It is all in the past

This post is a little strange and I am not sure what I think until I get it out.  So here goes.  My attempt is to provide some motivation as well as knowledge that will make your journey look a little easier.  I also want to try to take away some of the guilt associated with weight because that guilt can reek havoc on your success.

When we deal in the basics, we know that extra fat is the stored energy the body did not need.  I will refer to these as calories whether they came from fat or sugar or whatever.  Let's say that you have 35,000 calories that need to be burned (roughly 10 pounds).  Some where along the way those calories were consumed but not burned.  If you are not gaining weight at a steady level then you are just not burning those calories.  You are not a big fat pig that cannot control themselves.  If you call yourself that then you are dealing with the past you, not this current you.  Chances are you are not downing an extra 3500 calories ever single week thereby gaining a pound a week, 52 pounds a year.  You are only maintaining your weight.  You had a rough spot - child birth, stress, illness, changes in our body's chemicals can all cause weight gain.  We were "out of control" - in the past.  (If you are steadily gaining weight then we have other things that need to be worked on before food becomes the main issue.) 

This is good news because it tells us that we do not have to completely change our habits, we just have to alter them.  Reducing your calories does not a tragedy make.  Small changes add up over time.  Remember to not judge success based on time or compared to another.  When you truly succeed you will know.