Happy anniversary Susan, congratulations on your success. Sounds like you are in a wonderful place. Continue to be inspired and inspiring, that's what makes 3FC great in my opinion.
Pattience, Wanttochange, just a bit of background-
I'm not on a diet. I consciously quit dieting about 15 years ago after a life of dieting. My mother put me on my first diet when I was about eight. What she didn't realize then was that no diet in the world was going to be successful if we didn't change our lives. We starved the weight off, then put it back on with cake in front of the TV, again and again. (I'm not saying this is what's going wrong with you, btw! I just realised it sounded like I might be implying that, so thought I'd better just make that clear!)
It's not a *diet* I'm sticking with, it's liking myself. (oddly difficult, isn't it?)
Jogging/running in public, jiggly as I am, eating my bleeping birthday cake(s) and thoroughly enjoy them, even though I'm "fat."
Eating salad for dinner- or nothing at all, if I'm truly not hungry, because I can have lasagna tomorrow or whenever I want, if that's what I really want.
I'm happy with losing weight- it makes everything easier, both physically and emotionally, but what I'm really trying to say is that this new "life" is one I can and will stick to forever, even if I stopped losing any weight. I feel like a person again. I find that the actual weight loss is not nearly as important as my decision to be kind to myself.
AGREED! I found that in being kind to myself and liking myself has been key. It's a journey and a lifestyle change. Instead of looking in the mirror feeling disgusted and hating my body, I look in the mirror and point out the good things and appreciate my body and myself. My body took a lot of abuse over the years but gave me two great kids, stretchmarks are just battle scars LOL. I really bellieve that it's so important to look in the mirror and tell yourself you are beautiful (at any weight) because your mind really believes whatever you tell it! And everyone of us has something we can look in the mirror and LIKE, its just that we see what we don't like first, then we focus on that and think that it completely defines us. Finally when you like yourself you take better care of yourself! I too feel like a person again, which almost makes me sad because I WAS a person before I just never realized it. Congratulations on your successes and the journey!
Thanks, Kelijpa! Honestly, what I feel I have hit is "solid." Like, my attitude has really, truly changed this time which is probably why I'm not thaaaaat fussed about the actual weight loss numbers. It's a new life of taking care of myself, eating well, running, inspecting the mushrooms and the moss (and the local frogpond) regularly... I am loving it
Well done, Sassyblonde! It is mad how difficult it is to like yourself, isn't it? I guess in some ways, it's a social thing. Women seem much more conditioned to look for validation externally... Not to say that no men ever have this problem. How are you doing? How's your journey going?
What a great post, and very inspiring especially to those of us who are still in the beginning stages of our journey to better health and to caring about ourselves again! Thank you.. and congratulations!
I find that the actual weight loss is not nearly as important as my decision to be kind to myself.
