Two friends of mine are approaching real milestones: after years of weighing more than 200 pounds, they are approaching one-derland.  I broke into that mythical kingdom on 20 September 2011 – on my son’s 17th birthday.  I remember being so thrilled over it!  I looked back through my Facebook comments to see what I wrote about it.  Nothing.

Nope, not one blessed thing.

What?!  How could I not have written about it?  That was huge for me, just as it is for them. I am so excited to hear that they’ve crossed the threshold.

When one of them first started, she said something to me that made me just want to shake her.  She said that she’d lost “just two pounds.” Another woman I talked with last week has lost 15 pounds, “but,” she said, “I have so much further to go.” Just.  Only. But. Those three words steal our accomplishments.  She didn’t lose “just” two pounds. She lost two pounds! The other woman lost 15!  That’s fantastic! Whether those were the goals or the starts, those two woman are making progress.  They are moving in the right direction and are both feeling healthier.

We all have to give ourselves credit when it’s due – for one pound, two pounds, or fifteen!  We get credit for starting and for persevering!

I recently spoke with my sister who is doing great on her journey to eating more healthfully. (You remember she discovered that fast food hamburgers make her knees hurt worse.)  She said that the best part of this has been that she doesn’t feel exhausted all the time.  Her body is running more efficiently.  She’s awake and alert.  I can report that her skin, hair and eyes all look better than they have in years.  She looks younger, more alert and happier.  She looks great!

So, what about you?  What food changes are you making and what improvements have you noticed?