The 100-Pound Journey: More Than Just a Number

It started with a number. 25. I was 25 years old, a new mom, and a few months shy of two years postpartum. My life felt like a movie montage playing on repeat: pregnancy, childbirth, a tiny human who needed me every second, and me, desperately trying to navigate the blurry landscape of motherhood.

I’d always been heavy. I remember the taunts, the whispers, the feeling of being different. Food was my solace, my comfort, my escape. Every disappointment, every heartbreak, every time I felt like I didn’t belong, I turned to food. It was my drug of choice, a way to numb the pain, to quiet the voices in my head.

At 25, I hit a breaking point. I couldn’t ignore the physical toll it was taking anymore. I knew I needed to change. So I started. I devoured fitness magazines, watched countless YouTube videos, and painstakingly learned how to move my body and nourish myself. It was a slow, arduous journey, but a year later, I had dropped 100 pounds.

I felt empowered, confident. I started running, pushing myself harder than I ever thought possible. I started lifting weights, the heavy ones, challenging myself to be stronger. My body transformed. I saw the reflection of a new me in the mirror.

But here’s the truth: fixing the outside didn’t fix the inside. The years of emotional baggage, the mental scars, the deep-seated self-doubt, they were still there. I had achieved this amazing physical transformation, but I wasn’t truly happy. I had to confront the demons I had been running from for so long.

And so, I began the most challenging part of my journey: the internal work. I started therapy, I explored my relationship with food, I learned how to manage stress and anxiety, and most importantly, I began to love myself, flaws and all.

Thirteen years later, I stand here, a testament to the power of resilience, and I can tell you this:

The inner work is crucial. It’s not enough to just change your body. You have to change your mind, your thoughts, your beliefs about yourself.

You will never love everything about your body. There will be days when you hate your thighs, your stomach, your arms. But learn to respect your body, for everything it’s done for you.

Find what works for you. Don’t let anyone tell you how to eat, how to exercise, how to live. This is your journey, and you get to choose what works for you.

Lift weights. Seriously. It’s not just about getting toned muscles. Weightlifting builds strength, resilience, and confidence, both physically and emotionally.

Work on your relationship with stress, coping mechanisms, and food. These are lifelong battles, but the more you understand them, the better equipped you are to deal with them.

This is a lifelong journey. Don’t set a goal and then expect to be done. It’s about continuous growth, continuous self-discovery, and continuous love for yourself.

I know you’re out there, reading this, maybe struggling with your own journey. My message is simple: you are not alone. You are worthy. You are strong. And you can do this. Just keep going, one step at a time. You are stronger than you think.