Transformation #3 My Weight Loss Journey

Today is truly a monumental day. I’m here in Lotus Cafe, sipping an Americano and reflecting on how far my personal journey has come – at least that’s why I think they call it reflection! But there are plenty of other reasons to be celebrating today too; the one ringing loudest being Shervin’s (an Iraninan singer) incredible success with winning a Grammy for the Best social change song (Baraaye-for Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran) – such inspiring achievement! (More information here!)

To prepare myself for this soul-searching session, nothing beats indulging into some good music from my favorite ‘work/study playlist’ (check out Spotify!). So, as you can tell by now, I am more than ready to dive deep into thinking about all these wonderful emotions associated with my transformation process… let’s get started!

How I lost 20kg of my weight, a critical point in Rojan's Road to Roj Journey

Well…How I lost 20kg of my weight is a story that starts with a lot of struggles and ends with a lot of success. It’s been a critical point in my Rojan’s Road to Roj Journey because it’s helped me to rebuild my confidence and recommit to my health goals. Today, I want to share how I did it in the hopes that it will inspire others who are struggling with their own weight loss journey.

The story of my insecurities because of those some extra pounds

As a young teenager entering high school, I was never shy about my love of sweets and carefree abandon with which I enjoyed them. However, as many of my peers began to become more conscious of their bodies in the 15-16 age range – going on diets and choosing trends that fit their desired image – it hit me just how much weight these issues could have for boys or girls looking to make a good impression.

Naturally, this caused some insecurity when it came time for me personally to start dating; feeling like I wasn’t ‘good enough’ weighed heavily on mind as well!

Yes true…I was carrying the feeling of ‘Inadequacy’ with myself for many years, I had felt like something was missing in my life- and not just a physical void.

Fearing imperfection, refusing everyone before they could even reject me – this became an all too familiar pattern when it came to dating. My lack of self-confidence also seeped into other parts of my life; for instance, constantly buying clothes out of insecurity but then never feeling good enough to wear them or go the gym because I didn’t think that at 10-12 kg overweight there would be any point either way!

When people told me I was beautiful inside and out (which is incredibly sweet!), rather than believing their compliment wholeheartedly as anyone deserves to do so now looking back with hindsight, I thought they were fooling me…

I remember looking around at my friends who were nicely put together and thinking ‘why did they get to have true love while I was alone?’ On paper it should look like a perfect match—I had many dates, and some offers of long-term relationships! But no matter how amazing the proposal sounded in theory or if there truly seemed to be something special between us… deep down I couldn’t stop asking myself: Is something wrong with them that convinced them this could work out?! So instead of taking chances on any budding romances, I decided against getting too close.

I started losing weight because of this trigger point

Three years ago, that moment truly marked a huge turning point within me, where change became absolutely essential! I was in my home in Vancouver feeling unmotivated and unsure of myself.

I had been lacking confidence for years and nothing seemed to be able to motivate me enough. That changed when a text from an unexpected source completely shifted the way I looked at things—it became clear that this pivotal moment could not go unaddressed any longer.

It all started innocently enough with friendly greetings but as soon as he used an offensive term directed towards those who are overweight it felt like something inside of me broke entirely apart; suddenly all my fears came flooding out into focus and ignited flames within everything around me.

This one message gave rise to such intensity that there could no more doubt: I HAD TO CHANGE! I knew that caring for my body and mind was necessary if I wanted to have the future that I dreamt of.

And that’s exactly what got me started on this incredible journey of losing weight; that day marked the beginning of a struggle that sure enough made me stronger, healthier, happier, and above all more confident than ever before!

The challenges I faced, the right approach I took, and how I overcame them

I put away my fear of going to the gym because I wasn’t in shape, and I started to go to the gym with my best friend Amitis (Thank you Amy, you saved my life!) in her building.

When I first started running, I couldn’t run even one minute, but I gradually increased the time and learned that consistency was more critical than speed. My goal was not instant change, but to change my whole lifestyle, so I began by eating clean and exercising with functional cardio.

After months of hard work, I was finally starting to notice the physical transformation in myself and felt rejuvenated mentally. But then came the pandemic which forced me back home. Even though all restaurants were closed due to quarantine regulations, this ended up being a blessing as it gave me more time for my hobbies – like cooking! Who else remembers going crazy trying to bake bread during lockdown? That’s still one of my favorite memories from that era!

