I have now officially grown tired of hearing about the "new you". Why is January automatically supposed to make you want to be a new you? What if you felt like being a new you in let's say April? Or maybe, just maybe, you are kinda OK with the "you" you are now? I mean I am just saying.

I am tired of one diet commercial after the other telling me that I need to eat their freeze dried food or come to their meeting otherwise I will be a fat ass again this year. I don't want to hear about how I need to get dental implants or a "mommy makeover" so I can finally stop looking like something the cat dragged in.

We all know what we have to do to be the best "me". Whether it be to eat better, exercise, go to church, mend fences, be "nice" to others or whatever. Sometimes we can do things to better ourselves. Sometimes we can't. Maybe it's out of your control or you are not where you need to be to make the changes that need to be done. But we need to do it ourselves. We need to turn away from the "world" and figure out what we we want to change, not what they say we have to change.

But most importantly we need to decide if we want to change. And if we don't, and if we are fine with who we are, what we look like,where live etc. then that's OK too. If the laugh lines on our face tell a story of who we are and where we've been and we are OK with that, then so be it.

I saw a movie the other night with actors who had wrinkles, and flabby arms and maybe not the body they remember from their 20's. But they had affairs, and dates, wore nice clothes and ate real food, desserts even! (along with healthy food thrown in for good measure) and lived a happy life. And they were all a good 16-20 years older than me. So that makes me think there's hope for me yet!

Funny thing is yesterday Diva and friend were looking at old pictures of me, comparing them to more recent ones. She said "We decided that you look better now than 20 years ago." Hmm. Was that a compliment or an insult? Hmm...

When I used to look at those pictures I saw a smooth faced "girl", who didn't recently start using eye cream at night. She had a slim face and a bright smile, nothing like the woman who for the past few years has avoided being in the picture whenever possible. But in the dawn of Facebook and digital photography there seems to be a camera everywhere and a photo uploaded or downloaded daily, and not "being" in pictures is getting hard. The gal in these pictures may not be as thin, but there's an air about her. She looks like she knows where's she's been and is (mostly) comfortable in her skin.

So it's possible to be your best, whatever that is without listening to them. We all don't wake up everyday thinking we are fantastic, gorgeous and amazing. But somedays, ya know what?

We are.

Yesterday I got my ass kicked by this girl right here - she it my virtual trainer on Wii Fit. I am so out of shape (or so she says). I haven't visited my Wii in 200+ days(probably since the beginning of summer.) I have gained 3.5 lbs and missed my goal of getting my BMI down to 22 from 23 (yeah, yeah, yeah). My Wii fit age is 56 - double ouch. After the Wii kicked my butt, I was feeling really good so I decided to try the New Valerie Bertinelli DVD I got from the library. I have never done an exercise DVD before. It was great. It was a 20 minute workout - and I felt like I was only doing it for 10 minutes. It went that fast. I felt tired when it was over. But it felt good to be doing something other than laundry and vacuuming. I woke up this morning barely able to walk. Coming down the stairs is PAINFUL - all those squats really did my thighs in - makes me feel even more out of shape than getting scolded by the Wii.

The weather is supposed to warm up this week - so my plan is to get back to walking. I really am going to concentrate on getting those 10,000 steps per day. It is hard to reach 10,000 steps - none of those experts ever tell you how to achive that. My girlfriends and I walk when the weather is good and after about an hour we are at 3 miles or so and only 5,000 - 6,000 steps - when am I supposed to take those other 4,000? I guess I'll start running laps around the house!

This time of year always gets me thinking about summer and that I now have 5 months till shorts and bathing suit season. I am not a cold weather/winter person. I like spring and fall - not too hot - not to cold - not to much skin to show - I am a sweater weather kinda girl.

Cara's two cents: I haven't even been brave enough to get on my Wii Fit and I am afraid of what she is going to say!! I was planning on starting walking again next week but with temps in the 40's the rest of this week I guess we gotta get started again...it's so easy to be slacker though!! brrr!