losing numbers

i know this post is off topic, but i can't help it.

there were a lot of things on my 2009 to do list, but one task was really important to me & i'm happy to say that i can cross it off! this morning i was brave enough to step on the scale & was pleasantly surprised to see that i lost 11 lbs since january. seriously, i'm flipping my shit.

i hadn't gained weight since i was 19, when i decided to take the extra lbs off for good. in november, when i realized that i was 10 lbs heavier than my original goal weight set so many years back, i was really disappointed. i had ignored the fact that so many of my outfits were just too tight or off limits completely. after many failed efforts, i listened to bart & saw a trainer. she gave me simple tasks that i know firmly believe in: cut calories (no matter how hard you work out, you sit at a desk allllll day), keep a food & exercise journal, drink a lot of water, cut or reduce simple carbs after lunch, interval training, strength training & keep intensity in each workout.

i (as many women & men often do) struggle with weight - keeping it off, placing too much value on it, fantasizing about being thin, working at accepting my body, balancing health & vanity, etc - but i have always tried to be as healthy as i can with weight loss. my time at the gym or exercising outdoors is mine to think & reflect about what is important. my efforts with eating are for me to make conscious decisions about what my body needs. for all of you trying to lose weight or get into the stack of jeans that no longer fit & for those of you who are just trying to be healthier or more active - good luck & remember to be good to your body, even if that means eating marshmallows & ice cream.

image from guy aroch on photographers limited editions.