I Chose Slow

On August 1, 2025, I weighed myself and saw 200.2 lbs on the scale. I had officially crossed into unbelievable (for me at only 5”1) territory.

I didn't panic. I already knew what needed to be done. I'd started reading Ultra-Processed People by then, I just wasn't fully committed yet. So the number wasn't an OMG moment, and it wasn't a rock-bottom one either. I logged it in my tracker and kept it moving.

I only bring it up now because I got on the same scale yesterday, logging my starting weight for a second round of 75 Soft, and it read 183 lbs. That's 17.2 lbs gone over the year in between.

It’s not the massive transformation stories you’d usually see in the blogosphere, but you know what? It's remarkable to me.

What gets me is how it came off. It was, honestly, painless.

I've lost weight before. This is not my first rodeo. Every other time, I was gnashing my teeth the whole way through, counting and restricting and slogging my way to a number, then watching it creep back once I stopped.

I'd always heard people talk about a “lifestyle change” like it was the calm, sustainable option. But every time I pictured it, it felt like this huge thing. A massive overhaul. Tear the kitchen apart, throw everything out, become a different person by Monday morning. That picture alone was usually enough to stop me before I even started.

This time didn't feel that way.

My own lifestyle change wasn't the overhaul I'd braced for. I didn't tear the kitchen apart overnight. I started reading labels, learned to spot the ultra-processed stuff for what it is, engineered to keep me reaching for more, and swapped what I could, when I could, and left the rest alone.

I chose slow, for more reasons than one. I chose slow because I was tired of sprinting toward a finish line I could never stay at, and I'm in no hurry. I'm not filled with dread. I'm not looking forward to a cheat day, or to the point where I can “take a break” and eat something forbidden. I'm excited to see where I'll be in July 2027.

They say losing weight slowly helps prevent loose skin (not sure how true this is), and at 41, I need all the help I can get. He he.

Maybe I'll lose another 17 pounds. Maybe it'll be more. Maybe less. Either way, if the next year feels as sustainable as this one has, I'll take it.