Since this blog is written for SWAK, I will go way outside my comfort zone and share something that I might not say anywhere else – I’m tired of dieting. I’m tired of counting calories, fat grams, and holding my breath before I get on the scale. But most of all, I’m tired of worrying about what I eat in relation to what I weigh and how I feel about myself. And so, I’ve stopped doing it. I’ve traded all that dieting in for a big dose of healthy living and self esteem.

You see, if we could all be okay with ourselves and say, my big butt may not be best feature, but love the rest of ourselves completely, that would be fine. But that’s not how it goes – at least not for me. Week after week, I put everything on the scale – my outside AND my inside. Like many of us, I allowed thoughts and feelings about a body part run my life and put my self esteem and confidence on the scale too. And that needed to change. So here’s the truth, If we’re not careful, our outside body starts to kill our inside spirit.

For many of us, losing weight has been the distracting focus of much of our lives. It has been our limiting, lying nemesis. Our mind says, IF ONLY I were thin . . . IF ONLY I could lose weight. Ironically, the problem with this thought, from the very first moment, is that weight simply does not get lost. You can’t hide it under the bed and hope everyone forgets about it – or lose it in a closet full of old clothes that don’t fit; because the one who can’t forget – not for a second – is you. And worse, the thing you do risk forgetting is the vibrant, magnificent woman that you are and the incredible life that you are meant to have right now – at this very moment.

So I’m trading in the idea of “losing” weight and replacing it with a healthier idea … using weight.

Using weight. That is a truth that I can wrap my head around and participate in. Instead of frantically waving a magic wand around my belly or rear-end, I plan to enjoy every extra ounce I have and use them for an active, wonderful life. One where I refuse to be distracted with self-loathing ever again.

So here’s my new idea. Think of your body as a bank. You have simply deposited extra energy that you are now ready (and more than willing) to lose. Each pound of extra weight is equal to 3,000 energy units (calories). Everything we eat and everything we do is simply energy in or out of our bank. Remember, also, the universe does not know “fat” or “thin” – it knows energy. Having stored energy in your body is not bad or good to the universe. It just is. Using that energy in creative, self-loving ways can be a beautiful exploration.

You can boldly strike out on a path and explore a life where living authentically simply means non-judgmentally embracing good health and using your energy in purposeful ways.

Your body’s heartbeat and breath are part of the universe’s energy. Lovingly visualize the many creative, purposeful activities you can accomplish with your personal bank of stored energy. Allow yourself to choose a few longer projects that will “express” stored calories from your bank. Breathe deeply and brainstorm. Include service to others and FUN things with friends.  After all, it’s your energy bank and YOUR life, spend it wisely.