No one was ever criticized into changing.  It doesn't work.  What works is encouragement, commitment, and a vision of something better.

There is often a theme of the week at the studio.  I don't know why that is, but the energy somehow focuses on specific issues.  This week was about beating ourselves up.  Maybe it was the post Thanksgiving holiday feeling.  It's hard not to feel fat when you purposefully overeat like we all do.  It is a feast!

It is tempting to believe that if we feel disgusted enough with ourselves, we'll change.  So we stare at the parts of our bodies we don't like in the mirror and think the most unkind words.  Gross, disgusting, fat, cottage cheese, jiggly, saggy, rolls.  Or we avoid mirrors and cameras entirely and just give in to the fact that we don't want to see ourselves.

We all must make a commitment to love ourselves.

When I hear those words, I think back to my years in counseling.  I used to think that I had to somehow conjure up loving feelings towards myself or my body even though I didn't really feel that way.  I've come to learn that loving yourself is meant to be an action, not a feeling.

Part of loving yourself is knowing who you are.  To me this means knowing I am unique, that I belong, am of value, am worthy of love, and no one else has the combination of gifts and talents that I do.  I make a difference.  If you feel empty in this area, your spirit may need attention.  Let me remind you that you are unique, you belong, you are worthy of love, and no one else has the combination of gifts and talents that you do.  You make a difference!

The other part of loving yourself is giving yourself what you need to thrive.  It is the choices you make.  Something may taste good but is it loving? - in other words does it contribute to your long term health and happiness?  Or is it self-destructive?  My definition of this would be feels good in the moment but causes long term pain and suffering.

When I smoked, each cigarette sure was pleasurable.  But it was destructive.  There may be some immediate comfort in eating foods high in fat, sugar and salt but is it loving?  Does it contribute to my long term well being?  I know that it doesn't and remember well what being at an unhealthy weight felt like physically and emotionally.  I was not a happy person and beat myself up constantly.

But how to get there from here; from instant gratification to long term well being?  One loving choice at a time, forgiveness when you blow it, and a commitment to your future self that you will never, ever give up.  We have all heard stories of people who have overcome their habits and past to become healthy and happy.  These stories allow us to envision ourselves the same way.  If they can do it, maybe we can do it.

I know it is easy to allow critical thoughts to creep in and even to take over.  But they are destructive and so we must not feed them.  When they arise, cut them off.  They are lies!

Here is the biggest lie of all:  I will never be good enough.

Here is it's fitness translation:  I will be happy (good enough) as soon as I lose _ pounds.

Here is the truth: I am unique, I belong, am of value, and am worthy of love exactly as I am right at this very moment!

If you want to make positive changes in your life, that's great.  Exercise consistently.  Make healthy food choices.  Rest.  Stretch.  Walk.  Lift.  Just make a commitment to do it out of love and not from a place of criticism or judgment.  Don't allow a lie that you aren't good enough as you are at this moment rob you of one more day of joy in this life.

Now get moving.

Hey Sue - I love your newsletter!  Great recipes too - and now I am sending you one that I love. My husband has been losing weight like crazy lately and this soup has been the cornerstone of his eating plan, along with a big salad with chicken or salmon every night. This recipe was originally called "Peel a Pound" soup - and I started making it about 25 years ago. My version is adapted to be even more low-calorie than the one I got from some women's magazine years ago. Note: the recipe uses just one small potato. This really thickens it and makes it taste better. Feel free to pass on!

Very low-cal, high fiber Veggie Soup
Ingredients
· One small head cabbage, chopped into about 1-inch-square pieces
· 1 or 2 large sweet onions, chopped into bite-sized pieces
· One large bag of carrots, peeled and sliced (not too thin)
· One small potato, diced with skins
· One large can of plain diced tomatoes, including liquid - low or no salt if you want
· Oregano and Salt & Pepper, to taste
Optional - add any or all of below, if you want:
· A few stalks of chopped celery
· A diced green pepper
· A diced garlic clove

Directions
1. Clean and chop all the veggies and put in your largest soup pot.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the canned tomatoes. Then, add enough water so that it just covers the vegetables. (This will be somewhere between 10 and 12 cups.)
3. Cover and bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Keep covered and let simmer for about 2 hours.
4. With ladle, remove a cup or two of water from soup and throw out.
5. Using a soup ladle, put 1-2 cups of cooked veggies, and a little liquid in the blender. Cover (not airtight) and puree until it is a thick liquid. (Do not burn yourself doing this!) OR (Easier): You can also use an immersion blender and just stick it in the pot of veggies to puree PARTIALLY, but be sure to leave most of veggies whole and in one piece. (This pureeing process is simply to give the soup a thicker consistency.)
6. Add the puree back into soup and dump in tomatoes and liquid in tomatoes.
7. Stir and serve.
Makes a ton of soup. Freezes well in a plastic container. About 50 calories for a 2 cup serving! Best with a spoon of grated parmesan cheese on top and a few saltines.

Highbanks this Saturday at 12:15 PM.  We meet in the Nature Center parking lot.

I challenge you to find the time (the walk takes an hour and 8 minutes) for this really great hike.

I guarantee one of the best cardio workouts you've ever had.  Come and see for yourself.