I watched Extreme Makeover last night. Then I was thinking today what have I done to make myself look better? So I made a list:

13 months of eating well

upped my protein till I am well

vitamins daily

47 pounds of fat lost

12 pounds of muscle gained

over 25 inches lost

I've gone from a size 18 to a size 10.

acne medicine

sleep apnea machine, now I am sleeping better

weight lifting at least 2x a week for all but 2 weeks in the last 13 months- for good muscles, good bones

cardio- for heart, fat burning

I've done a lot. And I am proud of myself.

My hubbie says women are neurotic about their looks. (Well, duh!) But we have reason. It's not just the TV, the anorexic models and movie stars, the “let's have bulimia together” groups.

My dad told me when I was 16 (5'6″, 135 pounds, size 8, size D bra) that I would have to rely on my brains and not my looks because while I was very smart, I was not pretty. (Sometimes we all say stupid things. Too bad some of them stick with us so well.)

My husband often compliments me. He knows I need to hear it. I can still hear him saying that I look gorgeous last Sunday, that I'm bootalicious two weeks ago in the kitchen, and (unfortunately) that I'd be a 7 on Hot or Not, which he said 2 months ago. Guess which one of those is loudest?