Put Yourself First

“This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these link to buy, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.”

I don’t know about you, but life has always been full of expectations and needs of others. It is a mental struggle to find the balance between our own health and the rest of the world. When we have a job, our bosses like to think they own us. I’ve always found it ridiculous that they can say you aren’t allowed to take a vacation that’s more than five days, or you need to come a couple hours late because of an important doctor’s appointment for your kids and you’re not allowed. I don’t mean to make this a negative thing, but our families take a lot of our time and effort. They do a lot for us in return as well, I know. The point is that I get so wrapped up in everything that needs to be done that I forget to put myself first. This whole idea applies not only to everyday life but also in weight loss.

Your Family

Our families are amazing and important. They shape a lot of the characteristics that we have. So, nothing that I say is by any means a way to “dog” on them. When it comes to weight loss, they can have a huge effect on our success. For a long time, my husband and I were trying to lose weight. We would go on and on about how we were going to keep each other strong. However, it kept being an issue that when one of us would have a bad day, the other would follow. There came a point where I decided that it didn’t matter what he chose to do. I wasn’t losing weight and becoming healthier for him but for myself. For some reason this made a big difference in my mindset. However, there was also times that I didn’t do as well because I felt almost guilty when I could tell he would feel like a failure because I had success and he was still struggling (he never once said this to me but always cheered me on). He has also started having his own success as well, but on his own terms. I also have family members that have struggled trying to lose weight and eat healthier in a big family. When dinners every night are enchiladas, mac and cheese, or pasta. It takes a lot of work to be able to take a step away from the family habits that may be contrary to what you need to do to be healthier. It would be great if the whole family could all be eating a perfect diet but that doesn’t always happen.

Money

Money has and sometimes continues to be a struggle for me. When I have food that needs to be eaten, I have the hardest time spending money on healthier options instead of eating what I have on hand. If I make my kids some pasta and they don’t eat all of it, I would rather just eat it than have it go to waste. Saying it out loud makes it seem so trivial, but I can’t be the only one that struggles with this. Healthy foods tend to be more expensive than other cheap options. Even eating out is much cheaper grabbing a pizza than getting something with less calories and saturated fat. I guess if I’m talking about putting yourself first, that would mean this particular part is about putting yourself before your money. Be willing to spend your money not just on healthy food but maybe also on a gym membership, or a yoga workout video, or the right kind of supplements.

Cravings

This probably sounds weird to say but put yourself before your cravings. Your cravings are a temporary pleasure. It’s all about taste and the satisfaction. However, it doesn’t do anything for your health, or weight loss, or organs. I have to tell myself sometimes that it isn’t what my body wants, it’s what my mind wants in a temporary moment. If you’re truly going to put yourself first, you are going to make a choice that benefits you. Adding sugar and saturated fats is not a benefit to you in mind or in body. If this whole article has proven one thing, it’s that I have fought to overcome all of these things. And regardless of my weight loss success, I still have to fight with some of them. However, it has gotten easier. I know that even after weight loss this is the way I want to live my life. To make it a lifestyle change. I want to be a healthier person that continues to become healthier every day. There is no end goal, but a constant progression with no limits.

What are some of the ways you have had to put yourself first? Comment and tell me what is the worst struggles that you have had to overcome and how you did it.