I’ve never been supermodel thin, nor do I ever want to be. And while I’m actively trying to lose weight this year, I won’t be going on a diet. See, I don’t believe in diets. I know that Keto is the new thing and I hear a lot of people have had great results from the diet, but dieting isn’t for me. 

Now, you might be asking why I’m against dieting. The answer is: I’m not really.  If dieting works for you, then go for it. But for me, dieting is a sure way to make myself feel bad. One thing all diets have in common is deprivation. They deprive you of fats, sugars, carbs, gluten, etc., etc., etc. Deprivation might work in the short term, but if you tell me I can’t have something then the only thing I’m going to want is the thing I can’t have. It’s not a very flattering character trait, but there you go. This is why diets don’t work, and will never work, for me.

Instead of dieting, I’m just being more conscience of what I eat and when I eat it. I’m also trying to eat more often, which might sound silly but in doing these small things I’ve lost fifteen pounds since January. If I want fried chicken, then I eat fried chicken. I’ll just make sure that the next really unhealthy meal is at least a month away. I now plan out my naughty days. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have other things that have been deemed “not good for you” between my naughty days. I do. I just have smaller portions. But I’m not depriving myself of anything.

Another change we’ve made recently is eating at the kitchen table. Hubby and I used to always eat on the couch while watching television. Since it’s just the two of us it was easy to fall into that habit. We have realized that we eat less sitting at the table. I don’t know why this is, but it is. 

We’ve also started eating earlier than we used to and eating around the same time every day. This wasn’t possible with Hubby’s old job since his hours changed every night and we never knew what they were going to be until his boss called.

I’ve also cut back on the hours I spend sitting in front of a computer. But not only that, I’m also making it a point to move more. Even if that is just me pacing the kitchen while I talk on the phone or wait for my tea to steep. 

See, I look at it as a lifestyle change. Because it’s not only what foods I put in my body, but a combination of a lot of things that go into creating a more healthy lifestyle. But again, I’m not depriving myself of anything, I’m just more careful about monitoring when I have those things that I know aren’t good for me. It’s about moving more, sleeping better, and building a lifestyle. One where I can indulge when I want to without guilt.

I’ve never worried about the number on the scale or the size of my pants. Those things never mattered to me or defined who I am. I know that’s not true for everyone. I know that some people struggle with their weight or think there is something wrong with them if they aren’t a certain dress size. For those people, I say, “Love yourself. Who you are isn’t determined by those things. Some people aren’t meant to be a size two. We are all different, so embrace your uniqueness and find the size that feels right for you. The one where you can eat those things you love without guilt or shame. Where you can get rid of the scale and be happy with what you see when you look in the mirror.”

For me, my size isn’t about a number, it’s about the way I feel. At the size I am now, I feel overweight and it’s having a negative effect on my health. I would like to lose another forty pounds, give or take. Not because of some societal view of what women should look like or anything, but simply because that was a weight I felt good at.

I think we, as a society, are too focused on physical looks, instead of focusing on the things that really matter… A person’s heart.