Drew Barrymore & Weight

Last week I watched Oprah interview Drew Barrymore about her new baby and the launch of her cosmetics line called FLOWER.  She is so adorable and full of life!  Plus she rocks that red lipstick like no one else!

During the interview Oprah asked her if she felt any pressure about losing her “baby weight”.  In Hollywood it seems celebrities give birth and are back in shape within a few weeks.  Drew was very candid and told Oprah that she didn’t buy into that whole expectation.  She is is letting her body return to what ever normal is when it is ready.  Then she said the thing that made we write this blog post.  

“I want to be healthy enough so I feel good mentally.”  ~Drew Barrymore

What an interesting thought.  Making a health decision based on feeling good mentally.  It really got me thinking.  If feeling good mentally was my goal, instead of losing weight, how would it change things in my life?  Here’s a few things I came up with:

• Exercise would be something I did everyday, because when I exercise I feel better, think clearer, and sleep better.
• Sugar, high fat, starchy foods, and processed junk would be off the back - because they make me feel terrible and mentally foggy.
• Yoga and meditation would start my day because that daily practice keeps me connected spiritually and frees my mind of a lot of crazy chatter.  
• Naps, relaxation, quiet time reading would be on my “To Do” list because taking care of myself keeps the stress at bay and helps me feel nurtured. 
• Thursday Farmers Market would be my weekly destination for whole, organic healthy foods that support a healthy body, which then creates a healthy mind.
• I would refrain from negative situations and people.  Limit my time in crowded, stressful places and find space for peace and serenity. 

This list sounds like the life I want to live - but I have never been able to make all the changes because I am doing it from a place of shoulds, have to’s and musts so I can lose the dreaded weight that makes me feel terrible about myself.  Just flipping it around makes such a difference.  A change of focus shifts everything.  Choosing to feel good mentally is about so much more!  It is about living a full life, getting up each day being happy and excited about the day ahead.  It’s about thinking clearly and being able to make good decisions.  It means putting yourself at the top of your priority list and treating yourself with loving kindness.  Taking time to make decisions about your life and who, how and when you interact with people.  What a different way of looking at life!

Thanks Drew for the inspiration to flip my focus!  Sometimes just looking at a situation with new eyes makes all the difference.

(And speaking of eyes, I think I'll try some of her new eye liner called "On Your Mark")