Why bother?

No this is not a 'Why bother dieting anyway, woe is me' blog entry. Au contraire - this is to remind myself exactly why I DO bother, on those days it all gets a bit too much. Let's list the reasons why I want - even NEED - to be a skinny minx.

• I've never been thin. Not ever. I'm one of the 'lucky' fat people - I've never been bullied (the closest I recall was being called 'thunder thighs' - by a boy right after I found out he had a crush on me and was embarassed, so that kind of washed right over me...) but even so, it would be nice not to be fat ALL my life.

• I have shocking joints. Both hips, knees, and ankles are already complaning - I have hypermobility disorder anyway, so my joints are generally a bit feeble and unsupported, which is all the more reason to stop them carrying excess weight. My knees creak, crunch, click AND grind (quite the party piece) so I want to help them.

• I want to LIKE photos of myself. I often get all dressed up for a night out, feel fabulous, look in the mirror and LIKE what I see, have a brilliant night out, get the photos back and HORROR!! "I left the house like THAT?! I spoke to people like that?! Hide me away forever..." Those days shall be no more!

• I want to wear the kind of outfits that 'only look good on skinny people'. I damn well want to go out in town and have women gaze at ME in envy, thinking "I wish I could get away with that..." Selfish and bratty, yes - but I want it all the same.

• I have horses and I want to make their life easier. One of them in a baby, and I want to be light enough to ride her when she's first broken in, without causes undue stresses and strains on her growing body. I also want to be a better rider - I want to be able to wrap my damn legs around the horse without all the thigh-flab getting in the way! I don't want to be breathless and ineffective and 30 mins because of the fat holding me back. I also want to ride my little broodmare, who's maximum weight limit will be about 11 stone.

• I have a family history of heart disease, and as being overweight is a major factor, I need to lose weight to reduce the risk.

• Similarly, both my weight and sugar addiction predisposes me to Type II Diabetes - and I am NOT doing that to myself.

That's probably enough reasons for now....

Oh. And I am going to find a gorgeous, rich husband with land. Hurrah!