Dear Randi

I found this great post on Jenn's blog and thought I could probably be a lot better at giving advice if I did it in the third person!


Dear Randi,
I think it's really great that you're finally getting serious about losing weight and getting in shape. Just think of all the times where you were getting dressed for some event or even just school and nothing fit and nothing looked nice and how upset you'd get. Now that doesn't need to happen any more! And won't it be nice going shopping and being able to buy a pair of pants that don't make your thighs look huge or a shirt that's too tight around the bust? Not to mention being able to go swimming with your niece and nephew and not staying under the water up to your neck the whole time. Maybe your little sister-in-law will even be jealous of you now instead of the other way around!

Yeah there are great benefits but it won't be easy. You know that, you're already doing the easy stuff. (oh gee - don't eat at McDonald's, really) It's going to take running, even when it's raining. You are going to have to get out of bed even if you'd rather sleep. You'll sleep when you're skinny! If your shoes are your excuse, go buy some shoes, just do it (nice pun). It's an investment, not a waste of money. You're going to have to spend some money. Buy those heavier weights so you can really start lifting. Buy that fresh fruit and veggies so you don't eat pudding and granola bars all the time. You might as well get used to spending money now because you'll be buying bigger clothes if you don't (and smaller clothes if you do!).

And you're done eating poorly. No more crackers and chips. You don't miss them that much either. You can either be the one who's running around, visiting people, starting games and laughing instead of the one stuffing her face at the chips at parties. Who would you rather be? Plus you are now down to single serving sizes of everything! Particularly supper foods. Use the small plates, half full of veggies, healthy carbs, lean meat. You know this! Remember that yucky feeling after you eat a plate full of pasta and you just want to throw up so your tummy isn't stretching? Totally preventable and it's not going to happen to you anymore! In fact you might have to deal with being a little hungry now and then. Drink some water, go for a walk. Don't pig out the second your stomach twinges when you know you've got a meal in an hour. You are smarter than your body and it's time you acted like it!

I know you already think about food and exercise half the day. But you do it in a way that's obsessive, no wonder you want to stuff your face when all you think about is food! Let it go, that's your famous advice isn't it? Why are you so tough on other people but soft on yourself? Just let it go, drop it, stop thinking about it. You say that almost every day to other people, well say it to yourself. Just drop it. Drop the thoughts about how you'll never eat a burger again, drop the excuses you're already coming up with about why you can't exercise tonight, drop the carbs, drop the booze, drop the thoughts and just do the actions. Drop the pounds.

You know you want to believe that somebody actually checked you out and wasn't just looking at your rolls. You know you want to go in the hot tub with everybody and not wear the towel until the last second. You know you don't want to be the chubby sister to the beautiful sister. You know you want to gloat over your sister-in-law that you could do it too and you didn't need to spend thousands. You know you don't want to look just like your mom - no offense mommy - and deal with these issues for another 20 years. You know you want to be a success story and give other people advice (that doesn't work if you look like a before!) You know you don't want to have high cholesterol any more, you're only 25, it's not only scary, it's embarrassing! You know you want to deal with this while it's only an appearance thing before it gets to be a health thing. You are the queen of health. How can you not bring this into all aspects of your life?

You know what you want. You know what you need to get it (stop thinking it's going to be as easy as lifting heavier weights, you need to change your eating!). You know you are capable of this, you can deal with difficult. Drop the excuses and do it!

I will always be your biggest critic and your biggest cheering section. If you need help I will help you, but I know what you're capable of and I'll accept nothing less. I will not go easy on you but if you listen to me I will reward you.

With love,
Yourself.