Now that it’s the middle of January, many of us are working hard in our new routines to try to meet our goals for 2019. For a lot of people, that means trying to improve their health and/or lose weight.
Weight loss is a topic I try to stay away from on here, because there are just so many ways to get it wrong. And I don’t want to influence people to thinking there’s a perfect diet or that looking thin is the top reason to workout. That’s why I prefer to focus on simply eating a more nutritious diet or getting more active. Despite my usual strategy of not talking about weight loss, I saw a quote recently that I couldn’t stop thinking about.
The quote reminded me a lot about my post on finding your happy weight—AKA, a healthy weight where you feel comfortable at and can realistically maintain. You know what usually comes with a happy weight? An extra 5 to 10 pounds.
Most people who think they have “extra” weight would probably prefer to lose it (whether they plan to try to or not), but the thing is…that extra weight represents a lot more than you think.
I just love how real this is. It makes you think about your priorities in life. I mean, there’s a reason so many of us have those “extra” pounds. I like to go brewery hopping with my husband. I like to make cookies and cakes for my family. I like to meet up with friends for tapas or tacos or whatever sounds good.
Most of us wouldn’t be happy if we were living the lifestyle needed to have minimal body fat. Granted, if you’re extremely dedicated to your fitness and diet and don’t have this so-called “extra weight,” that’s awesome and I hope you’ve found a balance that makes you happy.
When it comes down to it, memories can be made in a variety of ways. I just know that, for the average person, food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and it’s front and center in a lot of traditions, trips, celebrations, and spontaneous adventures.
So if you’re one of the many people out there feeling frustrated that you can’t seem to get rid of “those last 5 to 10 pounds,” cut yourself a little slack. Allow yourself to make memories through food if that helps enrich your life. Embrace the spontaneity, freedom, and love while still striving for good health.
