Tonia Haight Walker. Losing Weight Like a Bear

5X clothes vs a L top and XL skirt  I actually found an older picture of me today. It was taken about 3 1/2 years ago and no one was standing in front of me.  I knew that I was being photographed and I was standing, so it is much easier to see the difference between then and now. It hit me pretty hard about how far I have come in just 15 months.  I was trapped in that body and saw no way out because nothing had ever worked before now. I am so grateful for the Eat Like A Bear community and everyone in the group for the encouragement and support that I have always gotten, on the good days and the bad. I’m not done. With a -142 pounds, I am only 70% of the way to my goal, but life is so much different now that I don’t even know where to start some days. Daniel couldn’t even believe that he was looking at a picture of me when I showed it to him. 

Comparing your weight loss journey to someone else’s journey never works out for anyone. Sure there will be someone out there that you will be able to say “At least I am losing faster than so and so”, but generally it always leads to depression, anxiety, and discouragement.  Then that leads to derailment and disappointment in yourself and back to the depression causing a never ending downward spiral. In the Eat Like A Bear Community, Maria De Jesus Bass is one person who has inspired me more than most.  Her positive words of encouragement has helped me long before I ever reached out to her to talk to her or ask her questions.   She lost 130.9 pounds in just 10 months and 3 weeks. and surpassed her original weight loss goal in just 7 months and 2 days.  She ate one meal a day four days of the week (3 Ridiculously Big Salads and 1 Keto meal) and did an extended fast for 72 hours (3 days) every week.  She lost weight quickly and ate food full of nutrition when she ate.  Now people have sa

  In two days, my husband and I celebrate our 24th Anniversary!  I have been on this journey of losing weight for almost 15 months now. In that time, I have lost 141 pounds. I am only NINE pounds away from what I weighed on our wedding day all those years ago. With this knowledge, I wanted to try on THE dress. I know that it wasn’t a PERFECT fit, but just by looking at the pictures, no one will probably be able to see that, but me.  I surprised my husband with the dress and we both cried. Our parents all rejoiced with us, and our children were blown away as they oohed and aahed.  I know that I started this journey for myself, but I want you to listen to the pride in my husband’s voice in the video. Never forget that your daily decisions influence everyone in your world.