Body Transformation

➡️In 2014, I weighed 363 lbs. I lost 130 lbs that year, but then gained it all back within 2 years.
I re-started my journey again in 2017, weighing 323 lbs.

📷 PHOTO ON LEFT: 7 months into my ‘re-started’ journey – weighing 240 lbs. I had already lost 83 lbs.
📷 PHOTO ON RIGHT: 18 months into my ‘re-started’ journey – weighing 165 lbs. Ive now lost 158lbs. (Total: 198 lbs from my heaviest).

I gave up the first time because I realized I would never have the ‘perfect’ body. It was too late – I had already destroyed my body. It wasn’t worth continuing my journey because nothing would change. So I gave up.

I am SO grateful for that weak moment. It was devastating, but it taught me to accept my body and its flaws. I will never be ‘perfect,’ but I choose to love myself and care for myself anyways. I choose to be gentle and supportive – to make sure I have what I need. That’s what my journey has taught me. Now, I stand here strong and powerful, and nothing can take that away from me.

I let negative thoughts win ONCE. It will NEVER happen again. Don’t let these things hold you back either. Your power and happiness is worth so much more than this. Be patient, make the effort and meet me in this place – no matter how long it takes. This is your journey. Anything worth having is worth the effort 💜🕉

Ioana_fit: – “Never stop believing in you. You may have ups and downs, you may feel at times that there’s no point, you may lack motivation and the list goes on.

We all go through the same phases. It is not easy but we have to be strong and keep going. Health is the most important and it’s one of the biggest contribution to your happiness, please appreciate it while you have it 😉. In case your weight stops you from performing simple activities that’s a red flag you need a change 🙏🏻 you don’t have to kill yourself with crazy diets, just small changes that you can keep on long term and help you feel better 😘.

I know that a lot of people accuse me that what I’m promoting is not body positivity because I advise people to lose weight. To me body positivity means loving yourself enough to keep your body and mind healthy 🙏🏻”

I’ve been maintaining my weight for 8 years since I lost 20 kg. These 5 habits were essential for healthy lifestyle.
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✅1.Eat breakfast. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It helps boosting metabolism throughout the day, and keeping yourself from overeating during lunch and dinner. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

✅2. Don’t “stress eat.”
Eating delicious food is one way to trigger your brain to release “beta-endorphine,” which is a natural “happiness” hormone that’s 200 times stronger than morphine. However, it’s not the only way to achieve the same result. Working out, laughing, looking at a beautiful scenery, and other activities that generally make you happy can lead to the same impact. So find your favourite stress-relief activity, other than eating 😊
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✅3. Enjoy your holidays without overindulging. Maintaining your hard-won weight loss requires change in lifestyle at a fundamental level. In any occasion, even over the weekend and holidays, don’t lose your ability to make a healthier choice.
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✅4. Try tight fitted clothes. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Sometimes, trying on tight fitted clothes keeps your body and posture in “check” 🙂 ⠀⠀⠀
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✅5. Save your “before” photos. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Your own “before and after” can be the best motivation for you! 😅It is not to scare yourself. Your before photos can be a great reminder to all the hard work you’ve made to achieve what you have!

My weightloss journey has been a journey of self discovery and finding the person I was destined to be. Life is so much better when you aren’t playing from the sideline!

I’m 61kg (134lb / 9.8 st) lighter and things have changed drastically. I’ve embraced fitness, I have learnt to run, starting off with the #c25k app and then this year joining the #runtheyear2018 running challenge.

I am a massive goal setter and have learnt how to break my goals down into manageable action items. I have learnt to focus on what I had to gain, not what I had to give up.

I am so thankful for all the support though out my journey from this incredible tribe of people. It’s so good to connect with people on the same journey and facing the same challenges I’m forever grateful – thank you 🙏🏼

A few people asked to see some transformation pictures, and after stalking myself on Facebook for a while I realized that I deleted most pictures from 3 years ago.
I remember feeling so lost and helpless because the goals I had seemed so far away, I would give up because I wouldn’t see changes after weeks of putting in work & that just didn’t seem fair to me.
I’ll be the first to admit that I have been blessed with some great genetics, but your genetics will never outweigh poor nutrition and lack of exercise. I used food as comfort for when I didn’t feel good about myself, which would often result in nightly binges on anything & everything in sight.
Lots of physical changes between these 2 pictures, but the mental shift I had is far beyond that. If you’re working towards a goal (fitness or non fitness) and it seems impossible and almost useless to try, hear me when I say it IS possible, and 100% worth it 💙 ” .

The physical transformation really means nothing without acknowledging the most important transformation – the mind 🧠

“As humans we are nothing but the stories we live and die by – so you’d better be careful what stories you tell yourself” – Nic Pizzolatto.

I used to live through stories I’d told myself over years of self doubt. I’d allow these stories to define me, identify me and hold me back from living my life.

Over the years, I’ve rewritten these stories. Hopefully this helps you realise your own.

UNTRUE STORY: I am fat and stupid and will never be successful
MY MEANING: I didn’t try because I didn’t want to fail. If I didn’t try it was my own fault. I thought I’d never be as smart as others, never be successful and never amount to anything. This was constantly played in my head.
THE TRUTH: Being overweight had no correlation to my intelligence or ability to be successful. It was only that I told myself these things.

UNTRUE STORY: People only like me when I’m drunk.
MY MEANING: I never felt comfortable being myself when I wasn’t partying. So I’d get as much liquid courage under my belt as I could so I’d feel comfortable in my own skin.
THE TRUTH: Not everyone likes me and that’s ok. I don’t have to be drunk to be liked. In fact, I was probably an absolute pain in the ass!

UNTRUE STORY: I will never be loved
MY MEANING: I’m so ugly and fat and disgusting, no one will ever love me. I’m going to be alone forever.
THE TRUTH: It’s hard to love someone who doesn’t have any love or respect for themselves. I wasn’t even open to letting anyone in, despite me telling myself that I wanted to.

REMEMBER: Losing weight is not just about losing weight. You go through an entire mental, physical and emotional transformation.

These are just a few of the stories and beliefs I used to live through.
What stories do you live through which hold you back from living your life?
Share below if you are comfortable 😊

I stood in front of that mirror feeling absolutely broken. I was buried so deep in the ground I didn’t know if I could ever reach the light. I was desperate for change; Yet, I felt hopeless that change could ever happen for me.

I took that photo a few days shy from my surgery date. The decision to undergo bariatric surgery was not easy. I was afraid. I was uncertain of how my life would change or if it would change at all. The latter of which is what I feared the most.

Fast forward 365 days and I stand in front of this mirror proud. In the past 12 months I’ve allowed myself the opportunity to flourish, to discover parts of myself I never knew existed, to find my passion in an unexpected avocation. Every single aspect of my life has changed, both mentally and physically. The first chapter of my journey might be over, but my story is still being written. 😜