Breaking Free from Toxic Habits: A Guide to Sustainable Health and Weight Loss

Do you choose to be fat?

It is and has always been a choice.

"Do I eat well and live an active life so that I look in a way that I'm proud of, feel good, and feel full of life, energy, happiness, and health?

Or,

"Do I eat bad food and live an inactive life so that I keep on looking how I hate, feeling constantly depressed and low on energy with health problems in my near future (If they're not already here)?"

We make a choice every time we tell ourselves, "I'll start Monday."

Because, why not today?

You will again be told that "discipline" is needed to get yourself the body you want and to get yourself to that healthy state you desire.

'Bear with me for a second, let me put y'all on game'.

I want us to make this a bit more personal so that when you do, you can't be inspired to run through this concept better.

Let's say you were living in a certain location, or were in a relationship that is toxic in that you're getting abused, makes you hurt, sad, depressed and even make you hate yourself.

Is it not the right action to take to move out or to leave?

Or at the very least, make necessary changes to make it healthy if you too are the problem or if this toxic relationship is with yourself?

Isn't that what you would tell your friend, sister or child to do if they were in such a situation?

Of course.

So coming back to what we're here for.

If your diet, way of living and habits hurt your body:

You're fat.

Bloated.

Constipated.

Fatigued.

Tired.

Lacking sleep/insomnia.

Suffering from pregnancy and birth complications that you probably didn't think were caused by your lifestyle and diet up until now. Miscarriages etc.

Period cramping.

Heavy and irregular periods.

Heartburn.

Gastritis.

Diabetes.

High blood pressure.

Arthritis.

Acne.

Hair falling.

Fibroids.

Ovarian cysts.

Cancers.

[Add Yours Here]

When put in perspective, is it not the right course of action to leave the things that cause your body all this pain and hurt?

Is it not the right course of action to walk out of that toxic relationship with those foods you can't just stop eating but when you do, your stomach hurts, your energy lowers as you immediately get sleepy, you get bloated and constipated and you start hating yourself?

Or at least to reduce on what you can reasonably reduce or entirely avoid as you work to find practical, tasty and nutritious alternatives?

You know this.

In the core of your being.

But, the problem comes where, yes you want to make the right decisions, but when you start, you harass yourself.

No carbs ever.

I will fast for 3 days every week.

I will never have blah blah blah.

I will walk 10,000 steps (huwa nawahurumia aki) every day.

And that's where the struggle begins.

If what you're doing is good for you, makes you feel good and visibly rewards you, why would you struggle to do it?

Unless you're doing something that you innately know isn't practical.

Something you're only doing because you want to lose weight or get healthy but once you're done you'll go back to "normal life" and "normal food".

Something that you can't reasonably incorporate with your family, forcing them to eat separately from you. As your plate of salad stares sadly at you as you miss what they're having.

And that's why you always end up making the choice to keep looking and feeling in a way you don't like.

And the problem is all in perspective.

Weight loss can be fun and insightful.

You learn things you wouldn't have ever bothered to.

You learn things about yourself.

Food can be enjoyed in all its beauty and flavour, carbs and all.

You just have to learn how to do it right.

Being active and fit can be viewed as something more than just what you HAVE to do.

Even if it's just a walk to and from kwa duka instead of kutumana.

You'll get a better mood.

Better sleep.

Be better capable of managing stress and depression.

Losing weight is an act of self-care, of self-love.

When you see it like this, you won't need to be "disciplined" to maintain this new and fulfilling lifestyle.

Because you're naturally attracted to what you find safe and healthy for you.

Remember, EVERY ACTION YOU TAKE IS A VOTE CAST TOWARDS THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE IN THE FUTURE.

All you need is to find the right vehicle to take you along that healthy weight loss path.

Whether that means subscribing to a blog or channel that teaches you practical ways of getting healthy and fit.

A meal plan that just makes sense so that even those around you don't need to feel sad for you because you're "detoxing" with disgusting smoothies and supplements in the name of weight loss.

A good and supportive coaching experience that isn't extreme where your coach understands that you are human and every once in a while it's okay to take your family out and have fries an nyama.

Then you'll find that losing weight is not only easy.

But it is also an easy choice.