Maintaining 04/06/2009
Bikinibertinelli!
Most of you know by now that I did it. I got into a TWO-PIECE for this month’s Jenny commercial!!!! If you could have felt my heart beat the morning I did it! (My first time wearing one in public in 30 years, by the way.) I got up at 5:30 - wait, did I even sleep through my nerves that night? - and barely blinked the entire time I got dressed. But I finally put it on, I took a deep breath, and I walked outside…bracing myself for what I thought I would face…flying tomatoes.
AS IF, Valerie.
Why do we torture ourselves that way? Why do we care what people think of our thighs or our arms? Why? Why? Why?
Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I wasn’t relieved when I saw people’s faces — especially Tom’s. “WOW,” I kept hearing. But was the ‘wow’ about a specific body part? The suit? My hair? Do I care?
Well, the answer is...kinda. But more important than the peanut gallery’s opinion (although I love you, Mom, Dad and Tom — thanks so much for being there), was that I needed to look at MYSELF and weigh in. It was like moving in slow motion at first. I turned to the mirror, looked at my feet first and then slowly trailed my gaze up past my knees, my THIGHS, my BUTT, my tummy, all the way up to a…smile.
A smile.
I finally did it, you guys!!!! I worked hard, I focused on my weight loss goals, I trained, and I broke through my insecurities and fears, which was…challenging. The easiest part of this journey for me, interestingly, was losing the weight. I’m not sure if you all know this, but Jenny Craig is based on three principles (although I call them “bubbles,” because that’s what they look like on the centre posters): Food, Body and Mind.
So here’s where I stand today on embracing the bubbles:
- Food - 40 pounds* lighter, one year later*, check
- Body — squats, squats, and more squats and actually enjoying it (!!), check. (p.s. most of my workouts were done at home by the way…easy stuff that you can do, too.)
- Mind — after thirty years of roller coaster dieting, emotional eating, inner critic back-talk. Well, here I am in a bikini feeling great — CHECK.
So I don’t know exactly what this whole bikini thing means in the big picture of my life. It was simply something that was important to me — a ghost I felt I had to overcome. Maybe your demons don’t come in a two-piece…? But whatever your goals or challenges may be, have confidence in yourself and have confidence in Jenny. Because the magazine covers, the TV appearances…so AMAZING to be recognized for something I’ve never been know for — my body! But you know what I’m really looking for at the end of the day?
That smile.
Jenny gave that back to me - and because I learned how to do all this the right way (think ‘bubbles’ again), I’m holding onto it for good. This is my new lifestyle.
Those two tiny pieces of spandex were just an awesome bonus.
Xo,
Valerie Bikini-cladinelli
*Results not typical
Be a witness to Valerie's Journey
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