You sure get lots of sun but I'm going down south.

I approached Self Magazine a few months ago about doing a personal, motivational article, about how other women and ourselves are our worst enemies when losing weight. I am glad they liked it enough to publish it. Enjoy!

“Today while I was sitting at Starbucks I couldn’t help but over hear 3 girls sitting behind me talking about a larger woman ordering a tall skinny vanilla latte. They said, “What’s the point? A skinny latte isn’t going to help,” as they all laughed together. It’s inevitable that we notice people who are obese just as we notice girls who are super skinny. It’s also inevitable that we think “Wow she’s huge” and gawk, just as we see those skinny girls and think, “What a slut. Put some clothes on.” My point is that woman is obviously trying. She didn’t order the Venti White Chocolate Mocha with extra whip so who are these girls to judge her for a good decision? It’s the same when I go to the gym. I over hear women all the time teasing or making comments about larger women and it makes me so angry and disappointed in how cruel women can be to other women. I love when I see big women at the gym because I know they are trying. They aren’t on a treadmill because they want to be fat. They made a choice to get healthy and any women who want to judge should be ashamed of themselves. I am not going to be a hypocrite and say I have never thought some of those things and don’t get all defensive either because if you are a human being you’ve thought those things too. I was always overweight as a child and especially as a teenager. My highest weight was 220 at age 16 and I wore a 22 waist in women’s pants. I sometimes had to buy men’s pants, waist 42, because being a tom boy was easier than getting teased for not being able to shop at most teen stores. When I graduated high school I was able to get my weight down to about 180 and when I was 20 I went thorough a my first break up, what at the time seemed like the worst thing that had ever happened. I dropped down to 140. I was constantly teased for being “too skinny” and I knew my friends talked behind my back about my sudden weight loss.  I don’t blame them. In 2 years I lost 80 pounds and I wasn’t healthy. It’s scary to think that “weight” is always an issue but that’s the society we live in. We can say, “I love being big. I don’t want to be skinny and look like those girls in the magazine,” but come on… you’re lying to yourself. I am not saying that everyone wants to be a supermodel but there is no way you don’t remember yourself as a size 5 and don’t wish you still could fit into those skinnier jeans. I know a person can be larger and still be fit, healthy, and beautiful but too many women use the “I like being big” excuse and don’t realize the VERY SLIM percentage of big women who are actually healthy. Most women don’t even realize how much stress weight can put on their body overtime. The reason I am writing this is to make all women realize that it can be done. You can fit into those skinny jeans again, you can have the body you want, and you can be tone and fit. YOU CAN DO IT. It doesn’t matter if you want to lose 10 pounds or 50… IT CAN BE DONE. You are stronger than you think. Your body can work out hard. You can resist that ice cream every night. I am not perfect and my body isn’t perfect. I am a size 9, 151 pounds but I am healthy and fit and I PROMISE you that it can be done. Research vitamins that are appropriate for your age, body, and what you want to accomplish when taking them. Don’t say, “I hate to exercise,” because that just means you haven’t found one you like yet. Ask anyone who knows me, I LOVE SUGAR and junk food and of course I indulge. So can you. Don’t view losing weight and eating better as a “diet.” I hate that term because it shouldn’t be just a “diet.” It should be a lifestyle. I heard this quote one time by Jillian Michaels, “Fat is just unused energy,” and I truly believe that. How many times do you hear someone say something about their weight? How many times have you used the word “fat” in regards to even yourself in the past week? We all can change. We all can have the body we want. Stop teasing everyone else and look in the mirror and decide what YOU WANT TO LOOK LIKE. When we judge other people, especially about their weight, it is just our own insecurities coming out. If a sugar addict like me can lose weight and keep it off so can you.”