Losing weight is one of the things that are easier said than done. It is common for many people to try the latest diet fads, sign up to the newest workouts, and purchase the latest fitness gears, yet still feel like nothing is really happening.
Zarah was one of those people who seemed to have tried everything but just couldn’t lose weight. From being a lean person all her life, Zarah was shocked to gain more than 30 lbs in less than 2 months time.
“Parang okay lang nung una kasi feeling ko papayat pa ako. Kasi dati mabilis lang naman ako pumayat pero this time hindi talaga (ako pumapayat)”
At first, she didn’t pay much attention to this. She thought it was maybe because of her PCOS or maybe just because of stress. But after realizing that the weighing scale is not moving, she started to get worried.
Zarah began trying different diets and disciplines just to help her lose weight. “Triny ko yung no rice diet pati yung after 6:00pm wala ng kakainin pero hindi nagwork”.
She also tried eating only apples and vegetables but ended up feeling deprived and unhappy. There was even a time that Zarah opted for the delivery meals that has planned out calories for you, but she simply couldn’t stick to that diet as well.
Realizing that she has to take things seriously this time.
Zarah felt like the change in her weight has affected her life negatively. “Naging sad ako about it kasi dumating sa point na hindi na kasya yung damit ko tapos kapag yumuyuko ako hindi ko na matali yung laces sa shoes ko.”
In one of her facebook posts, Zarah wrote one of her conversations with her ex:
“Palagi ako nagre-reklamo sa ex ko, “Ang TABA-TABA ko, ang PANGET ko, nagji-gym naman ako tska kumakain ng tama!!! Pero ang taba ko pa rin” 😭😭😭
Bigla ako napatahimik nung sinabi nya, “Oo, mataba ka. Ano balak mo gawin?” 🤔
Pagkatapos nun, tumahimik ako, at tumigil sa pagre-reklamo, at gumawa ng excuses.
Her ex’s response to her rants was one of her wake up calls. Because of these things, Zarah decided that she will use her frustration to commit to changing her situation.
Being disciplined with her food choices
The first and perhaps most important step that she took was to keep a journal of the food she eats on a daily basis. “Tinatrack ko talaga yung mga kinakain ko tapos nagreflect ako”. Through tracking what she eats, Zarah was able to point out the good and the bad in her eating habits and was able to change it.
She also began cooking her own food and doing her own groceries. In her Facebook Post, Zarah lists down some tips that helped her become more disciplined with her food choices.
Zarah took up many diet disciplines in the past, but now she has understood that cutting rice, eating only fruits, and those other diets are not the only ways to achieve your ideal weight.
She began choosing healthier options, avoiding things she knows that is bad for her body, and planning her every meal that made her more accountable to what she eats. Now, Zarah has slowly transitioned to flexible dieting and has maintained her ideal weight.
And of course, she also incorporated working out in her lifestyle. From working out for just twice a week, Zarah began working out 4 times a week interchanging between doing boxing and weight training. “Mas na-appreciate ko na yung pagwoworkout ngayon kasi nakikita ko na yung progress” said Zarah.
Her advice to those who are struggling to lose weight
For Zarah, the most important thing she learned in this journey is to be disciplined in your food consumption. She believes that it’s about finding the diet that works for you and you can be consistent in.
My advice is really for people to plan their meals. We plan for our lives, our career, our love lives pero nakakalimutan natin yung pinaka-basic – planning for what we will eat
She also believes that it’s important to NOT overwhelm yourself with instant changes in your diet and routine. “Take one habit at a time lang. Pwede mong unahin muna na goal yung pagbabago ng diet mo, tapos next na goal mo ay to workout more often”
Zarah’s fat loss story resonates with many of us who keeps trying to get into fitness and trying many things to lose weight but also failing several times. But what we can learn from her is despite feeling lost in her weight loss journey, she never stopped trying until she found the fitness lifestyle that is for her and until she achieved the body that she is comfortable with.