After trying lots of different diets and exercise plans, I eventually found one that worked wonders for me – an Iranian trainer’s personal home plan. After committing to a regular routine following his advice, I was thrilled to see the result – 10kg lighter! It felt like such an accomplishment after all those months of hard work; it made it worth every minute spent sweating.

My journey to a better lifestyle was often met with detours and dead ends. After 8 months of trial-and-error, I decided to take an unconventional approach–a 3-week smoothie diet! Though it lacked scientific support, the results were nothing short of miraculous. Through this experience I learned that being successful is about taking small steps on your path instead of just focusing solely on the result.

I was feeling low after getting shot down, and that’s when I discovered Barry’s gym!

It had a branch in Tehran which is where I first started to workout. It quickly became one of my favorite places – so much so that now there’s an even better version here in Vancouver! If you’re looking for an amazing place to get your sweat on wherever in the world you are!

Then check out the link here and reserve your bedroom spot– trust me, this spot won’t disappoint!

Following my weight-loss transformation, how my life has changed

My life has drastically changed for the better since I made a commitment to improve my physical and mental health. Initially it was challenging, but with each pound that I shed, setting new goals became easier than ever before! Not only could I move around more freely as time passed – even taking on tasks that had once seemed impossible-but something else began happening too.

A confidence developed in me like never before which brought back an energy and vibrancy to my day; all thanks to making healthier decisions every single day! Looking back now at how far I’ve come is such an empowering experience-one of true gratitude towards everything this journey has done for me so far (and will do!)

When I stepped on the scale and saw that number staring back at me, my mind started to create a powerful story of negativity. Suddenly all other issues in life melted away – there was only one problem: this 10 kg extra weight. But something changed as soon as those hurtful words passed through my best friend’s toxic boyfriend’s lips – it made me realize how much value our minds hold when trying to make changes for ourselves!

That moment opened up an opportunity where I could take control of self-doubt, anxiety and low confidence because from then onwards I had the power within myself to decide what kind of person I wanted to be; strong or weak? It began with shifting perspective about just 10 kg but spread into so many more aspects in terms of becoming happier and healthier individuals along broader lines such as mental health awakening too.

It took me a long time to realize that my insecurities and concerns about weight were only in my mind.

For the longest time, I believed that if I lost 10 kg of extra weight then this would be the one-stop solution to all other problems in life! However, it was not until an unpleasant experience with someone close forced me into action did things begin to change.

By choosing healthier lifestyle options such as regular exercise and healthy eating habits, I freed myself up mentally which allowed me to focus on areas like academic success, career goals or even networking – those aspects provide much more fulfilment than worrying over body image issues ever could have given!

And now when I’m writing this post, I am so grateful for the incredible mental transformation I have experienced over this long path. This journey has been so much more than just a physical transformation.

I have learned to love myself whatever shape, size or weight that may be – and it is such an empowering feeling! Instead of judging people by their outward appearance, I now judge them for the beauty of their soul; for what lies inside rather than how they look on the outside.

Life isn’t about those arbitrary numbers on scales anymore – unless our health is being harmed in any way – but instead we should enjoy each other’s rich personality and celebrate one another’s personal achievements along this beautiful ride called life!

For others who struggle with weight loss, here are some encouraging words and advice!

If there’s one piece of advice, I can offer those who are struggling on their weight loss journey, it would be to never give up – no matter how hard it gets. When I first started my journey, I felt completely overwhelmed and discouraged by the challenge ahead of me.

But after sticking with it and challenging myself to stay motivated and persist through setbacks, I eventually reached my goal. Despite all the roadblocks in your way, don’t forget that you CAN achieve your goals if you work hard enough and put in the effort. Every time you feel like giving up, remind yourself why you made this choice in the first place and keep going – because you WANT it, and you ARE worth it!

Writing my story has been an incredibly emotional journey for me. I want to give hope and show that it is possible to make meaningful changes in your life with consistent effort, even if the path can be hard at times. My own weight loss success proves that small steps of dedication are key – don’t get discouraged! Allow yourself grace as you move forward on this journey – because any little bit counts and just look where believing in myself got me today: a healthy lifestyle full of joy! If anyone has specific questions or would like more guidance along the way, please feel free to reach out; connecting over our shared experiences may help us both achieve greatness together <3