When embarking on a weight loss journey as I have been attempting for about two decades, I have discovered that there has to be that moment that the desire to lose weight has to “click” within your thought process in order to get the process moving and engaged toward progress. Within myself, the switch has clicked to the need and desire to take the fact that I need to lose weight seriously.
I have been sharing this within my Wellness Wednesday posts within the past four weeks when it has been discovered that exercise was necessary. Realizing that I need to do it not just because I want to but because I need to in order to improve my health is the utmost priority. As I have covered in past Wednesdays was the need to be accountable and expand my opportunities to try new things so that my health can improve. I am proud to say that over at least a week I no longer consume regular soda, a big culprit in stunting my weight loss abilities. Additionally, I have incorporated more water into my diet and it has helped in keeping me hydrated to the point that I can enjoy it and not be angry or have regrets for having it.
One big aspect is knowing that part of this process includes being accountable for the calories that I consume and being responsible for tracking them. My FitBit helps me greatly in this and most other tracking processes as it correlates with the calories that I am burning in the course of the day, which in turn helps me discover just what my limits for the given moment are and realizing the need to nourish myself at intervals. I realize that it will not be a perfect journey, but progress is being made and it is pretty awesome.
In times of needing to seek entertainment, I have turned to YouTube to see transformation stories of fellow males that also had weight issues. It was astonishing to me that many that I have seen at this point are younger and have been larger than I. Just as I am writing about having the moment that has to “click,” they too had those moments when they realized that they needed to get the ball rolling on losing weight.
Many autistics, myself included, are reluctant to make the necessary changes because they may seem unwanted. If you asked me even as early as six weeks ago if I would have wanted to engage in this process, I probably would have shrugged it off as something. I know many are concerned with my large size and having them engage in conversation about my need to take care of it often ensued in conflict.
However, in the course of three days of three key moments, the weigh-in, the new initiative at the day program and lastly the comment from my psychiatrist, the last one was the one that set the tone. I remember walking out of that appointment into my mothers car taking it out on her verbally only going to the end of the street to the McDonald’s continuing my habit. That would be one of the last few times that I would practice it in the way I did. I now realize that I need to continue to limit my visits to that and other places that are detrimental to my health.
I know the journey seems easy now and I know that it isn’t always going to be. But, if I want to be healthy and be on this earth longer and be able to do the things that I really want to, then I must continue to fight the fight by doing what is necessary for me to become the healthy person that I want to be.
Dustin's Dynasty 