My name is Aillia Milsun (@aillia.sophia), and I’m 28 years old. I live in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and I am a registered nurse at Forsyth Medical Center. Focusing on portion control and hiring a personal trainer helped me lose £ 150 and discover my best self.
I was overweight most of my life. In sixth grade I was 227 pounds (more than I currently weigh at 28). I lived a sedentary life as a child and ate mainly junk food, rice and noodles. I was chosen at school, and also by family. Due to bullying, I spent most of my life trying to stay in the shadows to avoid being teased. At 21, I weighed 340 pounds.
I was tired and out of breath all the time. I was also placed on blood pressure medication at 19. I was too embarrassed to even tell my family. I also had very bad knee problems and foot pain through my body had to carry my weight for so long. My mom is a type 2 diabetic, so I was worried that my lifestyle would eventually lead to me getting the disease. I saw the toll it took on her, and I knew I was putting myself at risk for health problems.
In 2012, I lost 150 pounds by changing my diet and activity, but I regained it after a traumatic experience.
I lived healthier for a while and finally met the love of my life. In 2016, he tragically passed away unexpectedly. It was the hardest experience I have ever had. It was so hard to cope, and with the stress of starting nursing school, coupled with sadness, by 2017 my weight had risen to 280 pounds.
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I ate everything and anything because I no longer cared about life. I went through a very dark period and was not happy with my life or with whom I became. I realized, even though I could not control death, my weight and how I felt about myself were things I had could control. I had lost weight before and I knew I would be able to do it again.
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It was not only the beginning of my weight loss journey, but also a journey of self-love.
I knew I had to find a way to still like the food I like, but while paying attention to portions. When choosing a diet plan, do what is right for you. I know keto is a big problem right now, but it was an unrealistic diet for me. I am Asian and enjoy rice and noodles. I could not say no to carbohydrates, but I could not eat it in large portions as before. No more eating.
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I realized that it was not necessarily what I ate, but how much I eat in combination with an inactive lifestyle. It was definitely hard and difficult to learn to measure and control my portions. I’m also a nurse in the night shift, but I found a eating schedule that works for me.
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This is what I usually eat on a daily basis.
- Breakfast: Green smoothie consisting of spinach or kale, frozen fruit and a little yogurt. I add some eggs, boiled or stirred, if I feel I need more protein.
- Lunch: Chicken or seafood with whatever vegetables I have on hand. To me, it’s usually green beans, asparagus or spinach.
- Snacks: Avocado on multi-grain toast, boiled eggs, pretzels or yogurt.
- Dinner: When I’m at work, I’ll eat a salad with baked chips. When I’m home, I’ll make another green smoothie or a little leftover from lunch, depending on how hungry I feel or my activity level for the day.
- Dessert: I do not have much sweet cake. But when I do, I usually have frozen yogurt or protein-rich ice cream in my freezer that I can enjoy moderately.
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At my heaviest, even the most basic activities like walking were exhausting. I remember that in my high school gym I could not even complete the mile! When I first started exercising 340 pounds, I admit that it was only because I was forced to take a fitness class for a school requirement in college.
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So I started with basic cardio like the stationary bike, but it was still a leap to not exercise at all.
I started exploring different machines and increasing my time and intensity. As the pound began to decline, I gained more motivation. In 2018, when I decided to regain control of my life, I was not at my optimal fitness level, but I jumped in again and learned to rebuild my strength.
I also got a coach which is great! Currently, I train an average of five days a week and see my coach two to three times a week. The gym was very therapeutic for me and was, in addition to weight loss, a stress reliever and helped my anxiety.
These three small changes had a huge impact on my weight loss.
- I have committed myself spiritually to my goals. My first big change was to change my mindset. Whether you want weight loss or any other change, if you are not emotionally committed, the change will not happen. I had to realize that if I no longer want to be this person, I have the only power to change the situation.
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- I got a coach. My second big change was getting a coach I was comfortable with. My trainer pushes me and teaches me new fitness exercises that keep my routine different. I used to only do cardio in the gym because that’s all I knew how to do, but he encouraged me to do strength training which made me stronger than ever before. Having a coach is not necessary to lose weight, but it is helpful to motivate someone and hold them accountable for your goals.
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- I learned and dedicated to my own love. To learn to love myself during this whole process during this weight loss journey. This part may be more difficult than the weight loss, but it is essential in the journey. You must love yourself and believe in yourself to know that you are worthy and that you can do it.
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In total, I lost 150 pounds.
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It was an up-and-down battle for seven years. Recently (since 2018) I have lost about 90 pounds. I’m still working, but I enjoy the trip.
I want women to know that if you are not happy with your current situation, it’s never too late. There is always a chance for change for those who are willing to put in the effort. It is good that the journey is also imperfect. Life happens, but we have to get up and keep pushing.
I had a friend say if she had picked up the weight like I did, she would have just stopped. I told her the second time was actually easier because I already knew I could do it. I had lost weight once before, and I was able to do it again. This time I love myself throughout the whole process. Weight loss is only half the process – the other half learns to love yourself and your body during the journey.
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