I have come so far!

Weight loss has been such a big part of my life and my identity - both public and private. Rarely a headline goes by that doesn’t have some kind of fat pun in it. I’m slammed for being too fat, slammed for making light of my own weight loss journey (and subsequent side effects), constantly asked about what weight I am in almost every interview, blah blah blah. I am truly glad that soon, there will be something different to talk about.

Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful for the journey I have made. I’m glad I beat obesity, I am very proud of my books and the lives they have affected (thank you to all those who have taken the time and effort to tell me that). I love that I created a space for women to go and feel safe and be understood (healthy body club) and I am glad for all the lessons I have learnt along the way from the knowledge that I can live without eating Pluto Pups  (corn dogs) to knowing I can complete a real triathlon.  Still can’t believe I did that!

But I have to say my whole body, soul and heart welcomes a new path. I had so much of my life to put to heal and put to rest and now I have done that I can really truly focus on my son Kai. To be honest it is long overdue.

 Wow I feel like I am at Day 1 of university. There is so much to learn, so much to do. When in America in January this year I bought about ten books on autism and have been slowly wading my way through the endless and sometimes confusing and conflicting  information (Jenny McCarthy I love you! And Thank YOU!).

Now I have some time I am so excited about all the plans I have been brewing in my head. I really want to check out the whole gluten and casein free diet for Kai and even though it hurts my head thinking about how to do it I am sure it is easy once you understand it and then get going.

I’m looking forward to really understanding everything about him and his ever changing Aspergers, discovering what the government is and is not doing for our children and more importantly what WE can do for our children.

I want to create a little course for school kids to do - a course that fosters acceptance and understanding, not just for kids with autism but fostering an understanding that we are all different and unique and exactly as we are meant to be. Carbon copies of people would make for a very boring world. If we can teach the children acceptance then perhaps they will carry that into adulthood and now wouldn’t that be amazing to see?

I am excited, nervous, so passionate to do the right thing and so determined to make my magic wardrobe auction such a huge success that we raise over 1 million dollars! Wow, wouldn’t that be amazing? I am sure I am going to meet some amazing people along the way, hear stories of hope, be amazed at people’s strength, be inspired by others’ courage and hopefully somewhere along the journey my beautiful son kai will look me in the eye and say, “Mummy, I love who I am and I am happy.”

Now that would be a good day.

And so it’s time to hit the books!