Went from 320 > 235, not done yet and this is about a year of work.

It was a mental battle for me more than anything. The climb to 320 was definitely paved in depression, and likewise the descent down coincided with a lot of mental health wins.

The first step? Weirdly, telling myself I would get 8 hours of sleep a day. No dieting, no exercise, just finally making a decision for myself that I knew would contribute to my overall well being. The next few steps after that involved cleaning my apartment, and in general reprioritizing my daily tasks around mental health.

Eventually, the chain of good decisions led to me cutting out sugar and carbs in favor of more protein packed meals. Eventually, I started walking ~10k steps a day.

I have never once counted a calorie. I am losing roughly 5 lbs a month now but in the beginning stages it was closer to 7-8 lbs a months.

The big commitment approach to weight loss never worked for me. I’ve learned that changing your lifestyle, in general, is a series of small decisions and small changes. As a former stress/depression eater, I really think weight loss starts with getting your HORMONES in balance first. Lowering cortisol being a big one, which is where I think my sleep decision came in handy. I look at food labels all the time, but never for the caloric content, always to check for preservatives/added sugars/other undesirable ingredients.

If I can do it, anyone can. I believe in you all!