This shouldn’t have been a shock. I had recently had a doctor’s appointment in which she had told me, lovingly, “Katherine. You can’t gain 10 pounds every year. You have to figure this out. You’re gorgeous the way you are, but you can’t keep gaining weight.” I had tried punishing and unfriendly diets in the past. I’d done the master cleanse and felt like my tooth enamel was gone. I had done Weight Watchers—which made me rebellious and confused—eating McDonald’s in the parking lot after weigh-in. Nothing had worked, so I had given up and decided to try just loving my body for who and what it was. It was marvelous. I really worked at it. I used energy therapies, Reiki, and EFT and found amazing coaches to help me really develop acceptance for my body, whatever it looked like. Also, as a nurse, I work with birthing women and my adoration and love for the female body and its strength had ballooned! I had self-love. All women’s bodies were beautiful! Hooray! But I still was gaining weight. And now I couldn’t get off the floor. I couldn’t go back to being mean to myself or my body. I couldn’t go back to the nasty trap of thinking I needed some impossible idealized body to be valuable. What could I do? Here is what I did to lose 40 pounds in six months and get off the floor with ease: I think the not-getting-off-the-floor really showed me that my weight was becoming a health and mobility issue and something needed to be done. So when I want to eat something that won’t be good for me, the image I use to inspire and remind me of my goal is one of me being a nimble and fun grandma. (I know they may never have kids, but the big idea is I want to age gracefully and have fun!) Here’s what self-loving people do differently, plus five signs you’re not giving yourself the love you deserve.
