Dear Self,

Its time for a wake up call. You need to take better care of your body. It has been 6 months since your last official weight watchers weigh in. You have gained 6.8 lbs. I do believe my 300 lb self would kick my butt for complaining about this, but I never want to be that person again, so here goes. You did a triathlon, but you are no longer training for a triathlon. Stop eating like you are. Behave. There are only 3 things you have to do be healthy so stop complaining and just do them. Right now. Post this so you are accountable.

1. Treat food as fuel. Brownies are not fuel. No really, they aren't. Stop using food as comfort, a stress reliever, or something to do out of boredom. Do the things you know you should do instead: things you love to do: so go organize something, read a journal article, or better yet go help someone who needs to be fed at the nursing home. If chicken breast and broccoli doesn't sound good you aren't hungry. And stop making brownies. Seriously. The zucchini you add doesn't make them healthy.

2. Exercise. You are a PT. You know how. You love exercise. Just stop putting it off and do it. Right now. You don't have to exercise for 3 hr stents to get a good work out. There are 26 Yoga episodes on the DVR. You have an awesome road bike that you LOVE to ride. You have a mountain bike that begs for adventure and new trails. You have a great pair of running shoes. You love to sprint. Take Bella and just do it. You love to swim. Remember the feeling of backstroking after your work out the feel of your body gliding through the water. Go to the gym. Remember where it is? GO!

3. Stay Positive. Attitude is everything. For every negative thought, replace it with two positive ones. BE THANKFUL!
-Thank God every day that you wake up and take a breath. Your eyes focus and you see color, and you have full peripheral vision and are not going blind. Your freckled arms and hands provide skilled therapy and perform their function fully. Your chubby legs take you everywhere you want to go without any pain, numbness, neuropathy, or disease. Your spine is strong and houses a healthy spinal cord. Thank you God.
-Thank God for your sweet husband. Although his body does not always cooperate, his mind is good. He loves you so much. He thinks you are beautiful inside and out. He thought this even when you were 300 lbs. Despite many things that should have killed him, he is alive. You are so blessed.
-Thank God for your parents and grandparents. They love you and made you into the woman you are today. Suck it up and visit them more often.
-Thank God for your siblings. They love you and were able to have the children you were unable to have. They freely share them with you. You are so blessed to be the fun aunt that everyone loves.
-Thank God for your friends. You have friends from childhood who know you are moody and selfish, and love you anyway. You have friends from college who helped you though so many study sessions and helped you earn your doctorate. You have wonderful coworkers who helped you lose 150 lbs by allowing you to believe every baked good had hair on it and they continue to exercise with you from doing legs and arms at work to biking with the boss. You have wonderful couples that you are friends with. Your dog has a boyfriend. You are blessed.
So do these simple things everyday and you will be fine. The last few pounds will come off. You have realized that you must do these things every day for the rest of your life. Because you are blessed. Blessed and you must take care of your body. So stop complaining and go do something besides obscess about food.
Love,
Me