The Scene staff
Do you ever feel stuck, like you’re trapped in a cycle despite trying to improve?
While we know real change doesn’t happen overnight, it’s that slow process that can be the most discouraging, especially when you can’t see results even though you want to be better than you were yesterday.
For me, it started when I decided to take control of my health.
In January, I weighed 355 pounds. I felt trapped and exhausted and constantly experienced pain in my joints and muscles, which left me feeling extremely unhappy. Not just because of my appearance, but because my overall well-being had declined so much that I finally had to wake up and realize I couldn’t keep living like that.
I knew I needed to make a change, even though I wasn’t sure I could.
I chose to move forward with support from others, not through some stupid New Year’s resolution that never worked for me in the past, but through a serious commitment to reclaim my life. I forced myself to work out and walk because I no longer wanted to feel imprisoned by all of the flesh that was my body.
Fast forward to now: I’m down to 273 pounds, 82 pounds gone.
When I started, there were many days when I hated the scale, frustrated by the number staying the same or increasing, despite making progress the week before.
There were even days when I felt like giving up and ordering fast food, questioning whether all the effort was really worth it. But then, I’d remind myself that I had still made progress and kept going.
Sure, I had some help from GLP-1, an appetite suppressant, but that wasn’t everything.
I made huge improvements to my lifestyle by becoming more active and changing my diet to include more protein while reducing my sugar intake. On top of that, I systematically cut out soda, first switching to juice, then to flavored water and finally to purified water. On some days I don’t drink enough water, but I’m trying.
I mention this mainly to point out the fact that progress is rarely linear. Plateaus and setbacks happen in all aspects of life, not just with weight loss. Success in academics, careers and relationships also comes from consistent, repeated effort, allowing small, persistent actions to accumulate into significant outcomes.
Another recent example comes from my spouse.
They recently completed a seven-week program at the St. Louis School of Phlebotomy. During those weeks, they faced moments of self-doubt, worrying about failing the course and questioning their ability to succeed.
Still, they studied, practiced and attended every single class, no matter how tired or discouraged. In the end, it paid off, and they passed!
Getting ready for finals works the same way.
When you look over your notes, remember: Success comes from showing up consistently, even if it means reading a chapter a day or asking for help with studying. Push through by attending your classes because you know it’s worth it.
You don’t need to be perfect, just steady. Once you do that, you’ll start realizing you’re capable of more. Sometimes, the hardest part isn’t the work but believing you can do it. Start there. Be consistent. The results will come.