Losing 40 at 40: My Weight Loss Story
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Goal: Lose weight
Result: No weight lost.
Goal: Lose weight.
Result: A few pounds lost, all gained back.
Goal: Lose weight.
Result: 40 lbs lost for wedding. 40 lbs gained back in 4 years after wedding.
Goal: Lose weight.
Result: Let’s just not discuss it. Sigh.
Familiar to anyone? For me, it’s a never-ending battle. Since college, I’ve played the yo-yo game. Did the whole Weight Watchers thing. That’s as far as I went with diets because taking ANYthing completely out of my diet ensures a big, fat failure on my part. However, I was growing tired of counting points and/or calories.I really wanted to end my thirties and start my forties a few several pounds lighter. That actually happened. Between summer of 2016 and now, I have lost 44 lbs. I had set 2 goals for myself. That “dream weight goal” that I realize will probably never happen and the “I’d be okay with that” weight goal that is realistic.
Today, I am 5 pounds under my wedding weight and just 6 pounds from the “I’d be okay with that” realistic weight goal. I can’t say that it was always done the right way, but I can say that most of it happened unintentionally and all of it happened without counting a single calorie or stepping into a gym.
Now, I know what you are saying and thinking. Yeah, right. Whatever. No such thing. I hate her.
I get it. I’ve been there. Keep in mind, I admitted right from the start that I didn’t always do it the right way. I mostly have Trimm Travels to thank. Contrary to popular belief, travel blogging isn’t just flying to amazing destinations, throwing a photo up on Instagram and calling it a day. It’s getting up very early, going hard all day long, taking sometimes 50 of the same shot to get that one I will use and then getting in late…only to then fire up the computer to work into the late hours of the night. Wait, there are TVs in hotel rooms you say?
Don’t get me wrong, I am not complaining at all. I realize the amazing opportunity I have and am 100% grateful. I’m just saying travel bloggers work for it. Hard.
So about that going hard all day long. I will average 6-8 miles per day when on a trip. My personal best is 13.9 miles in a day. That was in Philadelphia. My second best was 12.4 miles in Amsterdam. This probably speaks for itself on how a lot of the weight loss occurred.
In November 2016 after getting home from overseas, I went straight into catching up on work and hosting my family’s Thanksgiving. This went straight into travel before Christmas and getting ready for Christmas…which led into celebrating my 40th birthday, New Year’s Eve, in New York.
Have I been breathing? Not sure, so I’ll take an extra few breaths here just in case! From January to March, I had a lot to catch up on and would be working so much that daily by 2-3pm, I would wonder why my head was hurting. Oh right. I had not eaten lunch. Eating that late, I wouldn’t be hungry for dinner.
My travel schedule picked up in March 2017 and I’ve been gone every month since then. You get the point.
Those were the unintentional and not so recommended ways that weight loss occurred. Now let’s talk about my intended, positive contributions.
I have a huge addiction to cheeseburgers, french fries, and diet coke. Especially if said cheeseburger, french fries and diet coke are from McDonald’s. In December of 2014, I stopped eating at McDonald’s in an effort to combat this issue. It’s now been 2.5 years since I’ve eaten at a McDonald’s. It was definitely hard in the beginning, but now I don’t miss it. I would allow myself to eat a burger outside the US because sometimes when traveling, your choices are limited or you are so tired that you just want something familiar. Now that I am far enough removed from the temptations of wanting a burger, I will allow myself to eat one here and there in the US (but still not from McDonald’s).
I also cut out fried food and soda. Anyone who knows me well will tell you that cutting out soda was nearly impossible for me. I am the biggest diet coke fan on the planet. Seriously. Once again, I will allow myself to drink it when I’m traveling as a treat. The thing is…the treat starts not tasting like a treat after a while. It’s just not as good as it used to be. At all.
The hardest part of all of this? Making sure I don’t squander away how good I feel with 40 lbs off. That’s the real test. Keeping it off.
One day at a time.
No counting anything.
Allowing myself an occasional forbidden treat.
Now, for the evidence. Warning: Cell phone pics below. True transparency. 🙂
Before Photos
July 2016
August 2016
In Progress
Thanksgiving 2016
40th Birthday, December 31, 2016
After Photos
June 2017
July 2017
July 2017
July 2017
Valentine’s Day decorations might still be on my dining room table. In August. My closet may still contain my heavy winter clothes and boots. In August. Anyone who knows me well probably wouldn’t believe that from this Type A, cleans-her-closet-out-twice-per-year-and-always-changes-out-seasonal-decorations girl.
However, if having out-of-season decorations on my table and out-of-season clothes in my closet results in the ability to keep up with this amazing new endeavor AND this weight loss…then please, may I always have the wrong decorations on my table and the wrong season of clothes in my closet.
This Type A girl just might have a little Type B in her after all.
Goal: Weight loss
Result: 44 lbs lost and counting
This is 40.
Do you have a weight loss story you want to share? Leave me a comment because I’d love to hear about it and besides, you know you want to tell it! 😉
‘Til next time…
Trimm Travels,
So what was your protocol that you followed. You look great
Hi Martha! Thank you, I appreciate that! I actually didn’t follow a set protocol other than cutting out fried food and soda and not eating at McDonald’s because it was my personal downfall/struggle. I was very firm about not wanting to count anything or cut anything completely out of my diet. Both times I’ve lost a lot of weight have been from eating less and exercising more. But I would forget to eat and that isn’t good. It shuts down your metabolism and then you don’t lose! Thanks for reading!
