Before we begin
I am not an expert at personal health by any means. Please do not use this as a scientific health advice. I am a pretty average guy when it comes to health. I just wanted to share my story, hoping that it inspires you to make the change you want to see in your own life in the way you want to. Reminder: You are worthy and beautiful just as you are right now. You do not NEED to “get in shape” or “lose weight.” But you are fully capable of doing it if that is the change you’re seeking right now.
Step on the scale.
On July 31, 2020, I did the unthinkable.
I stepped on the scale.
202.4 pounds.
I had gained about 10 pounds since the beginning of 2020.
I mean, it was expected—my wife and I had Pizza Tuesday every week from Papa Johns (Papa-sized, with 12-inch cheesesticks, wings and diet soda). A part of our coping with the changes was our food, and we probably spent 98% of our time in our apartment.
Regardless of the circumstances, I was shocked. “What have I done to myself?” I asked. I felt a lot of shame surrounding my current state, so I knew I wanted to change.
I think emotions that make us feel less worthy and negative—like shame—can actually be helpful in pushing us into a different direction. It’s certainly not a sustainable fuel in the long run, but I think it helps us grow in some ways. We’re always capable of change—all it takes is our action, which is the only thing we have control over.
Find an activity you enjoy.
Running was my default choice. I ran cross country in high school, so it wasn’t something totally foreign to me. But throughout my life, even when I was in high school, running was something I did for external motives (spending time with friends, losing weight, etc.). Long story short, I never really enjoyed running.
I used Nike Run Club to track my runs, and it ended up being the thing that changed how I viewed running. The app has Guided Runs, which I really enjoyed. It’s like listening to a mindful podcast while you’re running, and the coaches chime in at the right points to remind you to run YOUR run. Running with the app actually allowed me to enjoy the moments in the run itself—not the results or the byproducts I wanted to see.
It’s simple. If you enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll do it more because you want to. If you hate what you’re doing, you could will yourself to do it a few more times, but you’re going to stop at some point. And you should.
Whatever activity you decide to do—take it easy in the beginning. Almost too easy. The goal is to find joy in the process itself.
Track your progress
I think the best part of this journey is seeing your progress. Week by week, you will start to see change—small changes that accumulate into a big change. Here’s my 2020 graph for example.
I’m not posting this to say, “OMG LOOK AT MY GAINS.” I just wanted to point out some interesting moments in the graph.
The goal is the TREND not the individual data points.
Your weight will fluctuate daily. Even hourly. I was 186 this morning and after I ran I weighed a whole pound less. Expect to see ups and downs. I weighed myself weekly (Saturday mornings after my long run) for a while, and now I’m weighing myself daily.
Progress is not linear (just look at that Thanksgiving bump)
It’s really, really, really difficult to see the numbers go up / see no progress. I remember one time literally stepping off the scale as fast as I could when I saw the number because I couldn’t take it. There will be difficult moments, but we have to trust the process.
Time to start is now.
Actions bring change. If you want change, you have to act. Taking the first step is the hardest part. It gets easier the more steps you take.
The whole process takes time. We have to be patient. It took me 5 months to get to where I am now. And I am still on the journey. I’ve set higher goals and excited to continue in the new year.
Pay attention to your diet.
Once you’ve started to exercise regularly, there might come a point where you plateau and start to see less progress. Before Thanksgiving, I really wasn’t watching my diet but just stuck to my running plan—and then I ended up having an overuse injury on my ankles. I am still recovering and not running my full load at the moment, but it made me pay attention to my diet. I started doing 16/8 intermittent fasting after Thanksgiving—and it has brought a huge positive change in my journey. I am not an expert on health by any means, so I would highly suggest doing your own research and doing something that you feel good doing. Sustainability is the key in both exercise and diet—make sure that you can enjoy the process consistently.
Make it enjoyable.
You know why I always stopped running in the winter? Because it wasn’t fun. It was too cold.
You know why I stopped watching what I ate before? Because it wasn’t fun.
There’s a hard limit to willpower. That’s why we always give up on our New Year's resolutions after two weeks. We just can’t take it anymore.
The key is to find ways to make the process enjoyable—for me, it was Nike Run Club (and now I want to run even when it’s cold outside), but it might be something different for you. You might even find that you hate running. But that’s ok. Because chances are there’s probably something you can enjoy. We just haven’t tried it yet.
Also, I’m here if you need support.
If you’re seriously wanting to make a change, I’d be happy to jump on a call and chat. Just shoot me an email at sunwjin@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram @jamesjinimages.
