I Lost Nearly 100lbs. Here's What I'd Do If I Had To Start Over
Meaningful Movement
Takeaway: If I had to start my weight loss journey again, I’d focus on tracking my food, getting junk food out of the house, and making exercise something I actually enjoy. Most importantly, I’d work on seeing myself as someone who takes their health seriously—because that mindset changes everything.
5 Things I’d Do If I Had to Lose the Weight Again
Losing weight and keeping it off isn’t easy.
I know this because I lost 86 pounds and have kept it off for 15 years and counting.
If I had to start all over and do it again, here are the five things I’d focus on right from the beginning. These are the strategies that helped me succeed, and they can help make your journey easier, too.
1. Track Your Food
One of the most important things I’d do right away is track my food.
Why? Because when you’re guessing at what you’re eating, you’re bound to make mistakes.
Tracking your food gives you a clear picture of what’s going into your body, and from there, you can make informed decisions. You don’t have to track every single thing forever, but when you’re starting out, it’s crucial to help build awareness around your habits.
How To Start: Start by tracking just one meal per day if logging everything feels overwhelming. Use an app or a simple notebook to jot down what you eat. As you get comfortable, expand to tracking all your meals and snacks.
2. Get Rid of the Junk Food
If there’s junk food in your house, it’s going to call your name.
One of the best things you can do is eliminate the temptation altogether.
By getting the junk food out of the house, you make it easier to stick to healthier choices. Over time, you’ll realize that you don’t miss it as much as you think.
How To Start: Stop buying processed snacks, sugary treats, and anything that doesn’t align with your goals. Replace them with healthy, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and lean proteins.
If you’re worried about family members missing their favorite snacks, consider finding healthier versions that everyone can enjoy.
3. Find Fun Physical Activities
Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. The key to sticking with it is finding something you enjoy.
When exercise feels fun, it’s easy to make it a consistent part of your routine.
It could be anything from hiking to swimming to playing a sport. Whatever gets you moving and makes you smile is the right choice.
You probably know my activity of choice is latin dancing. At dance socials I can burn upwards of 400 calories per hour without even thinking about it!
How To Start: Experiment with different activities until you find something you enjoy. Don’t force yourself into workouts you hate, because that’s a recipe for burnout. Whether it’s dancing, yoga, or a team sport, find something that feels more like play than work.
4. Make Exercise a Daily Habit
Even if it’s just for 10 minutes, getting into the habit of daily movement is a game changer.
Building a daily exercise routine creates momentum and helps you establish consistency.
It doesn’t have to be intense every day, but getting in the habit of moving your body daily helps make it second nature.
How To Start: Start small. Aim for 10-15 minutes of movement each day, whether it’s a quick walk, some stretching, or a short workout. As you build the habit, you can gradually increase the time or intensity.
5. Build an Identity Around Health
If you want to make lasting change, it helps to think of yourself as someone who takes their health seriously.
When you create an identity around being a healthy person, your decisions start to align with that mindset.
Instead of just trying to lose weight, you’re becoming the kind of person who values fitness, nutrition, and well-being.
How To Start: Start telling yourself, “I’m someone who prioritizes my health.” Write it down, say it out loud, and remind yourself of it daily. As you start to believe it, your actions will naturally follow.
These Tips Work!
You might not have 100 pounds to lose, but if you want to make your weight loss journey easier, these five strategies will help.
Track your food to stay informed, get rid of junk food to remove temptation, find an activity you enjoy to stay consistent, make exercise a habit, and start identifying as someone who values their health.
These changes won’t just help you lose weight—they’ll help you keep it off for good.
P.S. If you’re interested in making a change to your health, here are two ways I can help get you started:
Watch my Food Freedom Framework training. It’ll teach you what you really need to know about nutrition.
Book a free fitness consultation phone call so we can help you figure out how best to start your journey.