It's been three weeks since I started my weight loss journey. Here's where I am, what I changed, and what I'm working on next.
If you missed the start, my first video tells the story of how the weight came on, most of it this past year.
The numbers
I started at 192.7 pounds. Three weeks later, I've lost 3.7 pounds, and I can feel it.
I also measure every week. Here's what changed:
Waist: 2.76 inches
Left leg: 2.36 inches
Right leg: 2.36 inches
Right arm: 1.18 inches
Left arm: 0.79 inches
Under bust: 0.79 inches
One thing I noticed: my waist and legs dropped by almost the same amount, and so did my arms and under bust. I don't know enough about this to say why, but it was interesting to see.
The big change: exercise
The main thing I changed was exercise, and for me that's a big deal. I've never been someone who exercises or knows the right form.
I was given a workout that fits me: not too long, and doable for someone who isn't used to training. I do it at home with weights, plus walking for cardio, four times a week, in the evening. I stop what I'm doing and go work out.
Some days I was too exhausted to do it well. Since it's four times a week, I swapped that day for a rest day and did the workout the next day instead. I came back with much more energy and a better workout. Doing it well matters more than forcing it.
Food: one thing at a time
I haven't changed much about what I eat. I cook, I eat a wide variety of balanced food, and I still go out and eat what I want. No restrictions.
That's a deliberate choice. I want to focus on one thing at a time, and right now that's exercise. I've never dieted or restricted food, so my metabolism hasn't been through the ups and downs that restrictive diets can cause. I don't plan to change my food for November or December.
What has shifted is how I think about it. I pause more often and ask, "Should I eat this or that?" and make the best choice I can in the moment.
Two other changes:
Eating dinner earlier, at 5:30. I used to eat very late. Eating earlier helps me sleep better, and my digestion is better.
Water, still a work in progress. I have a one-liter glass jar I'm supposed to fill each morning, and I haven't been doing it. That's my focus for the next few weeks.
How I feel
I have so much more energy. The exercise is what made the difference, and it's what got me those almost four pounds.
Every self-help book and course I've taken includes exercise, and for years I didn't think I needed it. At 47, I'm glad I'm finally building it into my life, because there's no other option. I'm healthy, but carrying extra weight won't help my heart, my organs, my flexibility, or my ability to go out and do adventurous things.
Three weeks in, exercising feels like part of my life. I feel like someone who exercises.
What's next
I see this as a year-long journey. I'm fine with slow, as long as I'm building new habits and a new lifestyle. Along the way, I want to learn new recipes and make good tweaks to my food too.
Making these updates helps me stay accountable to habits that don't come naturally to me. My next update will be at the end of November, so we can look at a full four weeks.
I'm not doing this the traditional way. I'm a very type B person, so it won't be super structured, but it's happening.
A closing thought
Is this new for you too? Tell me how you're going about it, and send me any questions you'd like me to answer in the next update.
Ready to stop reacting and start responding?
The Unbothered Woman Bundle is a 3-month, 1:1 journey with me. We work on the patterns you grew up with, so they stop running your life and you can live from grounded self-trust.
Explore The Unbothered Woman Bundle →
Not ready for 1:1? Start with my free toolkit for staying unbothered. Get the free toolkit →
With love,
Zulma · The Unicorn Shift
