's motd Wed Jan 20, 2010

[Guest guest]

I USED TO BE...

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

On the way home from my last trip, I met a lady in the airport and we got into a little chat, all about her weight. She was around 50 years-old, 5'4" and weighed about 220 pounds. And boy, did she ever have a lot to share with me...

"Oh, ...I really need your help. You may not believe this but I used to be a very thin lady. I was a cheerleader in high school and even the school prom queen during my senior year! I remember I was wearing a size 4 dress back then. My mother made the dress herself from a pattern she bought at a fabric store. But the pattern didn't even come in a size that was small enough for my teeny little body. So my mother had to make adjustments in the pattern so the dress was, and get this...small enough for me! I still have pictures from my prom and it's hard to believe it's really me in those pictures! When I got married, I weighed only 104 pounds. My husband used to be able to pick me up off the floor like I was a feather but...not anymore. Oh I know, all of that's hard to believe from looking at me now but believe me ...it's true! And you know what else? When I was younger, I actually won a couple of beauty contests. But look at me now, . I feel horrible when I see my reflection in the mirror."

Now you know what? This was not the first time I heard words like those from someone. In fact, I hear it all the time. Ladies often tell me how beautiful they once were or how thin they used to be and, hey...I believe them. These ladies often send me photos of how they looked 20-30 years ago.And you know what I tell them? Well, I tell them to let their past experiences of feeling better about themselves help them focus on getting the weight off now. So do you have pictures of yourself where you weighed a lot less and you felt thinner and prettier. Well, truth is, you can still look like that in your own way. I mean, you may not get down to 104 pounds, like you weighed when you were 18 but you can reach a healthier weight and feel so much better about yourself.

If I were you, I'd tape that picture of yourself when you were younger to your refrigerator. Then everyday, just look at that cute body of yours. Let that photo be your source of inspiration and not the focus of your desperation. Don't be so desperate to get back to a healthier weight. You know how to get this weight off because I've told you how to lose it...thousands of times. And I know you know the formula:Love yourself, move your buns and watch your portions. (It's really so simple.) Then start watching who you "used to be"...become you again! Love,