Ruminating over the number on the scale isn’t the way to feel happy and get confidence. So why do women near universally hop on and off the scale on repeat. Allowing the number to dictate our self-worth–or lack of it.

In one year from when I was 22 until I turned 23 I gained 20 pounds. Not happy I was to be 30 pounds overweight. It took me 6 years to lose the weight. In my 40s I gained 10 pounds back.

The fact is my lifestyle isn’t for everyone in terms of how I exercise and what I eat. I don’t think other people have the temperament or wherewithal to follow my lead.

Nor am I a fan of telling others: “Do what I did, and you’ll achieve the same result.”

Where you can hop on and off is my health and fitness blog. Even there I changed the tagline from “Salut! – To Health!” to Mangia Bene Vivere Bene. Italian for Eat Well to Live Well.

The distinction being that a person might not be in prime or ideal health. Yet they can be well and whole in their own way even living with an illness.

In that blog I’ve taken to giving out recipes I’ve found in books and magazines and online. Eat Well to Live Well is my motto. As you can weigh 200 pounds and eating well [at any weight] improves your mood.

I’m shifting away from writing things that sound like being physically fit is the ideal.

The HAES nutrition movement advocates that women can be Healthy At Every Size. Too we should be Happy At Every Size. This takes liking ourselves and standing up against the forces in society conspiring to shame us.

In coming blog entries I’ll talk about how to get happy. Also,. about the beauty and benefit of aging with grace. Not resisting and fighting the wrinkles and LAUGH lines. We were laughing right. No shame in that either.