I think - and this is just a theory - that esp. those who get into cycling as adults (or running, or some other sport that shows such extreme & immediate improvement in health within a couple of years) that we are the TYPES who tend to be all-or-nothings, in-or-outs (as in, "I'm IN"), and like to set big goals and accomplish big things. I notice on this board that we are all pretty much achievement oriented.

Which is why I think it is easy to focus only on big gains or losses and forget about the little victories, the little good things that happen, that happen only in balance when we are doing something we love.

The body is not an exact science. I am one of those women who, as I age, pack on the saddlebags, eat like a horse, and then obsess about it. But I really think we need to think about food differently. We need to be mindful, but we also need to remember the joy in a great meal or a loaf of baked bread or that beer after a ride (I'm not a drinker, but I know what that is - that relief of cool goodness...) I think if we think creatively rather than critically about our bodies we might find we're pretty okay. It gets us where we want to go. We can move these bikes and stand up occasionally and attack a hill. I mean, come on. That's pretty awesome. It sucks that culturally we are so brainwashed about food and weight (I admit I am very bad about snap judgements when it comes to obesity) and if only we could brainwash ourselves into thinking about our bodies as really amazing, maybe some of our food issues would disappear. Maybe.

Our body is always sending messages because it's smart. I know I misinterpret those messages all the time (hunger vs. thirst, vs. loneliness/frustration/boredom/OCD... whatever.)