Closing Speech to my Weight Loss Group

Love Thyself

Love myself, above all else. Love the me that I was, love the me that I’m becoming in the midst of this constantly changing flux. I am strong. Each week we walk in here and we joke about how easy it is, after the first four days. We worry about the weakness after the sixteen weeks is over. But don’t worry. We are strong. Each and every one of us. We choose, we choose a shake over French fries. We choose jello instead of ice cream at the end of the day. We choose. No one forces it into our hands and denies us the other. We choose.

Food is fuel. It is the energy to make our bodies run, like gasoline for the engines of our cars. It is not attention from my neglectful mother, or protection from the cruel and indecent hands of my father. It is not a balm for the pain in my knee or comfort for the cold shoulder of my ex husband. It will not bring back an old boyfriend or replace the dog I lost two summers ago. It is fuel. It will not make my son stop smoking or get him back into college. It will not appease the anger I feel towards the war waging in Iraq or calm my fear of solitude. It will not pay my mortgage.

Food is fuel and my mother will still love me if I don’t taste her chocolate cheesecake.

The other is pain. Pain is not alleviated by food. Pain is meant to be felt. Food is meant to be fuel. I need to feel my pain and celebrate the fact that I am alive enough to feel it. I acknowledge my right to it; wade through it and then, let it go. I won’t let it lead me to the refrigerator. Pain is not as much fun as pleasure, but it is just as fleeting. Allow it to pass, and the only way to do that is to process it.

Write it down. I write down what I feel and I write down what I eat and I pat myself on the back for doing it. It takes strength. It takes courage. It takes guts and good will. And all of you, every single one of you, is strong, is courageous, or you wouldn’t be here.

When I walk in the room, I am honored to be here; honored to be in the company of the beautiful people I find here. We are people willing to confront our demons, to swallow our pride and hop on the scale in front of someone else. That takes courage. This room is not for fat people, and I’ve never seen one here. This room is for courageous people, for people who love themselves enough to change their lives.

Love thyself. Do it. You. Love thyself. It’s in the Bible. You are worthy, you are beautiful, you are strong and courageous.

Thank you for accompanying me on my journey.