It really is all about ME!

Yes, I am losing weight for myself and not because someone told me to.

But it does feel good to have others acknowledge my success. I've tried the diet thing before and nothing really stuck or hit me like it has this time around. The other times it would be because my family says I'm getting fat (of course, these aren't their exact words, but it's the point they were trying to make) or because my doctor says I have to lose weight. This time, I choose to do it on my own because I wanted to do it for MYSELF. No one needed to tell me that if things didn't change, I would be dead far sooner than I was suppose to. No one needed to tell me it looked like I gained more weight. No one needed to tell me I was fat... because I already knew all these things! I've learned that I need to put me and myself before other people. A lot of times we try to please everyone else like our boss, our family, our friends, etc., etc., etc.

The biggest (no pun intended) example I can think of right now is Kathy Ireland. As a mother, she put everyone else's needs before her own and without even realizing it she had also put on an extra 25 lbs. She has since lost all the weight but I love this example because this goes to show that even super-models and celebrities can fall victim to the "I'm-too-busy-to-exercise-or- prepare-a-nice-healthy-meal-for-my- family". Although I don't have a family of my own, I still have many things going on in my life that need my attention and I find it can be very easy to use this excuse. But by putting myself first and rearranging my priorities so I'm at the top of the list has completely changed my feelings about exercise and cooking at home. I look forward to coming home and working out and preparing healthy meals has become a Sunday night ritual with my boyfriend.