'I Stopped Eating After 7 P.M. To Help Break My Overeating Habit'

From Women's Health

My name is Liz Delaney (@lizingoodtaste), and I am a 25-year-old graphic designer from Foxboro, Massachusetts. I wanted to lose weight for a milestone event in my friend's life, so I went low-carb and took up CrossFit—and I successfully lost 60 pounds.

My weight used to be like a dark shadow over my life. My weight—and how it made me perceive myself—was all-consuming. I wasn't even fully aware of how much it controlled my life up until now, but now that I look in hindsight, it was something that held me back from living my life.

I constantly felt exhausted and fatigued. I was a 20-something woman who could barely walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath. At 23, I was at my heaviest weight of 215 pounds. I was fed up.

The moment that made me finally commit to changing my lifestyle was when my best friend asked me to be her maid of honor.

It was February 2018, and I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness for her. But I couldn't help but immediately start to get anxious about standing next to her and not being comfortable in my own skin. That moment was the turning point for me. I had a goal and an exact date (her wedding!) to really motivate me to start the journey. I wanted to feel and look my absolute best as I stood by my best friend on her big day—and that’s what I did.

I spent *lots* of time researching nutrition and weight loss.

I think I spent maybe three to four months Googling like crazy and spending hours on Pinterest looking for nutrition info, recipes, and inspiration. As overwhelming as it was, I learned so much. Although I was very careful about the things I was reading and believing, especially on the Internet, I was able to connect with so many accounts via Instagram that really spoke to me and inspired me.

I knew I needed a drastic change when it came to my eating habits. I was at rock bottom when it came to my eating. Night after night, I would binge eat until I was sick to my stomach. I would eat when I wasn’t hungry. I would eat to deal with things I did not want to face head on. Food, at that time, was my enemy.

I decided to go with a low-carb diet to start my weight-loss journey. I wanted to make a *big* change right out of the gate and felt like that was the best option for me. It also seemed doable, whereas with past diets I had done, there were always too many changes to commit to that they wouldn't work for me. I really just focused on my carb intake for roughly the first year of my journey. I stayed away from bread, pasta, and processed foods—things I knew were my weakness.

The best part of choosing a low-carb diet was that I still was able to eat delicious things; I just became more aware of the types of food I was putting in my body. It also allowed me to learn to love to cook again. I find so much joy when I am in the kitchen and coming up with healthy alternatives to my favorite recipes.

I also stopped eating after 7 p.m. One of my biggest downfalls was late night binge eating. This little rule helped me build a much better relationship with food.

Here’s what I typically eat in a day now:

• Breakfast: A protein bar with a yogurt. My favorite protein bars at the moment are G2G bars and Atlas bars.

• Lunch: Spaghetti squash with sun-dried tomato chicken sausage, topped with Trader Joe’s vegan pesto.

• Snacks: Salt and vinegar almonds, beef jerky, a banana, or a protein shake.

• Dinner: Ground turkey mixed with taco seasoning with two Trader Joe’s low-carb wraps, topped with some pico de gallo, avocado, and lettuce.

• Dessert: Banana oatmeal protein cookies.

Going to the gym is now the absolute best part of my day.

It has become a place where I can zone out and dedicate an hour or so to myself. I can push myself in ways I never imagined and I see myself progress more and more every day.

I joined CrossFit about nine months ago, and it was the best decision I have ever made. Before that, I was going to the gym five days a week and following a gym guide. But I found myself wanting to change things up, and CrossFit did that for me. I typically do CrossFit three to four days a week and then do cardio, like a cycling class or a run, the other days. I am also making it a point to try new things this year. I set a goal to run a 5k this year, and I will be running one in just a couple weeks. I could not be more excited!

I have lost 60 pounds over the course of 10 months.

I stopped making excuses. Even on the hard days, when all I wanted to do was give up, I never allowed myself to make an excuse to not keep going. I had a clear goal, and I promised myself I would do everything and anything to get myself there. I am a firm believer in patience, consistency, and positivity. Those three things alone have allowed me to become the strong woman I am today both physically and mentally.

Not many people talk about the fear of the unknown after losing weight. There is fear of gaining the weight back and fear of going back to your old ways. Those thoughts often cross my mind. But reminding myself that I lost 60 pounds all by myself just proves how much strength I had mentally and physically. All of those fears are just mental.

Nothing motivates me more than showing up for myself and reaching my goals. If and when you feel that fear setting in, remember why you decided to start. Show up for yourself, and you will be astonished with what you are capable of.

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