My Honest Weight Loss Journey (With Progress Pictures)
I thought being fat was in my genes
I grew up in a family where all women were more or less overweight and I was also taught that being fat was “in our genes” and sooner or later I would also become heavy.
Yes, many overweight people are influenced by their families but they are more a product of their environment rather than any genetic coding. When your parents are heavy and you are brought up eating the same diet, then you will be heavy also.
The new science of epigenetics shows that genes do not control us, but instead the environment affects gene expression.
Various studies with identical twins have confirmed that environmental factors and habits lead to different weight gain, independent of genetic background. So even if you’re genetically predisposed to carry extra fat, you can take action, like exercising and eating healthily, and influence your gene expression.
The food you eat, and your attitude and lifestyle, affect which genes will be expressed and which ones suppressed. So you have the power to shape your body and destiny.
It took me years to realize it and get rid of this detrimental belief that “being fat was in my genes”. While I still believed this lie, it was sabotaging me big time.
How my weight problem started
My difficult relationship with food started in my teenage years as I gained weight compared to my friends. My attempts to control my weight led to disaster. After one heavy spell of dieting at the age of 17 (on a cabbage soup diet) I had no periods for about 6 months and found myself too weak to function. I actually fainted one day but, even then, did not see that this was not working.
My weight fluctuated dramatically depending on my mood, the time of year and whether I had a boyfriend. My weight was a constant noise in my mind and undermined my confidence. I tried everything to control my weight and became almost obsessed. I took up smoking and would drink as much coffee as I could stand to control my appetite. It seems so ridiculous now.
Hit the bottom
The situation got worse when I moved to work in a big city. Long hours and the constant demands of city life left me tired most of the time. When my body needed a healthy, balanced diet more than anything, I was seeking a quick fix through more coffee, sugary snacks, highly processed food and fast food. I ate a lot of meat and dairy products due to convenience, habit and even addiction (cheese and ice cream were my guilty pleasures). These foods were making my body sick and low in energy.
My skin was clogged and dry, I developed premature wrinkles (at the age of 23!) and was relying on lots of makeup to look good. I always knew how to dress, so I managed to hide my huge weight gain with smart clothing tricks. But the makeup and clothes could not hide my poor health, low energy and disappointment with myself.
2009
My body started the alarm signals and I suffered back pain, bladder infections, regular colds, headaches and sore throats. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome which, as a friend said to me, really means “STOP”.
The ‘AHA’ moment
A friend suggested doing an exercise to determine my core values in life. To my surprise my health was number one. However, I realized that I was doing my best to destroy my number one priority in life. I was shocked and had a moment of clarity.
This exercise is so powerful, that I decided to share it with other people in my FREE ebook “Mastery in Weight Loss”, which you can get for free on my Become the Best of You website.
Doing that exercise has planted a seed. The changes didn’t happen overnight, but my journey to better health and life has started. It has led me to a new career that I absolutely love — helping others to change their habits and become a better version of themselves.
My first step towards health was quitting my job and moving to the Philippines in the hope of getting my life back, in 2010. In these pictures you can see me at my heaviest weight. (75kg/ 165lbs)
2010
Losing the weight
I lost almost 40 lbs in 3 years. So how did I achieve this? I’ll be honest — it was not easy and there were many slip-ups along the way. If I knew as much as I know now, the journey could have been so much easier. That’s why I love sharing my knowledge with other people and seeing them achieve the results quickly. I’ve written an ebook “Mastery In Weight Loss” which you can get for free here.
In 2010, I started improving my diet and diving into research about nutrition, weight-loss and health. I read every single book about raw foods and nutrition I could put my hands on. I watched hours of documentaries and tutorials and searched for success stories online. I also enrolled to school to study holistic nutrition.
2011
In 2011 I switched to a plant-based diet that was 70–99% raw, depending on the season and fruit availability. I have tried different raw food approaches, including gourmet raw, high fat, low glycemic and high carb raw vegan.
I had to learn how to make food taste good because I was one of those people who couldn’t eat bland and tasteless food. Through hours and hours of researching and experimenting in the kitchen, I found the tricks on how to make healthy meals taste absolutely delicious. You don’t need to sacrifice a flavour or your health. You can be both healthy and enjoy the mouthwatering food. I share these tricks in my ebook ‘No More Bland Food. One Easy Trick How To Make Your Raw Dish Taste Great Every Single Time’ which you can get for FREE. Enter your email below to get access NOW.
Most of the time I was balancing between all these approaches, and incorporating some cooked foods in my diet. My energy and health improved dramatically. I no longer suffered from Chronic Fatigue, infections or illness. My weight settled at 65 kg/ 143 lbs. I was happy and finally beginning to enjoy what life had to offer.
During my independent research and studies at school I have gained invaluable knowledge which I felt I had to share with the world. What I went through inspired me to become a Nutritionist and Health Coach so that I could help others.
It also motivated me to step up to new challenges.
Taking health and fitness to the next level
As I had started working as a nutritionist and helping others, I decided that I should lose some more weight, clean up my diet even more, tone my body and inspire others to get healthier and lose weight. I set myself an exercise regime (6 days a week) and committed to a 100% raw food diet for 90 days, and stuck to it.
2013
Three months later I had dropped 8 kilograms (almost 18 lbs). That was in early 2013 and I kept the weight off.
After The Challenge
2014–2015
I lost another few pounds in the next couple of years, and I felt light, beautiful and healthier than ever.
2016 — The Weight Came Back!
You might think that once you transform, it stays with you for the rest of your life, and from that moment there are no more struggles.
It’s not how life usually works.
Unfortunately, I had to face a lot of challenges this year and as a side effect — I gained weight again.
Being a health and weight loss coach added the extra pressure. Gaining weight again triggered so many feelings and emotions, and now I see it as an opportunity to heal at a deeper level and let go of the subtle things I was holding onto.
The “Fallen Guru” Gets Back On Track
I finally surrendered, faced myself and decided to address the elephant in the room.
I am the “fallen guru” — a weight loss coach who has gained weigh again.
I decided to do a 90 day challenge again, and show publicly how I get back on track!
The challenge starts on the 3rd October and ends on the 31st December 2016! Yes, I’m going to start 2017 being the hottest and fittest version of me.
I’ve just filmed the video for the challenge, and I’m going to release it on Monday (3rd October).
I Expose Myself Because We Need More Honesty
I’m not only going to tell my story, but also undress in the video and expose myself fully! (In a bikini in the beach ;) ).
It’s so scary! But I feel that there are so many women out there who are struggling with their weight and body image, and they’re tired of hearing these stories that all you need to do is just eat clean, exercise a little bit and it’s enough to get and stay in shape!
Well, it may be true for some people, but for most regular women it’s not the case! And I’m going to show that it’s normal to face challenges in life sometimes, it’s OK to stumble and fall, and that no matter what, you can get up and glean incredible wisdom from your failures.
About the Author
Osha Key is a Transformation Coach and Business Mentor who helps women revolutionize their lives by using unique tools to change their identity, tap into their limitless potential and connect to their purpose in life.
Find more at www.oshakey.com
So Where Should I Send Your Free Ebook?
Hey, if you loved this article, you will also probably love my free ebook, where I share more of my personal life stories + 3 incredibly powerful secrets to transforming your body and life.
Head over to www.oshakey.com and get your FREE copy today.
Side effects might include: finally achieving your goals, feeling beautiful, abundant, connected, sexy, and seen. Yes, it’s 100% available to you.
