Those Last Few Pounds

Those last few pounds can be a drag.

I know.

There’s a magic number on the scale that I’m on a quest to achieve. And for the last four months, I’ve been within two pounds of its magnificence. A part of me believes that when I achieve that number, magic will occur. All the stars in the heavens will come into perfect alignment. Fireworks will erupt from the sky. I will be instantly transformed into a princess clothed in a diaphanous gown. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow will appear the sidewalk before me. And that glorious number and I will live happily ever after.

I have a lot riding on that number.

And the magic of that number is preventing me from loving my body, as it is right now. Sure, I feel great right now. Sure, I love my body. But if I weighed two pounds less, I’d feel even greater!
Or would I?

Doubtful.

Would my life be perfect if I weighed just a few pounds less?

Probably not.

I’d still have to deal with the cat litter and hairballs. I’d still have to take out the garbage. I’d still have dishes to do, and laundry to do, and vacuuming to do.

Would I be happier if I weighed a few pounds less?

Probably not.

If you’re like me, you may be attached to those last few pounds. If you’re like me, the last few pounds may be preventing you from completely and unabashedly loving yourself. So, how can we relinquish our attachment to those last few pounds? How can we love our bodies, even with those last few pounds?

Here are a couple of ideas.

First, complete this sentence in as many ways as you can: “I love my body because. . .”

Second, complete this sentence in as many ways as you can: “I experience joy in my body when. . .”

Third, write a thank you note to your body. Want extra credit? Mail that note to yourself!

Make the decision to love your body as it is, today--even with those few last pounds!




Up next: “Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned from Running”