My 35-Pound Weight Loss Story: Habits That Changed My Life

For the longest time, I felt stuck in my own body. I knew I wanted to feel healthier, lighter, and more confident, but the idea of actually losing weight felt overwhelming. Diets came and went, motivation would spike and crash, and I often wondered if I’d ever truly get there. Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to say I’ve lost 35 pounds, not through quick fixes or extreme restrictions, but by making small, sustainable changes that fit into my life. This journey has been far from perfect, but it’s been real, and it’s taught me more about myself than I ever expected. In this post, I’m opening up about where I started, the steps I took, the challenges I faced, and the habits that truly helped me transform. My hope is that by sharing my story, someone else out there will feel encouraged to take the first step toward their own version of healthy and happy.

Diet

1. Cutting out Unnecessary Foods

I started by determining what I could remove from my diet that wasn't providing the nourishment I wanted. I chose to eliminate fast foods and sugary drinks. Giving up drinks was easy because I wasn't a big fan of soda, and I found it simple to stop consuming juices since I only had them occasionally.

2. Fasting

After cutting everything out, I began exploring fasting. Fasting was something I was always familiar with due to my Ethiopian heritage. Many people in my culture who practice Islam or are Orthodox Ethiopian Christians fast several times a year. Once I decided to incorporate fasting into my weight loss plan, I began achieving my goals. Fasting has been a pivotal part of my journey, along with the OMAD diet. I've discovered that with this diet, I'm able to enjoy a more substantial meal once a day and feel satisfied, all while staying under my target calorie goal for the day, as it would be quite challenging to reach my maximum calorie limit. I've found this method to be very sustainable and have come to have a great appreciation for food overall. These formulas have not only yielded the most amazing results for me personally, but has also highlighted my personal discipline, while also making me feel a sense of empowerment and strength.

This time has also given me a chance to reflect about how overconsumption has become the standard in North America, and how its prolonged unchecked existence has caused many to spiral downward.

3. Foods that Help

When it comes to my diet, I favour whole foods in my meals as much as I can, like lentils, potatoes, cracked wheat, broccoli, spinach, and kale. I've always loved fruits, so apples, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries are my go-to, and I often enjoy them as a dessert. I have worked hard to reduce my consumption of processed foods, even though it can be difficult since most products in our markets are processed. I am very confident about my current progress and hope to remain on this path. Farmers markets and Health food store are an excellent source for fresh and delicious produce/products at good prices and have been incredibly helpful in my journey.

Exercise

1. Swimming & Walking

For me, physical activity primarily involved a lot of swimming and long walks. I grew up swimming from a young age through my late teen years and competed in swimming at school. As a result, I discovered immense joy in movement. My approach to maintaining long-term fitness has always been to find activities that get your body moving and keep you motivated to stay active. Swimming has always been my favourite activity to do! It's a wonderful low-impact workout that you'll be able to do throughout your life, perfect for anyone who has any injuries or mobility issues. Swimming is also great for your cardiovascular health, strengthening both your heart and lungs. It's also great for weight management and boosts your flexibility, along with a plethora of other benefits. On the days I didn't feel like going to the pool or even after swimming, I would take long walks on the beach, trying to hit step goals. These past few years, walking long distances has become so important to me, and something I look forward to. Not only has this improved my physical health, but these activities have been key components to reducing stress and helping me maintain a peaceful mental space.

2. At Home Workouts

Apart from my favourite low impart exercises, I truly enjoyed using the free content available on the internet as tools to reach my goals. Channels like growwithjo and PILATES BY IZZY have been transformative. I feel very fortunate to live in an era where all these valuable resources are accessible and free for public use. I also thoroughly enjoyed using Pinterest accounts that provide excellent workout plans, such as FitFocus_23. This account offers a fantastic variety of workouts at different levels, which are incredibly useful for those who like exercising in the privacy of their home, or for anyone that might have a busy schedule and find the time to go to the gym.

This process has been about more than numbers on a scale, it’s been about discovering strength, discipline, and gratitude in everyday moments. I now see my health as a gift and a responsibility, something I get to nurture rather than something I “have to” work on. If you’re reading this and feel like your own journey is too overwhelming to begin, know that it truly starts with one small step. Although I haven't yet achieved my ultimate goal, I'm making significant progress and have gained valuable insights from every decision. Each choice contributes to the journey, and soon you'll be able to look back and see the distance you've covered. I'm eager to keep moving forward and hope my journey inspires you to have faith in your own.

Thanks for reading

x Abigail

Let me know in the comment:

what’s one healthy habit that’s changed your life?