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Losing Weight Without Giving Up Treats

Down over 7 pounds in my first month without giving up ice cream or cookies. Here's how rest, movement, and water made a real difference.

bathroom scale with feet stepping on .
bathroom scale with feet stepping on .

Almost a Month In? Time’s Flying

I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I started this thing. Where did the time go? So here’s the update. I haven’t started the nutrition portion yet. I’ll get into that in a bit. But first, I want to take a moment to celebrate some small wins. I’m down 7 pounds. That might not sound huge to some folks, but to me, it’s proof that moving more, drinking water, and getting real rest actually matters. And the best part? I’m losing weight without giving up treats. I’m still enjoying my ice cream cones and sneaking a cookie or two. (Don’t judge me. lol) I’m not doing victory laps, and I don’t feel the need to reward myself for anything. I haven’t cut out the stuff I love, and that’s what makes this feel doable.

Focusing on One Habit at a Time

I don’t want to give the impression that I have already mastered all of this. I often remind myself to drink water, and some days are better than others when it comes to that. Because I’m so laser-focused on my tasks, remembering to get up and move around has not been easy. Let’s face it, I’m a slave to routines, and breaking them is hard. That’s why I wanted to focus on each one separately. Taking it step by step makes it feel less overwhelming.

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Everyday Dana on a weight scale with her dog beside her.
Everyday Dana on a weight scale with her dog beside her.

It’s Not a Diet, Y’all

The biggest issue I’m having is from folks who love me and mean well, but don’t understand my process. I honestly hate to even call this a weight loss journey because people hear that and think I’ve started some kind of strict diet plan. And usually that comes with a list of unnecessary restrictions. So then our tribe goes into full police mode, counting the crumbs on our lips like food detectives. Gotta love ’em.

Reshaping the Way We Think About Losing Weight

I want to gently reshape how people think about this. Losing weight without giving up treats is real, but it’s not just about the food. Every part of my success so far has come from a kind of harmony. Movement, rest, hydration, and other pieces all work together. Nutrition is a big one, and it’s something I’ll be focusing on this week. My goal is to start eating more foods that actually enrich my health. That doesn’t mean I’m swearing off hamburgers. Beef is a good source of iron, protein, and other nutrients. We all need that. What I’m working on now is understanding what I’ve been missing and how to bring it into my meals without losing the joy in eating.

marble looking weight loss scale showing a reading os 400.2lbs
marble looking weight loss scale showing a reading os 400.2lbs

I think my highest weight was over 413 pounds.

The Scale I Wish I Had Found First

I love my weight scale. Being morbidly obese, it was hard to find a good quality digital scale in stores that didn’t look clinical or cheap. I ended up on Amazon and found a pretty marble-look one that I’ve been using ever since. Sadly, it’s no longer available. But I found something even better for you. This black GE Bathroom Scale for Body Weight is sleek, made with tempered glass, and it goes up to 500 lbs. That’s even more than mine, which tops out at 450. If you're looking for something sturdy and stylish, this is a great option.

Celebrating the Small Things

So today, I’m celebrating this small change. I’ll do better about keeping you more up to date—I know I’ve been slipping on that. For some reason, I thought I had already written a post. Oops. If you’re someone like me, needing to lose a large amount of weight and feeling like you keep failing because it’s all just too much at once, I hope this reminds you that small changes matter. You really can climb a mountain one step at a time. And it’s more than okay to sit down and rest on the way up.

f you’re still hanging out with me, thank you. If you need a little more comfort and real talk, come read about my laundry-folding love over At Dana’s Table. Hey, it counts as exercise too. 😉