Dear Meredith,
I have watched you suffer. I have watched you agonize over the way your clothes fit, nevermind the image coming back at you from the mirror. I have been there with you when you struggled to stay positive and upbeat.
I know that you don't feel like a runner right now.
(Perhaps it is because you haven't been running?)
I know that it is not safe to run outside right now. The roads, while mostly clear, are much narrower because of the huge snowdrifts. And then the after-school commitments that are keeping you busy much later than convenient to get a run in before picking up the boys at daycare.
May I make an observation? (or seven?)
1. You are an amazing cheerleader. You come along side and help people meet their goals. You encourage, support and motivate. Let's try to get some of that encouragement love back to YOU? Sound good?
2. Any exercise REALLY IS better than no exercise. Yes- a Leslie Sansone walking video DOES NOT FEEL bada$$, but... who cares. It gets your heart-rate up, and gets you moving. Do you remember in 2008 when you lost 50 pounds and the only thing you did was stop eating when you weren't hungry, and those Leslie Sansone videos that you were just disparaging? Yeah. (Yes, there was also a WHOLE lot of prayer and Bible study and surrendering to the Lord happening at that time too. Don't think you couldn't use a little bit more of that right now, too!!)
3. Jillian Michaels KNOWS WHAT SHE IS TALKING about. If the lunges hurt your knees, then maybe your form is off. Let's do the 30 Day Shred again. Come on. You are worth doing SOMETHING.
4. Your friend Jen made an incredibly profound point on her blog. The bad choices, the lazy approach, and not being intent about the healthy journey IS NOT EASY. It is actually harder, because of the guilt, and self-loathing and doubt that result. LEARN FROM THIS.
5. What tastes good in the moment you WON'T EVEN REMEMBER eating 20 minutes from now. You KNOW this is true. Think about those brownies you made yesterday. Yup. 20 minutes later you wanted more. And more. Not a very healthy cycle, is it?
6. You are worth more. God created this body to do amazing things. Are you going to HELP or HINDER the journey?
7. God WANTS you to be healthy. He is WAITING for you to realize that you can't do this alone.
Okay...
I think I have give you enough to think about.
I love you, and I miss the you that felt she could conquer the world. Can we try, one decision at a time, to get her back??
More love than you could know,
ME
