Shrink Your Body; Expand Your Insides

I had a dentist appointment and I get high anxiety from going to the dentist.  To assist in drowning out the sounds of the drill and to calm my anxiety, I brought my iPod.  Like most of us, I have lots of songs, a couple of movies and a few books I’ve purchased and downloaded.

One of the books I downloaded was the recent book written by Valerie Bertinelli, the spokeswoman for Jenny Craig.  She also was one of the girls (my favorite one) in the old hit show “One Day At A Time.”  A long time ago, one of my bosses told me that I was a blonde version of Valerie Bertinelli.  I was so happy that someone would think I was a blonde version of her.  I’ve NEVER forgotten that comment.  So, I’ve always been a big fan.

I downloaded the book not because I’m a fan of the Jenny Craig program but a fan of Valerie Bertinelli’s.  I’ve admired her because she put her son first and foremost in her life.  I saw her interviewed one time and she said that her favorite title wasn’t actress, movie star, television star, wife of a rock star or any of those but her most favorite title and job of all was being a mom to her son.

I know enough about her to know that she has had her share of personal struggles, including weight issues.  She has had personall challenges along with huge successes too.  While I listened to the book, it covered  many personal details that I was surprised to know.  It was somewhat interesting to hear about the rock and roll hard lifestyle she lived with her former husband, Eddie Van Halen.  What I purchased the book for was to hear about her weight loss and gain in lifestyle she has achieved.  My favorite part of the book wasn’t the juicy details of their sex life or alcohol and drug abuse but was how her weight has impacted her life even through good times.

Here Valerie is – beautiful, rich and famous, yet she struggles with food, weight and body image just as we’ve done.  It was striking and remarkable to me how she could remember the milestones in her life by her weight.  I’ve done the exact same thing.  When I got pregnant with my first son, I weighed 217 pounds.  Strange to mark your life in body weights.  Yet it normalized it by hearing she did this too.

As I’ve lost and maintained my 147 pound weight loss for over 8 years, it has brought me great joy to think as I shrunk my body size that I’ve gained so much in my life.  As my body became thinner, I became much larger inside myself.  While I lost weight, I’ve gained a new sense of confidence, self-esteem and successes never thought possible.  Dreams into my day-to-day reality.

Whether it is Valerie Bertinelli, Oprah or any other celebrity, our lives may be different but the challenges with food, weight, body image and negative impact to our emotional health are the same.

I’m glad that I have her book on my iPod.  I am going to listen to it again (without the drill of the dentist).  I will skip over the drugs, alcohol, rock and roll parts to when she made the decision to take control of her life and lose weight.  Whether you join Jenny Craig or some other organized weight loss program, go it on your own or have weight loss surgery, the weight loss and accompanying joys that happen to you inside are the same.  Valerie Bertinelli was inspirational and motivation, yet I could so closely identify with so much she has experience as someone with weight issues.

I don’t have a book to download but I have my own precious story with the tears and joy that are special to me.  You have the same story inside of you too.  Congratulations to you on your weight loss, shrinking body to the ever-expanding insides in your heart and life.

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator