I can't help but say that I am very moved by the compassion and love on this network. As I sat reading everyone's post I began to cry. I can relate to what everyone is saying. The fears, the concerns... the desire to be healthy and thinner.. to feel good about myself... to fit in... to let go of the nagging conversation of weight and food. I used to decribe my weight as a 'cloak' I would put on from the time I got up in the morning... through out the day, as I made love with my partner.. .until I fell asleep... I had it on... Now I am starting to see the possibility of dropping it off at the cleaners and NEVER going back to get it!!!!

This morning as I was journaling I realized that a not only was I losing weight (day 6 -yeah!) But I was loosing a part of myself. The crazy person... in the cloak. What am i going to do not worrying about ... 'do i eat well, do I eat right, what do people think, can I do this or that, or I can't do this or that. What can I eat after all of the things I can't eat on --and --on..." The deprivation from dieting .. is a learned behavior everywhere in my life... from what I think.. to what I buy...how I decorate my home etc.. I feel apart of me dying off and a part of me blossoming…

I feel like I am moving forward… and living.. nourishing and loving myself. Feeling like I now have a way to live that suits me… Eating what I like to eat.. when I want to and how much I want… not what is ‘proper’. Sometimes I sense that overweight people put far more unreal expectations on ourselves in terms of how we are ‘supposed’ to look, feelor eat.. that they are impossible for ANYONE to adhere to ….Destoryed Body --NEVER!!! Nourished SOUL --- I say YES !!!!!!!