Boring Can Be Fun

So, um, I'm really good at quitting. That's my way to work around my declaration last week that I'd stop bad-mouthing myself. But I mean, it's true. About two months ago (or more) I decided I'd start logging what I eat and what exercise I got (under my I Challenge Me to a Duel tab) in order to hold myself accountable. And it worked. It totally worked. I was getting more exercise and being more mindful of eating heathfully. Until I had a weekend out of town where I failed to log anything and just never started again. Tee-hee--oopsie! I've still gotten some exercise since then, but not nearly as regularly. I did a Jackie Warner workout for upper body after doing nothing but gentle pilates and was sore for nearly a week. Fo' realz. But still, it turns out I really did need the threat of someone, anyone, catching that I haven't followed through to hold myself accountable. So here's what I'm-a gonna do: Nothing. I'm going to let that...

A few weekends ago, while at our cousin's house, I took a peek at a group photograph that had just been taken of me and a few of my cousins-in-law. For reasons I don't fully understand, and before I'd even gotten a good look at the picture, I glanced at my image and said, "Ugh, I look fat." One of the cousins said, "I ought to slap you," or something else insinuating I deserved a throttle. After decrying my appearance, I got a closer look and thought, "Oh, wait, never mind, that's not bad." Frankly, saying that I looked fat wasn't even accurate. "My teeth look big" (the better to eat carbs with, my dear) or "my hair doesn't look as voluminous as I thought it did" would have been more accurate, if accurate self-insults are important. It's no big secret that women--heck, most of us in this country are image obsessed, and I'm no exception. It's also no secret that putting yourself down has bec...