• Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Kathleen Flinn

Storyteller. Cook. Teacher.

  • Home
  • About
  • Kat’s Blog
  • Books
  • Classes
  • Podcast
  • Press
  • 日本語
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Sigh. Another year older, but wiser?

katflinn · June 1, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Today’s my birthday. I happily share this date with the late Marilyn Monroe. (Oh, and Andy Griffiths, who despite being a heck of a likeable guy isn’t quite as sexy…)

I’m spending the day interviewing one of the subjects in a project that’s just getting underway. The goal is to understand how to genuinely teach people to cook enough to curb their reliance on processed and fast foods. For now, that’s what I’ve chosen to do with my fancy culinary degree, and it feels great.

As for me, I’m at that point of life that I’m always looking for places of reckoning. Where’s my life going? Am I achieving what I set out to do? At the top of the year, I made a goal to lose about 30 pounds. I lost about 16 as of the 28th April. I hit 37.9% body fat, down from 39.2%. I had been a size 12 in trousers and went down to an eight. I put on my standard black dress for an event, and my assistants Lisa and husband Mike both looked at me curiously. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
Lisa blurted, “That’s just too big for you.”

Isn’t that one of the sweetest phrases in the English language? It’s right up there with “I’ve taken the liberty of upgrading you to first class” and “full host bar.”

But it was short lived. Yesterday, I realized that I’ve gained five pounds back in the past month. I got busy, hit the gym less often. I drank a lot more wine. I tested bread recipes, and ate the result. We went out for pizza in Chicago. The French Trade Commission gave me a whole bunch of cheese… the list goes on.

As I got off the scale yesterday, I was just angry, truly upset with myself. Why did I let this happen? But then, I sat down and took a deep breath. As much as I loathed turning 40, somehow that milestone granted a bit of perspective. For all the grief we women give ourselves as we strive for an impossible ideal of perfection, the reality is that no one particularly notices when we gain or lose five pounds. No one cares if I have a bad hair day. Everyone has something else to worry about, even if it’s only their own weight and hair. Why beat myself up? What’s the point?

For my birthday, I decided to give myself forgiveness and understanding. Hey, it happens, even to Oprah. I can still fit into the size eight trousers, they’re just tight, right? Now I’m off to the gym.

Subscribe to Eat.Write.Now.

Related

Filed Under: Confessions

Get Updates

Get my most delicious receipts and latest writing delivered personally to your inbox

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

About me

Welcome! I’m Kathleen Flinn, a storyteller, cook and teacher, …
Get to know me

Sign up for my newsletter!

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

My podcast

Latest posts

Stay Calm and Cook On

March 20, 2020

Recipe: Easy Peppermint Bark

December 16, 2020

19 Ideas for Holiday Leftovers

December 4, 2020

Roast Turkey Breast with No-Fuss Gravy

November 25, 2020

Always double wrap meat

Tips on Freezing Meat, Cheese, Milk, Butter and Fish

November 18, 2020

Need kitchen confidence? Buy this book!

Holiday baking

Discover one of my best selling Books

Order your Copy
Order your Copy
Order your Copy

Copyright © 2021 · Kathleen Flynn