GOAL!

I made my WW goal weight yesterday, on the summer solstice, my favorite day of the year. I went to the Thursday morning meeting with Betsy and Bonnie. I am happy this happened at that meeting, and ON summer solstice!

I am happy I didn't give up. 6 months to lose the first 30 pounds, then 16 years to lose the last 10! But even though I hit goal I still can't quit. I have to live with the changes I have made if I want to stay here. I think it's a testament that I never really gained the weight back, ever - not more than 10 pounds of it, anyhow. You basically just make changes to adapt to a healthier way of eating and living, and then keep doing them to stay wherever you are. The things I do are so very, very different now than what I was doing 16 years ago. And yet, they aren't. I've always been super active, still am, just now I'm lighter and it's easier. I've always loved food, still do, just now I can moderate it better. But what I eat and how often I do things is the big difference. And it shows in how I feel and how I look.

Someone on MFP posted a great question: what did you learn most about yourself when you lost weight?" Well, I have learned:

• That it's a transformation, a process, and it takes time.
• That overcoming the mental part is far more difficult than the physical mechanics of weight loss.
• That there is no finish line, so whatever changes I make I have to be able to live with for life.
• That I really am doing the best I can, and I need to be able to give myself GRACE to allow that to keep happening.
• That the only opinion that matters is MINE (well, and my doc's, truthfully). But really, it only matters what I think of me, what I think of what I am doing, and how I define success. That is all up to me.
• That support from others is nice, but support from ME is essential. (Again, it really only matters what *I* think of me.)
• And I completely agree that

zyxst wrote: » Stores will never carry your size, no matter what you weigh.

I think that pretty much sums it up. Somewhere in that fifth bullet is the meaning of the universe. Or at least the framework for a book. But that's for another time.

You want to know how I celebrated getting to goal? By going to the pool with the triathlon club and doing the weekly swim workout.  Totally didn't want to do it, totally glad I did. Hard things are not terrible, and you feel a lot better for a lot longer than they last.

BikeMS ride is tomorrow and Sunday. Will come post a summary report afterward. Happy SUMMER!!!