Tag: motivation

Transforming Setbacks into Strength: My Weight Loss Story

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t”. – Rikki Rogers

When you are on a weight loss journey, the path is often littered with obstacles, and injuries can feel like major setbacks. I know this first hand, as I’ve had major injuries throughout my journey. I’ve suffered three (3) femoral stress fractures and one (1) peroneal tendon repair surgery during my time as a long distance runner. These repeated injuries were behind my decision to step away from running and contributed to my emotional struggles and significant weight gain. I’ve learned the hard way, that the way you approach these challenges can make all the difference. A resilient mindset not only helps you navigate your physical limitations, but also empowers you to maintain motivation and sustain progress.

Embracing a positive outlook can transform an injury from a roadblock into an opportunity for growth, demonstrating that mental strength is just as vital as physical strength. I am working through this right now, as my recent MRI shows I have peroneal tendinitis in the arch of my right foot. There is also evidence of micro tears. For the past two years, I have been paying pickleball extensively, walking and doing yoga. I have been pain and injury free and thought I was over the hurdle of dealing with these types of injuries.

In the past, I allowed injuries to let me give up, so I know that I have to work hard to keep my focus and maintain a positive mindset. My last injury sent me on a downward spiral and left me 80 pounds heavier. I lost most of that weight and do not want to lose any momentum. I have been reminding myself daily, that this is just a bump in the road, not the end.

I have been doing a lot of reflection on moving through this setback. I focused on finding ways to use resilience. With that in mind, I needed a simplistic definition of what resilience is and how I could use it. I crafted the following plan to maintain motivation and mental strength, as I move toward recovery. What follows is my thought process and the plan I crafted to use moving forward.

What is Resiliency

Resilience is the ability to adapt and recover from setbacks, and it can be applied to both weight loss and overcoming injury.  Resilience is the ability to manage stress in effective ways. It’s not a choice of attitude, or something you’re born with. Rather, it is skills that can be developed by repeating specific behaviors.

This understanding led me to reflect on what skills I could employ as I navigate through my injury downtime.

Using Resilience When Overcoming Injury

With that definition in mind, what resilience skills could I employ when overcoming an injury, while trying to lose weight? Here are a few examples: 

  • Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and prioritize mental and emotional well-being 
  • Shift your perspective: Remind yourself that the injury is temporary. 
  • Continue to move your body: Modify movements to continue moving your body in any way that you can 
  • Follow through with a rehabilitation program: Put in the work to build strength 
  • Maintain a positive attitude: Focusing on the progress you’re making, not just the end goal

With these skills in mind, I made a list of specific actions I would take. I then narrowed it down to those I felt most reflect my personal struggle.

My Resiliency Action Plan

For each of the skills, I developed a specific action. My recovery time is 4-6 weeks and I will adjust this plan as necessary.

  • Practice self-compassion: I will recognize when I engage in negative self talk. I will notice and reframe those thoughts, thinking about what I would say to someone else who was in my shoes.
  • Shift your perspective: I will remind myself daily that this too shall pass. I will engage in reading and other activities I enjoy to pass the time.
  • Continue to move your body: I will pay careful attention to any pain I feel in my foot, as I engage in movement. I am able to continue with weight training routines, modifying anything that would involve that foot. I am able to take short and slow walks, skipping or modifying if I feel any pain during or after.
  • Follow through with a rehabilitation program: I will attend all PT sessions and follow up at home between appointments.
  • Maintain a positive attitude:  I will use the calendar to track my progress and celebrate milestones along the way.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, overcoming obstacles on your weight loss journey requires resilience and a positive mindset.

  • Setbacks are natural, so celebrate small victories and learn from challenges.
  • Stay flexible and adjust your goals as needed, and
  • Don’t hesitate to lean on your support system.

Remember, this journey is about more than just numbers; it’s about becoming a healthier, happier you. Keep pushing forward and embrace every step!

What strategies have you found most helpful in overcoming obstacles on your weight loss journey, and how did they change your perspective on setbacks? Please share in the comment section below, or send me an email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog.

Try Something New

“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough. Sometimes that’s a sign that something really good is about to happen. You’re about to grow and learn a lot about yourself” -Marissa Mayer

As we enter February, we may have lost some of our mojo when it comes to work out promises made at the New Year. The initial excitement about getting into shape may now be starting to wane. I know the crowds at the gym here have started to diminish greatly, as happens every year. It’s the same cycle every year and one that gets even the most well intentioned of us, myself included. This year however, I made a promise to myself that I would not give up on my journey during these cold winter days. This year, I made a promise to myself that I would not have to start over from scratch come spring.

Sometimes when motivation starts to dwindle, trying something new can be just the spark you need to keep going. Switching things up and adding some variety to your routines can be the ticket you to hold on. For me, I have added in very short runs to my week and started a WFPB (whole food, plant based) nutrition course. Both have served to peak my need to learn and grow and push through these moments of wanting to nest in my home under a blanket.

I was not planning to add a plant based certificate to my coursework, but have been struggling with some gut health issues recently. After researching and truly reflecting on it, I felt the time was right to explore my long standing difficulties with getting enough fiber in my diet without supplementation. I have a long history of not loving vegetables and irrational thinking about the sugar found in fruit. I decided it was time to dive deeply into the world of plant based nutrition and felt WFPB was the best place to start. I was definitely not sure I would be able to survive, much less thrive, if I only ate whole plant based foods.

This is my second week of eating WFPB and I must admit that I actually do feel better. I had some diverticulitis symptoms and was beginning to worry, but this week I haven’t felt the nagging pain on my left side following eating. It’s far too soon to tell the true impact, but I am most definitely motivated to keep going. I am excited to continue to learn and try new foods and track my growth in the process.

If you are feeling stuck and losing motivation to eat healthy, workout or do any of the things you loved, consider trying something new and see if it reignites your passion. Is there something you’ve been wanting to do, but haven’t? It can be anything, not just health related items. Have you always wanted to learn to crochet?, Wanted to learn about plant based cooking? Whatever it is, do it! It could be just what you need to climb out of the winter freeze and move into the spring thaw with stronger motivation. 

In my case, I knew my intake of vegetables and fruits was weak. I started thinking about it and researching it. I then took the following steps:

  • Learn – It’s important to engage in the process of learning new information. It is great for your brain and can build excitement around the process, as well as give you the tools you need to try it.
  • Add On – What are you already doing that this new learning will improve? I love to cook and was excited to add new recipes, ingredients and meals to my repertoire. As a health coach, I knew I would interact with clients who have different preferences for their foods and wanted to build a better knowledge around this topic.
  • Connect – Find others who share your passion. One of the blessings of social media is that you can find your tribe as you learn and grow. I found a group of WFPB people who have offered support and ideas as I learn. 
  • Push Through – Decide to do it and really try to stick to it. Focus on progress not perfection and do what you feel you can commit to right now. In my case, I went cold turkey, but that is because I am not working full time. If I was still working, I would have likely committed to add one WFPB meal to each day. 

Whatever you decide to do, give yourself grace. The goal is to spark motivation, not overwhelm yourself. Remember, it’s the small steps that add up to big change, but that won’t happen if we get overwhelmed. For example, if you want to learn to crochet, don’t set out to make an afghan right from the start. It’s likely best to start with making one chain of stitches. Once you have that down, move to making one full square block. Finally, over time you will move to making an afghan blanket. Using these small steps over time, you will hold on to your motivation as you celebrate those successful moments along the way.

I’m excited to hear about your new passions and how they helped motivate you to keep moving forward. Please do reach out to share them with me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog , on Instagram @reclaiminghealthblog , or in the comment section below.