I will be the first to admit that this summer I enjoyed a season of maintenance. I know when you lose a whole bunch of weight, people expect you to simply get to your goal so it can all be over, but unfortunately for me, it didn’t work out that way.

I was simply tired of the weight loss battle and combine that with the stress of Covid-19 while running a fitness business; I really had no energy to give to losing any more weight. I wanted a break from thinking about it and being hard on myself.

So, I made a conscious personal decision in March of 2021 to enter maintenance mode until September 2021 and didn’t tell a soul because I wasn’t interested in other people’s opinions. I gave myself permission to breathe, for my body to adjust to a large amount of weight loss, and for my heart to heal from the trauma the excess weight had placed on it. I believe there are times we need to challenge ourselves and times we need to heal ourselves. Life is about balancing both.

The truth is as a fitness coach for the past 20 years, I know how to lose weight, and I have proved that by losing over 120 lbs and keeping it off for well over a year. But after losing so much weight over a 2-year period, I was simply tired of thinking about it. It is not something that is easy to explain to people. Some will call you a quitter, while others think you lack motivation, but the truth is – until you have lost a large amount of weight, you won’t understand, and that is okay. Regardless of how much weight a person wants to lose, it is not easy. I had gained my weight as a means of survival in a bad circumstance and that takes more than a diet to heal from.

Weight loss is exhausting both physically and emotionally. It is not something you can quit overnight. You still must eat each day, unlike other habits where the substance gets eliminated. Sure, I had to give up hard habits like eating in front of the television, but anyone who has had to lose weight knows that each meal is a battle because our world is surrounded by food. We need food to survive, but we must also learn how to eat properly to lose weight and exercise daily (the right way) without excuses.

When I first started losing weight seriously 3 years ago, it took a lot of my energy. Losing weight is on your mind from the moment you wake up until the time you go to sleep. It is this burden that weighs heavily on your shoulders that seems almost impossible to carry. 

The worst part is your self-worth is so deeply attached to your physical appearance because it is how the world sees you. I know I am judged by my weight all the time, even with the weight disappearing people cannot help themselves, it is part of being human and I do my best to not let it get the best of me, but it is still a struggle.

When the weight first started to come off, it was more a feeling of disbelief. For years my self-worth had been trampled on and it was no surprise that finding the confidence to lose weight was a challenge all by itself. To lose weight, you really must believe you can lose weight because all those little voices in your head will try to keep you comfortable and if I can share anything, it is this – the only way to lose weight is to get uncomfortable in your workouts, your food choices, and in your thoughts and beliefs.

Why am I sharing this with you? I want you to be ready before you begin or continue your own weight loss journey so you can reach your goals. My hope for you is you take a moment and think about what you want for yourself and why.

September is my favourite month because it feels like a fresh start. It is a month where I create goals and challenges for myself, and I am inviting you to join me over the next two weeks while we plan for the fall season to create a fitness strategy that will help you strive for your goals.

I am inviting you to join me Monday, August 23rd at 8 pm for a FREE Session where I will share the 7 Tips I used for my weight loss success and we will take some time to help you clarify your goals for September. If you would like to join in, here is the Zoom link to sign up with and I sure hope I see you there! Coach Rachel Seay