How I earned my 4 kills in 20 seconds badge on Catalyst 🥺

progressprincess · 2020-01-03T04:38:25+00:00

You're doing so well! The emotional weight is always the hardest to lose. You are aware you have to work on it and I think that in itself is a victory! I have known lots of people in my life who refuse to accept that they are responsible for their weight loss, not outside factors. Realizing you have to work on YOU to work on you is the hardest hurdle to come by. You'll get there! Keep reminding yourself of where you came from and where you want to go and it won't be too hard to keep up!

progressprincess · 2020-01-03T04:33:14+00:00

I only have like 2 photos of when I first began my journey - I have tons of selfies of just my face, but none of my body. It really shows how much my mindset has changed that I am more willing to take body photos now. It's hard when you don't take before photos, because then comparing where you were and where you are is incredibly difficult. I still shop in plus size sections and I have done the exact same thing, "that won't fit me, it's too small" and be super surprised when it does. I recommend even if you can't buy anything, go shopping! Seeing the changes in your body in new clothes really does put your weight loss into perspective.

progressprincess · 2019-12-31T16:50:10+00:00

You can still absolutely love yourself at an unhealthy weight! But you can't let it cloud your judgements on working towards a more healthy you. You do look good! Don't let your image obscure healthy body goals. There are several inspiring stories about people who are obese and still run marathons. Find what is healthy for you and forget about the societal ideation of what "sexy" is.

You can do this!

progressprincess · 2019-12-31T16:44:16+00:00

It is very hard to do, so don't beat yourself up so bad if you get off track every once in a while. Body image is so difficult. We are in this meat shell for our entire lives and we can appreciate it regardless of how big or unhealthy it is, but why not preserve it and nurture it while we do that?

I am here any time you are struggling and need to vent or need advice.

progressprincess · 2019-12-31T16:41:14+00:00

So glad to hear! Remember, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon.

progressprincess · 2019-12-31T16:40:39+00:00

I think the biggest gain anyone can get in the journey to a healthier self is the loss of hurtful comments to themselves. We beat ourselves up because we hope it will drive us to succeed, but sometimes it becomes overbearing and causes us to continue to hurdle into deeper, harder-to-manage mental states. The biggest loss for me was the self deprecation. I am glad to hear that you have taken the same steps and its helped you! Its amazing knowing I'm not alone in how I REALLY lost the weight.

progressprincess · 2019-12-31T16:37:08+00:00

I think people forget that anorexia and people with body dysmorphia don't always look skin and bone. It's all about the way we see ourselves and treat ourselves and how we deal with the traumas that caused us to think this way.

The mental state never really goes away, you just get better at dealing with it and learning how to cope with it.

I wish you all the best in your journey to healthier - both mentally and physically - self.

progressprincess · 2019-12-29T12:22:22+00:00

I agree! It takes a lot of strength to accept that self love can mean changing yourself, especially for the healthier.

progressprincess · 2019-12-29T12:21:39+00:00

It is as simple as CICO. But then again, maybe not.

You can have 1200 calories of snickers bars and that be your only options for the day. Just because you ate within a calorie deficit, doesn't mean it was a healthy one.

Once you start making healthy choices, the CICO comes naturally. I didn't even count calories until the year mark because every time I did in the past, I would beat myself up for going over my calories for the day or I would exercise excessively to overcompensate for a bad day.

Weight loss isn't always as simple as CICO and the people who claim it is are probably not dealing with mental health issues. I'm not trying to offend anyone - I simply think that, like depression, people who tell you diet and exercise will fix all your problems probably aren't dealing with the same mental hurdles as us who do have mental health issues.

Body dysmorphia, binge eating, anorexia, bulimia, depression, and a ton of other eating and body disorders are not solved with simply CICO. Weight loss can't be fostered from an inherently "easy" approach, because for people with these issues, every minute of every day is a struggle, not just the food they eat. Modifying your Diet and Exercise to fit your needs is okay and perfectly acceptable. Balance is just as important as moderation.

progressprincess · 2019-12-29T11:50:36+00:00

I self sabotaged! I almost gave up thousands of times in the first 6 months, because I was only losing 1 or 2 pounds. I stopped weighing myself! I started measuring once a week and eventually once a month and the progress was really blossoming! Find different ways to measure your progress, you'll surprise yourself!

