I am a very Happy Owl

26^th March 2018

It is not happy people who are grateful, it is grateful people who are happy.

No yoga this morning, day started with me having to sort mom out, then I decided as my back was in bits yesterday, I’d be safer giving it a miss and giving my back chance to rest.

Another glorious day out there, dried my washing on the line yesterday and I’ve got a load in now that can go out soon.  Errands to run today, need to get Alfie in the vets with his eye, it looks a little better but best to be on the safe side. 

I had a bag of smoky bacon crisps for my breakfast yesterday, that was probably the highlight of my day, it was a pretty quiet, lovely chilled out day.  Some would think having a bag of crisps isn’t a good start to the day but as I didn’t need any energy to do anything it was no more Smart Points than a couple of pieces of toast.  It’s all about balance and that goes for everything, too much of anything good or bad ends up being bad for you, anything good or bad taken to extreme is bad for you.  Addiction doesn’t just happen with the dangerous stuff like drugs, cigarettes and food, it can happen with the so-called good stuff like exercise and dieting.

Obsession “a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling” completely different to being passionate about something or enjoying it.  I watch people become obsessed with losing weight, even when they get to goal, they want to lose that bit more.  Heck, I’ve been that person!   It became an obsession, until I ended up looking like this;

Some would say I looked great, but it didn’t add value to my life so much, it filled so much of my time that it consumed my life.  That’s why these days I focus on the healthy and happy, there’s more important things in life than being a size 8, the first half hour of my day proved that to me once again this morning. 

I was just looking for a photo of me now to show you that this version is much happier, the smile on my face is real now and not one dimensional, when I came across this photo of me as a little girl and realised she didn't care much how she looked then and neither does she now, you don't need to see a photo of me now, the real version is walking about and can be seen in the flesh ;)

I’m what all my members call a Happy Owl, that’s what I called my website years ago when I set it up and it’s what we call our Facebook group, what does it mean?  Happy Over Weight Lady (works for Lads too!), it doesn't mean I don't take care of myself or want to look and feel my best, it means that I refuse to beat myself up because I enjoy good food and wine, and find it difficult to indulge in those things and maintain what the official BMI chart tells me is an healthy weight. According to the official BMI chart, for my height I'm overweight and I’m okay with that. 

I realised a long time ago now, you can love yourself and be happy too - whatever you weigh.   Plus happier people tend to make healthier choices so ultimately weight loss becomes the side effect if it’s what your body needs or it helps you maintain and appreciate what you've got already!

Losing weight is easier if you love and support yourself and you can choose to be healthy and happy whatever your size.

Deciding to love the skin you’re in, isn’t a bad way to start your day, your week and every day that follows.  Take care of you BeYOUtiful because you are YOUnique, no one else does you better than you xx