A Letter

I wrote a Dear Body letter a little over three years ago, back when I first started down a healthier pathway. I thought that maybe it's time to revisit that. I would also love if you would write yourself a Dear Body letter...and if you want, send me the link to it. It's an amazing way of connecting with yourself physically and emotionally at different stages of your life. Even if you don't send the link or post the letter, I think it's well worth doing anyway. Just a suggestion.

Dear Body,

Hi! Holy smokes, it's been a long time since I've written to you. So many things have changed and yet so many of them are still the same. You and Mind are much better friends now and that seems to have really settled you down. You've been at a proper weight now for three years and I'm so proud of you (and us!).

You really have astounded me lately with your ability to keep pushing even when you're exhausted and worn down. You seem to have these secret little reserves of super-energy that you can pull out when required. If Mind is quiet enough to let us get on with the task at hand, you really do rock it. These last six months haven't been easy on any of us, what with your heart getting sick and then being a bit difficult to deal with at times, with the immense amount of work that you've had to do to help me take care of Ray and our home and our life. I'm grateful that you didn't decide to tell me to pound it and just cop out and leave me stranded.

Sometimes, Body, when I think about you, I still occassionally picture you when you were unhealthy and overweight. I sometimes get lost in the mental chatter and then I look in the mirror and see what a remarkable change we've made and I'm overwhelmed. We're in the process of making another transformation of sorts and you're really taking to it well. Your upper half is developing nicely with the new weights routine and your legs are becoming crazy strong and solid with muscle from all the running and cycling. Sometimes I get annoyed that your legs are not slender and that the pantlegs of jeans always fit a bit tight. But your legs are not fat or flabby, they are hard and powerful and that is great! It also makes me eternally happy when Ray comments on how fantastic your rear looks because we have worked hella hard on it! I'm trying really hard to help you with your posture and it's coming along, it's just a bit of a slow go, we've had shitty posture for 32 years! Try to remember, when I'm sitting you up straight or sucking your tummy in, that we look nicer and stronger and fitter when we have proper posture. Beaten down and squashed is not a good look for you.

I think I've finally figured you out, Body, as far as food goes and I promise to keep working to finesse the input so that your output in exercise and overall wellness is optimal. I know you hate starchy carbs and sugar hurts your tummy and your skin is allergic to dairy. As you can see, Body, that makes it kind of difficult to feed you and it is also much more time consuming to shop for you and prepare your meals. I know that as soon as I feed you properly, you respond amazingly as far as dropping extra bloat/pounds and generally feeling better. But sometimes, Body, a girl just needs to eat a Lindt bunny or a fluffy white bread sandwich and I would really appreciate if you didn't pitch a fit everytime.

I've made some plans for us over the next year, more committment to yoga and Pedals, we're going to get your back taken care of and continue to strengthen all your muscles. And then? We're going to run a half marathon. I know you're up for the challenge, it's a ways away and we're going to train smart and hard.

You and me, Body, we're together forever and we are young and vital and we're going to live that way. Rock on, Gorgeous!