Positive updates and new ink

I'm short on time but wanted to do a brief update. I think I've been using the blog to vent when I'm having a hard time and haven't necessarily taken time to talk about what's going right. I think my routine in PhD town is much healthier this year, including:

-Much less exercise, and some of that involving walking my awesome pup and enjoying being outdoors (even when it's cold here, it's usually sunny and beautiful).

-Trying to do more to honor hunger cues. Probably another post on this later. It stresses me out and is hard when I know I have a weigh-in coming up, but H. talked to my physician about doing that less often now unless I start losing again.

-Actually seeing the dietitian regularly; I think she's a keeper.

-Getting to the office earlier in the day (due to change in exercise schedule) and feeling a lot more productive.

-Making a point to actually cook at least once a day instead of grabbing "safe" prepackaged stuff.

-Being more flexible on social plans and hanging out with friends; I have FANTASTIC friends here and I always feel better after time with them.

-Trying to reframe when dealing with X (asshole PhD advisor) and to see him as an annoyance when he's grumpy, not a noose around my neck.

So even though I do have tough days/periods (this past weekend was especially shitty), I think overall I'm in a much better place. Turns out I had gained more weight over the holidays than I expected: UNDERestimating gain instead of OVERestimating is an entirely new thing for me. I think being on an SSRI, after so many years of refusing to try one, has helped me with a lot of the typical body ooglies.

Also, I love having this pup. She is super cuddly and goofy and always a source of comfort or comic relief. Also, having something at home that is dependent on me keeps me more accountable (ie, not so tempted to add extra hours at the gym).

Also, this happened yesterday:

The thought behind this:
1) That spot is one I habitually body-check, and it will be good to have a reality check there instead.
2) "Enough" has two meanings here: first, that I've done enough time being sick, being preoccupied, wasting energy, having birthday parties without cakes and weighing carrots and this that and the other, enough of all that shit that from now on I should be able to do and have pretty much whatever I want.
3) Also that I can be enough as me without the disorder, without putting myself through the wringer just to end up making myself sicker and more removed from life.

Maybe that's kinda corny, but there you go. I'm happy with it.

Love y'all.