Said I wasn't gonna talk about it...

But I couldn't keep it to myself! Happy news darlings!
Not even my little brother ranting incessantly in the background can dim the bright shining of my latest little victory!
Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't wind y'all up so much: the news may be anticlimactic.
What's more, I think I'm setting myself up to appear really quite frivolous and shallow.

But well, if you know me, you know that it's not so. Through persistence, healthy habits and discipline (within reason), in spite of bouts of sadness and mild depression, discouragement and setbacks, I have managed to lose 18 pounds so far. I'm now past the halfway mark of losing all the weight I put on over the winter, and I've done it without starving myself, making myself throw up (and the other nasty mean things I used to do to myself) and without hating on my body image (very much).

It makes me think, how funny we women can be sometimes. Because now I've come to a crucial point in the process where I usually lose momentum and sabotage myself. If I'm not careful, I'll do something to punish myself for feeling good, for acheiving something.

Before you start thinking I'm a head case, ask yourself this: how often do you put other priorities ahead of taking care of yourselves? How often do you put yourself "at the bottom of the pile" (to quote my friend Eric) but for all the wrong reasons? I truly admire self-sacrifice and humility, particularly when there is a greater need than your own (all you mothers out there, much respect!), out of reverence for your spiritual beliefs or for the good of another human being. But sometimes we do these things not out of love for others, but out of self-hatred.

Which leads me to remind myself to be vigilant and take care of my spirit. To know that diminishing myself out of self-loathing or to make others feel better about themselves doesn't serve the world at all. I too, have as much right to (or as little, depending on how you look at it) health as anyone else. And while I have the resources and the opportunity to do so, I'll take advantage of it. My back and my knees have begun to thank me already!

Wishing you a hapy and healthy day,
T-Bone