A Personal Weight Loss Journey & 5 Tips to Keep You Encouraged by Farah Miltimore

Let’s take it back for a minute.

My weight has been something I battled with my entire life. 

I had been overweight my whole life, I was always a little chunkier than the other kids.  At the age of around 6 or 7 my parents realized that the weight wasn’t coming off and that’s when the appointments began. Starting at around the age of 6, I started seeing child psychologists, speciality pediatricians, nutritionists, personal trainers.  I went to child out reach centers, children’s hospitals…you name it I went there. 

I spent a good part of my life yo-yoing in weight.  I tried countless programs and fad diets, some would work and I would drop some weight and then the weight would just come right back on. 

My habitual routine of losing and gaining became my norm.  I started telling myself “what’s the point of dieting?  I am just going to put it back on!” and this cycle continued year after year.  I came back from my first year of University and I was my heaviest.  I put on the Freshman 40 and I felt my absolute worst.  So, the idea of weight loss surgery was brought up by me & my family.  We did some research and the most non-invasive procedure at the time was the lap-band surgery so I had it done.  I again dropped in weight but guess what…it came right back!  At that point, I gave up. 

Fast forward a few years, I got married and got pregnant with TWINS!  My body nurtured and cared for 2 incredible baby boys.  I again was at my heaviest but at that point I had given up on myself.  I kept repeating in my head that I was broken, that I couldn’t be “fixed” and that this was my forever.  My subconscious was preprogrammed from childhood that my body was broken so I lived in that victimhood and pain for years till one day I was done. 

January of 2018 I woke up feeling different.  Instead of a resolution I was going to give myself a word to live by for the year and that word was Joy.  I decided that I needed to find my joy again, that it needed to be centre stage which meant making me centre stage.  I knew that my body the way it was was not bringing me any joy; I knew that taking care of my body would help me find that joy.  So step one, I got a gym membership, step two, go to the gym…and I did!  Then I kept going, it was crazy, like blew my mind, I was getting happier.  I got rid of my emotional triggers, no scales, no measuring tape and no food restrictions. Just me and my joy, making our way through!  I stopped eating foods that made me fill my head with negative self-talk; I only ate foods that brought me joy.  I started noticing my pants getting looser; my shirts were fitting better and my energy levels sky rocket.  I got brave; I got selfish and started to fully take care of me. 

Then it clicked, the mindset to weight loss was finding joy and if it didn’t bring me joy it was cut.  I had to heal that little girl that thought she was broken; I gave her the validation she needed from herself not from anyone else.  My weight loss journey was finally for me and no one else.  I wanted to get healthy for me, not for my family, not for society but for me and that is when the weight was shed!  I healed emotionally which finally released the weight I was holding mentally and physically.  It was about doing it for me! 

I am going to leave you with 5 things you can do that really helped me! 

1. Take it one step at a time. Set small bite size tangible goals to accomplish every week. 

2. Dig deep and figure out what you need to heal to move on. 

3. Eat the foods that bring you joy; do not restrict your eating. Just eat!

4. Move that fine body! Find some form of movement that makes you happy and try new things.

5. Give yourself the grace when you slip because you will. The difference is this time you will bounce back.

January 2018 I was a size 22, today I am in a size 10 pant size.  In November of 2018 I had my lap band removed to heal the emotional hold it had on me, I was worried the weight would flood back but it didn’t, it kept coming off. 

I don’t know how many pounds I have lost, nor do I care.  I love my body regardless of what size my pants are.  Weight loss glorified for what it does for your body image but ladies it is about how it makes your soul feel!  It is about you and your joy. It is about knowing your worth and taking care of it.  So if you are ready to start or in it just know you are not alone and you got this!  

Keep going, keep smiling and love your body now, no matter what. 

Farah is a motivational speaker, personal branding and social media coach as well as a Mind to Body transformation coach. She is also the co-creator of Talk11. She has a love for bringing Joy into peoples lives. She has a passion for helping you see your super powers and owning them in all parts of your life. Farah has built multiple successful businesses and has left her mark in many industries as a person that uplifts & empowers those she works with.