Judging yourself...

A couple of things have happened in the last couple days that has made me sad, so I wanted to talk about them.  I am on a couple of weight loss discussion boards.  I really utilized them when I was actively losing weight - for advice, to vent, etc.   

On one site that I am on, there is an area for those of us who were overweight, have lost and are now in maintenance mode.  A woman recently got on there and is absolutely devastated that she cannot get to her goal weight - she is 5'1" (my exact height) and wants to get down to 110 pounds.  She has - in her words - been stuck at 111 and can't get any lower then that.  So her plan as of this morning is to radically reduce her calorie intake to 800 calories per day in the hopes to force her body to drop that pound.  

Oh boy.

Why are we so HARD on ourselves?  Why do we define ourselves by a number on a scale?  There are lots and lots and lots of reasons to lose weight and be healthy and fit.  It's something that I obviously have worked hard on.  

But I want to stress this to everyone here who is reading - please take it from me as I have been there and done that!  YOU ARE NOT A NUMBER ON A SCALE!  Please take time to love yourself and be good to yourself.  This is one of the reasons I encourage people when they are starting out to focus on good eating habits and starting an exercise program rather then worrying about getting to a certain number.

I guarantee that if this woman reaches 110 she will look absolutely NO DIFFERENT then she looks at 111. So she will continue to see faults and will want to go lower.

I think I am finally getting there in my own mental battle although it is a day to day struggle, and I'm much better at forgiving others then myself.  I went to our work Xmas party yesterday.  And I ate a very high calorie brownie for dessert.  And I am showing up a pound today.  AND I'm not freaking out, or berating myself, or worrying that I am going to get fat again.  Instead I will eat back on plan today.  And that brownie is nothing but a brownie.  It is not a SYMBOL of my life.

Please remember that being a healthy weight helps you HAVE a good life - it should not make you miserable.

My dorky outfit for the Xmas party: