When going through a weight loss, the most important thing to remember is it’s not always linear. Some days will be harder than others, but it also will be completely worth it in the end. There’s a list of personal things I wish I could explain to people just starting out, even people who have gone through the struggle of it. But here’s a list of all the things not a lot of people talk about with weight loss but should be spoken about more.

  You’re going to get loose skin, more or less, but wear it like a badge of honor. I used to spend probably more time hiding it than anytime anyone’s actually really realized it. Wear the bikini, I mean it’s going to be scary at first, but once you think of it as all your hard work, you’ll be able to be more accepting of it. It’s truly amazing what our bodies will go through in order to make sure we are able to continue living.

   Sometimes, you’re going to have a really hard time adjusting to your new “image” to the point where your brain is going to convince you that you’re still X amount of weight. But you’re not. What I like to do to help with body dysmorphia, is keep an outfit I would wear all the time and put it on whenever my mind plays tricks on me. It really helps to be able to see yourself. I mean it’s really hard to beat yourself up over it. And that’s okay, but remember you only have one body and your hard work is paying off no matter what.

 You might go through a period of severe unmotivated, or a global pandemic. Since that’s a common thing we all experienced recently. It’s hard to get back on track after being off for a while. We soon will be able to pick back up again and continue boosting our mental health, becoming stronger, weight loss or weight gain dreams again soon! A positive way to think about it is, sometimes we need minor speed bumps in order to regain focus on aspects that matter to us. As a soon to be trainer I want everyone to understand or at least remember why we started, why we decided to make picking up and putting down weights fun or walking upstairs for a good burn on a stair master. With covid being not only being a test to mental health, it’s also been a test to physical health as well. And that’s okay, just because you see fitness influencers, your friends, or even family members still working hard for their goals, doesn’t mean you’re not working just as hard.  It’s easy to compare yourself to someone who’s motivated, eager, etc. But what takes courage is starting up again after you felt like you couldn’t, and that’s been the most important part of this pandemic is learning to start over!

  If the world was ending, you most definitely wouldn’t want to say you put in all this hard work of bettering yourself, or even just building mental stamina because that’s really how it feels to work out just to give up. It’s hard to get yourself off the couch, fall out of bad habits or even sometimes just get there. Now I would love to say I can walk into the gym in a bad mood and walk out a changed person but that’s almost a bit of toxic positivity when it comes to getting yourself there. Not every workout is going to be the best one you’ve ever had, but you’re never going to feel bad about actually going. When I first started at the gym, it was easy to panic about what I was going to do. I could only stick to one gym because in my mind I had an escape plan mapped out every time. Having a small idea, even just a workout video to follow along with really helps, make sure to have a playlist or podcast you’ve been meaning to listen to too. Something not a lot of influences will tell you is I can almost bet that some of them struggle to focus on the gym, when everything else is going on and your brain is distracted, I turn to think about the way my muscles are moving in that exact moment, starting from my toes all the way up to my brain thinking about how I’m working this muscle. It sounds silly but it works! Remember why you started, and never feel defeated just because your journey is different doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.

Brooke Zahariuk’s BIO

    Being physically active has changed my life for the better. I noticed that I needed to make a change when I couldn’t run 5 seconds with my niece without struggling and being extremely exhausted. So that day I got myself a gym membership and have lost 65+ pounds on my own, crazy I know? And now I hope one day to be able to use my training advantage to help others gain the confidence, selflove, and happiness whenever I remember why I started.