Publisher's Letter
My personal journey with weight loss seems like a revolving door. I may be able to enter the door to health and wellness with enthusiasm, but I end up exiting with a bag of chips! Being the “right” size has never come naturally. As a matter of fact, I seem to be able to pack on the pounds without much effort. Society standards tell us we should be one thing, but seemingly our body achieves something entirely different and yo-yo dieting becomes the norm.
I have been drawn to all the fads. If you are near my age, you may remember when Hydrocut was supposed to magically make you lose all the weight. I was first in line to take it; I took Adipex too. I hopped on that Atkins diet trend. I’ve done meal management programs, invested in personal trainers, and the list could just keep going. For example, currently I am on the semaglutide bandwagon, with half the population, and I’m loving the results.
However, while I am confessing to trying every possible “easy way out,” I have learned that no matter the miracle drug or diet fad, what it truly requires is a commitment from yourself. All these fads produce better results if you also eat right and exercise (shocking). I can say, one of my biggest weight loss journeys came after having my kids. There was something about being pregnant back-to-back three times… I was ready to put in the work. I took up running and put in a lot of miles. I also focused on my diet and eventually got to a place where I felt great. But, over the past decade, the running hurts more, and my focus has been diverted to many different areas. Since I started the shot back in August, I also added weight training to my routine, and it is making a bigger impact alongside the miracle drug. It feels good to feel good—for the buttons to come together easily without requiring me to lay down on the bed or to alternate jumping and squatting to try to loosen them. I cannot be the only one who has experienced this, but if you haven’t, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.
No matter what your journey is, or what your New Year’s resolutions include, I think the key is being fully committed. This month’s issue is full of health and wellness ideas for the new year. Our beautiful cover model, Haylie Bass, points us to the benefits of yoga. Let me tell you, that was a trend that made me skeptical. I am a pretty high-strung person, and the thought of a slower pace to fitness just wasn’t appealing to me. This summer, my long-time best friend, Jessica, and I went on a yoga retreat to celebrate our 40th birthdays together. It was pretty comical because neither of us are what you would call “yogis,” but I gave it a chance, and my body is grateful I finally embraced its benefits. Let this be my encouragement to you for the new year… whatever you do, be fully committed and don’t be afraid to try something new.
Wishing everyone a healthy, happy, and wonderful New Year!
