For the past two weeks, I’ve put myself on a personal weight loss goal. I’ve been severely overweight for several years, starting after the COVID-19 Pandemic, like many other members of my generation. The lockdown basically left me stuck inside my house for weeks at a time, and even if I could leave, I would often find myself retreating back to my house within several minutes. The only times I really left my house were to either go to the grocery store or to volunteer at a local museum. While working outside for most of the day was good for me, it didn’t replace the pre-pandemic exercise I used to do. Now, several years later, I still find myself struggling with obesity. I started worrying early last year that I would even have to face it while going to University. So, I decided to commit myself to trying to lose weight and not make a fool of myself while dealing with Obesity in College.

So far, it has been rather pleasant to manage. I’ve been able to cut 500 calories out of my daily maintenance, meaning I’ve entered a deficit. Slowly, I’ve been noticing a drop in my weight, and I actually feel more energized in the morning (though this is also due to me improving my sleep schedule). I exercise for most days of the week and go on 30-minute walks almost every night when I finish work. I have also decided not to eat past 8pm or before 8am, meaning I’ve cut out any snacks or junk foods from my diet.

There have been some challenges. When you start eating healthier and enter a calorie deficit, you’re not used to the feeling of not gorging yourself on unhealthy foods every day. It also means that if you don’t want to have the same two types of meals every day, you’ll have to start experimenting with what you make. You may have some bad meals, but you’ll still be able to adapt and find a wide range of healthier, protein-heavy options to replace your usual meals.