Determining the ROI Of Being Skinny

I understand the topic of other people's weight is rarely as interesting as it is for the owner of the extra elle bees, but hopefully this might be at least remotely insightful.

The thing about weight is that it is universal - as in, we all weigh something - but at the same time, it is so, so dependent on the individual person. While there isn't much you can do about your genes, I've recently learned how important it is to focus specifically on your body type. (Here is a great article about the three types.)

This is a lesson I wish I could have grasped much earlier in life. Growing up, I was always tall. I come from a family of big people. I was never a petite dancer, always more of a clumsy basketball player. After my sports career ended in early high school, I turned my energy into aggressively working out to slim down. Except I had no idea what I was doing.

Had I realized I have a mesomorphs body type (athletic, puts on muscle easily), my energy could have been spent on what I know now makes the most difference in how I look - yoga and pilates - served with a huge helping of cardio.

Although my gym attendance was a daily part of life in New York, going to Berlin threw me off my schedule and fitness commitment. Then when I got back to Manhattan in January, I was too busy eating and drinking my way from friend to friend to make it a priority.

So my plan for Denver was to throw myself into physical activity and healthy eating, and I'm proud to say not only did I do that, I've stuck with it. Shawn has been a great inspiration for me, having hardcore dedicated herself to a healthier lifestyle recently too.

The food we've been eating is healthy, a balance of natural proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables. For me, this part is easy since my body now craves these. (And I have finally put it together that when I eat crap, I legitimately feel like crap.)

But for me, my demons rest with the quantity: I like to eat; fullness can be an ambiguous feeling for me; I don't like to be wasteful; and I fixate when I know there is more of something I want. Since I don't have The BFF around to shame me out of the kitchen, I've had to rely on my least favorite thing - self-control.

And that's when I realized I'm at a cross-roads. Between walking a lot, yoga, at-home pilates, and skiing, my body tone has returned. I feel leaner, which is always my goal. But to lose actual weight, I know the only change that will make a difference is eating less.

I'm just not sure I can commit to it. I mean, how much will my life improve by cutting out more of my beloved food? Is that misery worth an extra few pounds? Part of me knows the answer is: YES! When I am lighter, I feel better. When I eat less, I feel better. When I look better, I feel better.

Then, damnit, why does food have to be so delicious?