Healthy Life Hacks: Journey to Health

Ever had this experience; you wake up one morning, waddle into the bathroom, you peep at your reflection in the full mirror as you normally would. Only this time, it’s as if you’re seeing your reflection for the first time and it’s not pretty. You think to yourself
“Well that cannot be me, when did I get this big?”
Yup, that was me beginning of the year 2013, February specifically. It was the beginning of my second semester junior year in college. I had been putting on a lot of weight since 2010 (freshman 15) or in my case Freshman 50. However it was as if I had been blind to it all.

Right before my brilliant realization I had taken one of my yearly trips home to see my amazing parents. (A titbit about them) Mum has always been concerned about my weight and health(both completely synonymous to her) Dad on the other hand always made me aware that he thought I was beautiful. But this time, this trip, even he became alarmed at just how large his little girl had become.

The way you see Yourself

Like every important aspect of our lives, living healthy begins in the mind. How we view ourselves will influence how we approach life. When we view our bodies with value, we begin to care for it. I never considered myself beautiful. I didn’t think I was ugly though, I just thought I fell somewhere in the middle closer to ugly than beautiful. I considered myself one of those people you had to get to know well enough before you saw whatever beauty they possessed (progressive beauties LOL). I also thought I was fat, even before the freshman 50. It’s no wonder I added all that weight and didn’t even realize it. Stress eating, binge eating, out of boredom, celebratory eating, hunger pangs, cravings(I get those like a preggers woman). Funny thing though, I don’t eat large portions. I just ate the wrong things and at the wrong times. And my body? Well it had no external value to start with right?

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." 3Jn2

I didn't see this girl...

So back to it. February 2013 I decided I was a tad too large and it was time to take action. It began with just wanting to lose weight but then it progressed as I began to appreciate and yearn for a healthier life. Fast forward to the present, I’m here in Nigeria 60lbs lighter and still pursuing a healthy life.