Dreaded, horrible, scary . . . . bathing suit season.
At least, that is how I used to feel.
The thought of putting on a bathing suit terrified me. How could I allow people to see stretch marks, cellulite, jiggly legs and dare I mention my tummy! Oh man! That fact alone would have me run screaming from the nearest beach or pool!
I have never been a fan of "bearing all" in order to go swimming. One pieces wouldn't do it for me as it still could not hide the rolls. Tankinis were always a no go because my tummy would hang out the bottom. I hated the idea of wearing a t-shirt over my bathing suit because it just made me feel like a beached whale!
A lot of that has changed in the last year though. I have started to look at myself in a different light and have started realizing that I have a lot more to live for than caring what other people think about the way that I look in a bathing suit.
I want to be able to enjoy the time at the beach or the pool with my children. I don't want to be chained down by my appearance or by those evil and nasty thoughts that swirl through my mind.
I didn't like feeling embarrassed or feeling fat. I didn't want to be a woman that people went home and talked about amongst their friends.
Have you ever felt that way? It is such a gut wrenching feeling. It brings you down and draws you into this deep dark place.
I really disliked being in that state of mind.
Yet here I sit, 8 pounds away from my goal and I am an extremely happy person. Not only because of the fact that I have lost weight (I mean, that is an occasion in and of itself to be happy about it) but because I am finally starting to feel good in my body. I still feel like I have a long ways to go. Not just weight wise, but personal appreciation wise.
I have found it interesting to learn that despite not being able to exercise these last few weeks (and still not being able to exercise as my knee is still slightly swollen and agitated) that I am still losing weight. It goes to show that weight loss is not just about how much you exercise, but also about diet or how and what you eat.
Don't get me wrong. Exercise is IMPORTANT! I will never deny or doubt that. It is great for raising your endorphins and making you feel better about yourself. It has a way of lifting moods and raising spirits and helping you to get through your day or work out stress in a healthy manner. Not to mention all the other health benefits that are associated with exercise.
However, no amount of exercise is going to do us any good if we continue to eat in the same manner that we had been before. Not amount of exercise can justify that donut you ate the other day or that bowl of chips you ate on Saturday.
Losing weight is 80% diet and 20% exercise. I always thought that I needed to work my pretty little tail off in order to lose weight. The downside was that I was not really paying attention to what I was eating or how much I was eating. I may have seen muscle developing but the numbers on the scale were stuck.
Since I have started with the South Beach Diet and since having this knee injury I am beginning to realize more and more the truth to all of this. Not to mention the power of prayer! Every day I am so thankful for this new found relationship with God that I have been given.
Dear Friends, might I remind you, at the end of all, to not get discouraged! Keep at it and know that there are many out there who are cheering you on! Me included!!!!!
Oh! That dreaded bathing suit? We are slowly learning to become friends. I haven't quite ventured out too far with it yet, but we are getting there. Who knows, maybe by the end of the summer I will have made it to the public beach without hesitation and without fear!
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