Saturday, September 26, 2009

Weight

As I trundle around our neighbourhood I often get to thinking about stuff.
I was thinking about my weight the other day. I'm not exactly sure what it is at the moment, which is unusual for me. Around seventy none of your business kgs, I would think. I'm a bit of a stress eater, alas, and a stress drinker as well. I used to weigh myself almost every day. When marathon training cranked up, work went mental, I kept getting sick, and uni obligations didn't magically go away, I decided something had to give. And you know what? I don't miss it at all. I didn't realise how much importance I was giving That Number. One thing I have learned - again - from Very Slow Marathon training, and the people I have met along this journey *hi Emma! hi Mary and Jeanne! hi Mrs W!*, is that my value is not determined by my weight, or my measurements, or my speed. Or by how I respond to stress, for that matter.
And another thing.... I've been lighter than this. I could lose weight if I put a lot of effort into it - but quite frankly, at this moment I have better things to do. Unlike when I was lighter, I have a happy marriage and a rich family life. I'm studying and working hard toward a rewarding career. I'm in very good health, apart from these wretched everlasting viruses. I'm going to run a marathon (in two weeks, eeek!). Life is good. Maybe I'll throw out my scales altogether! Probably not, though...but still. What could you do with the energy you use worrying about your weight?
More anon, deep thinkers!

9 comments:

Unknown said...

I think you are right on.

After working hard to lose 7 lbs and then getting stuck where I am right now, I'm thinking...maybe where I am right now is okay. And i've stopped obsessively weighing in. And you know what...it's somewhat of a relief.

jeanne said...

amen sister. I couldn't have said it better. I still want to be lighter, mostly because my weight is uncomfortable for me. But whatever. The world has seen me in my wetsuit, it can't really get much worse than that, can it???

(I love that painting!)

Mary Sunshine said...

Awesome post! Thank you once again for doing battle with the hateful little voices in my head. You struck them a deathblow with this post!

Anonymous said...

Well said. It's one thing to worry about your weight because you aren't living the life you want (because of your weight...) but if you are eating well most of the time and achieving your fitness goals then what does a number matter!

Margo K said...

I try not to think about my weight too, but I married a thin guy and he's always been thinner than me, and it's hard to ditch the weight issue when his jeans looks so much smaller than mine.

I've been training for my 1st 10- mile race (next week, yeah!) and haven't lost a single pound. How could that be?

I try not to think about it...I really do. What is it about women that makes this issue so hard to bury?

starfish264 said...

Wow - this is completely zen-like post - love your thinking! Now, of only I could get myself into anything like a similar state of mind ....

Wes said...

You know, you can make little changes that improve your over all health and eating habits, but being happy with who you are now, beyond priceless :-)

Keep up the good work!!

Flea said...

Darnit you are good at writting too. I love reading your rambles, makes me think, deep thinking I am.

Shauna said...

What a brilliant post :) Can't believe M day is so soon! You have juggled it all so well!