You look amazing in the after photos, but you should have posted one in your crops and a tee shirt. You can REALLY see the weight loss in those! So proud of you!
Thanks Mom! And true! Maybe I will do an update with one of those pics and a couple of others from this week!
You look great Heather. Congratulations on weight loss and your Travel Agency. Living the life for sure. You look like you did at the wedding. Tell Jim hi for us. Bruce sends his love.
Thank you Linda! I will tell him. Hope you and Bruce are doing well, tell him hi for me! Thanks for reading! 🙂
Loved reading your weight loss story! You look fantastic!
Thank you so much and thanks for reading! 🙂
So proud of you! You look terrific! Such dedication! I enjoy looking at your travel pictures! Glad you get to visit all of those places.
Thank you Gail! Thanks so much for reading and your encouragement!
Heather you have always been beautiful, but you look amazing!!!!? I so enjoyed reading your blog story and look forward to reading along!!! We are in Evans , Ga now but Cierra is in Bham! I’ll tell her about your blog!! God Bless!
Hi Debbie! Thank you and thanks for following and sharing! I appreciate it! Did Cierra move back recently? Hope everything is great in Evans! 😉
Yes they moved back in December of last year and bought a house across from Briarwood High School! She just had our 2nd little granddaughter, now 4 months old! They moved from Miami and love to Travel!! Jason has our first granddaughter that is now 3 1/2and they are expecting another girl on Thanksgiving Day! I keep up with Holly and adorable little fellow Colton on facebook! We hope we get to move back to Bham in a couple of years! I know your Mom and Dad love you doing this!! I can’t wait to share your blog with Cierra! She misses Israel and Rome a lot! I’m sure you’ll have lots to catch up on! You look awesome and best wishes with your new travel adventures!! God Bless you and your husband! cierrabragan @gmail.com
That’s awesome! So much excitement for you guys! Yes, we are having a lot of fun with Colton!
Heather,
I know you told me the story, but, there is something about reading vs. hearing it. I’m looking forward to see what else you decide to share. Especially your cruise memories! I am super thankful to have met you and can’t wait to see your aspect of the trip. ? Ya!
Thank you Amy! Yes, I totally get the hearing vs reading thing. I’m actually way more of a visual person myself! I am also very thankful to have met you and your wonderful family! I had the best time and can’t wait to hear more of your exciting stories with the girls!! 🙂
Inspiring post Heather! I’ve had those ups and downs with weight too. Last week, we went to the doctors and both my husband and I were told that we need to drop a few. Even though it’s just before the holidays, we jumped right One it. It’s been six days and I’m down 2.2, with about 20 to reach a healthy weight, maybe 30 to be extra happy! I’ve done it before, but I need to figure out how to sustain it. Thanks for the burst of inspiration – you look fabulous!
Hey Karen! Thanks so much! It’s forever and up and down battle, isn’t it? Over 2 pounds in 6 days is great! And right here at Christmas, got to hand it to you! Sustaining is the issue. Hopefully, I will last this time…maybe! LOL!
I wouldn’t recognize you if I saw you!!! You should come dance at gym because it is fun though!!!! You LOOK BEAUTIFUL!!!! I’m working on my 40 lb loss now!!!
Thanks girlie! This article is from August, so my grand total is 52 lbs now (maybe I should do an update?), but it isn’t so much you wouldn’t recognize me! 😜 Dancing at the gym is fun! Finding the time is the issue. I know you can do it too because I’ve personally seen you do it before! Get it!
You look incredible, Heather! Thank you for sharing this. I really enjoy follow your blog too!
Hi Holly-Thank you sooo much girl! I really appreciate it. Hope you’re doing well and thank you for reading and following! 🙂
Hello, Amazing story. You look really amazing now after loosing weight but I wonder how you lose weight fast? What plan you followed or what workout you did for weight lose.
Hi Mark-Thank you! I need to update it because I lost a total of 54 pounds. I didn’t follow a certain plan, workout or diet and that was what was most successful for me. I made sure I was moving more than I was eating. Traveling a lot helped with that. I average 6-8 miles (walking) a lot of days when I travel. I eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. It’s the only thing that has worked long-term for me. Thanks for reading! 🙂
You look fantastic! It sounds like your diet changes were very sensible. Not as much about restriction as to paying attention and being active. Best of all, I know you probably feel so much better!
Hi Juliann-Yes, you are correct. I feel much better-thank you so much and thanks for reading! 🙂
Wow! I just came across this post (from social media somehwere), and love the way you set your mind to losing weight. However, (bear in mind I am 38 years old), I always thought you were about 10 years younger than me as I have been following you for a long time but don’t know you personally! Seriously, I thought you were early 30’s! Just had to say this. 😀 I know this post was written a few years ago, so I hope you are still keeping fit and healthy, espeically in these crazy times 🙂
Hi Danik-THANK YOU!!! Well, that just made my week…or year! Seriously, thank you so much! Yes, this was a few years ago (I’m 43 now) and I’ve kept it off still going strong. Total weight loss was 54 lbs and I allow myself a 5 lb fluctuating range. Thank you so much again for the compliment! 🙂 And thanks for reading and following! 🙂