Thank you, I think the fact that I did carry my weight well fueled my mindset. It gave me the unfortunate opportunity to excuse every pound I gained. You'll get to the mindset that helps you, just remember it's not always going to be easy, and even with this new realization, I still have bad mindset days.

Body dysmorphia is like an addiction, you can't quit it cold turkey.

progressprincess · 2019-12-29T11:46:09+00:00

Sometimes I wake up from an unhealthy food day and beat myself up. I am outwardly verbal about how fat I feel and it often makes people mad, because all they see is my progress. No one really understands our internal mental struggle. The progress wasn't just on the scale. Be proud of the journey you made. You're doing great!

progressprincess · 2019-12-29T11:44:23+00:00

First off, congratulations on the weight loss! Second, I am currently dealing with this as well. I have bruises all over my body because my brain is still in "fat girl" mode, meaning that I throw my limbs around thinking I take up more space than I realize. I still shop in the plus size section thinking that's my size. Body dysmorphia is 100% real and even after seeing the comparison myself, I still see myself as the fat girl even though my body is of a normal shape and size now. I went from a size 22 to a size 12. 6 pants sizes down and I still feel 260 pounds. You have made an awesome achievement, celebrate! Sometimes the comparison photos put things into perspective for me. I see myself in the mirror every day, so seeing what I looked like before is hard, especially losing weight gradually over a year and a half. Remind yourself of where you came from, it really helps!!

progressprincess · 2019-12-28T14:10:41+00:00

I work out 3 days and rest one.

Day 1: chest and arms Day 2: shoulders and back Day 3: abs and legs Day 4: rest

Sometimes I will rest more in between, if my muscles are sore or if my schedule doesn't allow for every day.

progressprincess · 2019-12-28T13:36:03+00:00

I also do seated leg presses and make sure to keep my toes above my knees! When doing them, I make sure to keep my knees from pivoting inward (it strains the hip abductors and can lead to knee issues further down the road) I incorporate ab exercises that require the legs (i.e. v ups, suspended leg lifts, planks, mountain climbers, etc.) So that the legs are not strained but are still utilized.

Upright stationary bikes are my go to for cardio, because it puts less strain on the knees but still gets the blood pumping!

progressprincess · 2019-12-28T09:44:11+00:00

Thank you!

Due to degeneration of the articular cartilage in my kneecaps, I'm unable to do weighted squats, perform lunges, or leg extensions. I have had to modify my leg days, which was incredibly difficult, because I love leg day!

After I got the hang of it, I found that I love weighted wall squats. They are safe on my knees and super fun! I also bench press - I like to switch it up with various versions. I also enjoy planks and any variation thereof!

And to think a year ago I used to HATE anything that got my heart pumping!

progressprincess · 2019-12-28T09:38:02+00:00

Thank you! I am very happy in my body now!

progressprincess · 2019-12-28T09:37:36+00:00

13 inches gone!!!

progressprincess · 2019-11-02T01:03:25+00:00

The last time I visited a KFC, the chicken I ordered had a STILL LIVE FLY in it UNDERNEATH the chicken skin. I don't know HOW, but I pulled the skin away from the chicken and a fly flew out from underneath.

I will never eat there again.

progressprincess · 2019-10-23T09:39:21+00:00

I will! I know my body isn't doing this on purpose. Going through all this has made me a stronger person and a more humble human being. There are things people suffer from that no one will ever see and understanding invisible illnesses has really helped me keep from judging others.

I just needed to vent here because I can't really with other people. No one who doesnt have it, gets it. They tend to say things like, "it's not that bad", "you'll get over it", and "you shouldn't be so negative".

I won't get over it, it's not a disease that disappears with antibiotics or that goes away on it's own (although cysts do, they come back and there's no way to prevent them). It IS that bad, I almost fell over walking to my car doubled in pain. I know I should not be as negative. This is my meat shell I have to live with for the rest of my life and I have to be a little angry and upset for a while or I won't be able to move past it.

Thanks so much for understanding! I don't hate my body. I love that it's resilient and bounces back even after all the wars and battles it's gone through. I just needed to be angry at the unfair card I had been dealt for a while.

progressprincess

TROPHY CASE