“New year, new you!” “Follow me on FB for weight loss success!” “Lose five pounds this week!” “No fussy, packaged meals or shakes!”

Has someone tried to sell you on the above statements? Followed by a constant bombardment on your social pages. Were they trying to entice you into reading about their “journey” to weight loss? Vaguely telling how they have become a new person, pounds melting off ( not the first time, or last). The magical new program they have found, along with success, has led them to believe they are now a health expert. Full of enthusiasm as to how they can change you.  

Did you ask for help? Did you need a lecture on your waist size or health? What do they know about you that leads them to believe they have all the answers? Social media can turn enthusiasts into experts. A few strokes of the keyboard, touting words of inspiration from their own success. Now they feel they can help others with this much often limited knowledge.  

What magic are they drinking? Is it the infamous pink drink? Are they eating crazy pre-packaged meals that don’t need refrigeration? Pills, shakes, protein bars? The magical options are endless, typically fizzling your weight loss out. All of these gimmicks are a moment that was hyped,  coming to an abrupt ending. 

Would you take your car to a guy down the road or a mechanic in your day-to-day existence? Would you trust your neighbor to diagnose your scary mole? Or would you seek a professional? So why do we trust others with our nutrition? Nutrition is key to a thriving, successful body. Not the number on the back of your pants. 

I’ve been battling my weight for the majority of my life. I was seeking out a myriad of diets throughout my life. Starting with my first one: the diet coke only—no food—starvation diet at age 15. Watching my other friend’s scarf down McDonald’s with the greatest of ease; while still maintaining a size two jeans. I have never had the privilege of a size so small, learning to be ok with that,  now in my 40s.  

I discovered the gym not long after my starvation fazes, working out two hours daily for the next ten years. Exhaustion, a career, husband, and baby changed all of that. I could no longer put in the time, as I was exhausted. My body couldn’t take anymore. The weight started to pile on, 100 pounds of it. All due to hormones. Fantastic. The treadmill, squat rack, and stair stepper were no longer doing their jobs. I have never been more frustrated in my life. This battle is still going on today, a mere 16 years later. It took three doctors to get 40 pounds off of me. Although I am on the heavier side, my devotion to clean eating is legit. I was sticking to mainly foods from the earth. 

After my divorce, my health failed me in a great way. Two surgeries, one ambulance ride, seven days in the hospital are an eye-opener. Not in the way you would think. Every day, my size bothers me. Every time I pull on my pants or button a top, I am reminded of the figure I had for a brief flash in time. Those seven days reminded me that health is far more important than size. Health should be our top priority. Feeding our bodies with whole foods. Avoid processed foods, pills, shakes, along with promises that will make us thin. Those promises are likely filled with chemicals and ingredients that can do damage to your organs. 

Logging onto social media is a frustrating experience at times for me. As No, I don’t need you to fix me with your magical ingredients. I don’t need your powders or shakes (do you really know what that stuff is made of?) From the bottom of my heart, I am thrilled at your weight loss success, but I have been where you are a few times. For some of us, the struggle is real. We see through the magic. Focusing on health is the priority.  

As we age, the reminders that we are no longer 20 get a wee louder. Aging is something we all have to accept is happening/going to happen. We can, however, focus on foods that help us thrive, nourishing our organs, brain, joints, and muscles. We only get one body, take care of it, with the thought, there is no magic—only the gift of the earth, filled with foods created for us.