it turns out. The smallest shifts, or as I like to call them ‘dial adjustments,’ can lead to extraordinary outcomes.
My journey began in a chiropractor’s office, dealing with mild back pain 60 days ago. There, in the waiting room, I confronted a difficult truth: had I let myself become out of shape and uncomfortable in my own body? The realization was as obvious at least to me. My present condition was the result of my lifestyle choices. It was my moment of accountability—I had not been caring for my health.
What I’m about to share isn’t a detailed blueprint for weight loss, nor is it a diet or exercise mandate. Instead, it’s the story of my personal journey towards healthier living and the methods that worked for me.
My voyage began around nine months ago when I started an irregular journaling routine. Journaling, when done consistently, can be incredibly beneficial. I started writing down sporadic thoughts in late August 2022, gradually shaping these random musings into structured, daily-focused reflections by mid-December.
The turning point came on April 5th, during a routine chiropractic appointment. That moment, coupled with the self-reflective power of journaling, led to some profound questions about my health, igniting my journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
I started by monitoring my weight every morning, and the scale served up a hard truth: 224.4 lbs. For someone who stands at 5’10”, I knew this was far from ideal. I needed to make changes, and altering my diet seemed like the most straightforward first step.
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Breakfast: Two eggs on two slices of buttered white toast. (Still the same this morning)
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Lunch: Either leftovers or a Huel protein shake.
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Dinner: Varied dishes, focusing more on portion control.
This new regimen worked wonders for me. The breakfast and lunch kept me full, reducing snack cravings.
Throughout this journey, consistent journaling and daily weight documentation were instrumental. I didn’t expect the scale to decrease every day; my goal was a gradual downward trend over time.
There were moments of indulgence, such as the pizza binge on May 19th, 2023 or the Sushi Train the following night. I knew these occasional lapses wouldn’t derail me as long as I stayed committed to the overall process.
As of my morning weigh-in today, the scale read 204.8 lbs. (Update: 204.5 on Tuesday 6/6) That’s a 19.6 lbs decrease in just 60 days. Not only do I feel physically better, but I’ve also gone down a shirt size.
My initial aim was simply to find an approach to lose some weight, and feel comfortable in my own body. However, I found a note from December that mentioned a goal of 185 lbs by May’s end. If the current trend continues, I should reach that goal by mid-to-late July. The next phase of my health journey as it becomes more of an obsession is to include adding simple exercise routines to my daily life, which I initiated on June 5th. (This was a fail last evening, tonight is looking like the more ideal start.)
The primary goal of this journey was not to adhere rigidly to a weight loss blueprint. Instead, it was to devise a method to healthily shed some weight —a method that I could naturally incorporate into my life. Adjusting my diet and maintaining mindfulness about my choices led to significant improvements. My aim was to foster a healthy obsession with understanding my body and the lifestyle that best suits it.
Living with intention, I believe, is critical, and journaling is a potent tool that facilitates it. Incorporating routines into your journaling can help you focus on what matters most.
Photo by Matt Palmer on Unsplash
