Have you ever looked back at your life and wondered what you would have done differently? I know that there are many movies, television shows, and books with this same question, but as I am going through my weight loss journey through the beautiful world of Keto, I can’t help but wonder, “WHY HADN’T I DONE THIS BEFORE? I mean, Keto has been around since the 1900s, so why’s it that I had never thought to embrace this lifestyle? Was I so wrapped up in my insecurity that I had never considered this before? The simple answer’s Yes! In my younger years, I was so consumed by counting calories and denying myself food because I was obsessed with fitting a specific size that society had implied that women should look like at an early age. And when I wasn’t obsessed with my calorie intake, it was finding exercises to get that desired body (you know the model-thin body yet retaining all of one’s curves?) And no matter what diet I tried or activities that I had, I just ended up being frustrated and hungry, and I just ended up doing my previous lifestyle. However, what if I could have started earlier on the keto lifestyle? How different would my life have been? In so many ways! I would have had more confidence in myself and my abilities, more energy, maybe even loving my body more than I did then. However, I also know that similar to Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, you need to experience different life lessons to get to the significant realization: that I am worth the time to do what is required for me to be my best self! I don’t regret the steps to get to this beautiful realization. However, if I were to talk to my younger self to get here faster, I would probably advise myself:
- Stop being so concerned about what others think: I spent so much time worrying about trying new things that could have been beneficial because I was worried about negative feedback from friends and family members. As I get older, I realize that it’s less important to be concerned about friends and family and more about what you think. I realized that if these people cared about me, they would provide their support regardless of how they felt and offer assistance when needed. If they don’t, then one has to wonder if such people are worth having in your life, don’t you think? Therefore, the decision to do or not do something should never be decided on this basis. It should be done on research and deciding what is best for you and only you! Everything else is just white noise that will distract you from the true goal of becoming the best version of yourself!
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Make Mistakes! When I was younger, I would be so hard on myself for bad decisions, trying to live based on an unrealistic standard. Instead of viewing it as a mistake, I should have viewed it as an opportunity or chance toward my ultimate path of becoming a healthier person! So if I were talking to myself, I would say, “Give yourself a break, research new food lifestyles, and exercise programs! See how they turn out! If you try it and it doesn’t seem fun or work out, you can always try a new one! Remember, it's in the mistakes that lead us to the true path.”
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Get Sleep! How many of us took immense pride in our ability to stay up late when we were kids? I know that as a child, I took admittingly great pride in this. However, I recently discovered that the amount of sleep one gets helps with the weight loss process. Imagine how more successful I would have been if I had just gone to bed at a semi-reasonable hour? So, I would tell myself to go to bed and finish that homework assignment or read that book the next day!
So these are the three things that I would tell my younger self. What are the three things you would tell your younger self?