Pizzazz #teenweek

Pizzazz: Part 2

After my Dad filled out the survey I took on weight loss. BUT, I wasn’t obsessive. At the time, all the rage was Atkins. So I did it. I lost 50lbs in about six months. I also nominated myself to do aerobics at school. Three times a week, I sweated my rear end off. I joined a gym and went everyday after school. I started to run around the fields at home.

I lost weight, because I wanted to. It was simple health, albeit Atkins isn’t healthy, choices in my day to move, look at food choices, and find success for myself.

People noticed. I noticed. I felt nice.

When I sat down to write this piece, I  couldn’t help but reflect upon an email I got regarding my choice to re-join WeightWatchers which I discussed a couple of days ago. It was interesting, because they were worried about my choice to re-join. After bashing diets and doing intuitive eating, and dealing with the demons of the mental space of obsessive weight loss…they were worried that I would once again fail.

The girl who decided to lose weight in high school was not obsessive initially. She did not give a flying f— about what others things. Although it was sparked by a not so great feeling after the survey, the jist of the process was one that was sparked by a fierce independence and desire to be healthy.

It was only when that teenager lost her sense of self, that she started to struggle as an adult. She lost it because she forgot to look inside of herself and stop listening to other people.

If I could say anything to that girl who harnessed her pizzazz and did life for herself…welcome back lovely! And thanks for being the firecracker that you were. I lost you for a couple of years, but that email reminded me that no matter what we do in life, we have to do it for ourselves.

~Mish

Part 1: The Question That Started It All

Teen Week: Words That Heal is an annual blog series that occurs the last week of March, where bloggers use their sites speak out about their experiences with body image, sexuality, and self-esteem during their teen years. The series was started in 2011 after it came to my attention that there was an enormous population of teen readers out there looking for body-loving-inspiration, but much of the material floating around the blogosphere was aimed to adults.