A New Me

This is me these days.  Working very hard to get back to the person I was before I left Athens, Greece.  I was very active there - in so many ways.  Upon moving back to the States, all that changed drastically.  I stopped working, golfing, sailing and walking.  Things for the first 9 months kept going from bad to worse.  Life was terrible, and my figure reflected that unhappiness.

It was about three months ago when things finally started turning around for me.  Life was beginning again, and I wanted to make the most of it.  It took me literally two months before I saw any change in my appearance.  Everyday I would look in the mirror and become depressed.  Everyone told me not to worry.  That's what happens when you get old they said.  Old!  OMG!  I hit 43 and now I'm old!  My body doesn't burn fat and calories like they did when I was 42?  I was stressing out.  I can't be overweight the rest of my life.  I can't look bad in my clothes.  I can't wear pants that are two sizes too big!  I can't!  And yet, I was.

I realized two things that helped me lose the weight I needed to make myself feel good.  Most important, I had to stop stressing, and start accepting that the past three years have been very trying and would have taken their toll on anyone.  Secondly, I needed to address the fact that I was getting old.  That I needed to re-think the way my body was now working.  And most importantly, I needed to stop thinking of my life in Athens, and what I had and what I did.  This is where I live now, and unless I figure out how to make it work here, I would have to go back to Athens and cut my losses.

Back?  Losses?  Me?  No way!  So, although it didn't happen over night, and yes, I would much prefer to be sailing then on a cold wooden floor in a gym.  This is my life now.  Move over girls - this 44 year old bag of bones is finally taking back her life.  And I feel great!

Not only do I feel better then I have in like - forever - but apparently I look it.  This afternoon, my son came over to me while I was busy typing away, kissed me on my cheek, and said, "Mom, it's good to have you back, you're looking like your old self again".  Correction, I wanted to say to him, my new self!