Oprah and Overachievers

I love Oprah and have for decades. I have admired so much about her, her success, her spirituality and her brilliance on so many fronts. She is my hero. I also have identified with her struggle with weight, and feel like I have gone through all of the ups and downs with her over the years. My weight struggle has been more private, only my husband commenting on my weight not the whole world and tabloids.

Inside the back cover of the March 09 issue of O, Oprah admits to being an overachiever since the age of 3. I can relate. At that age, I am told, my name was Little Miss Bossy. I, like Oprah, have led a life of over-achievement. Straight A's, perfect attendance in school, Graduated high school at 16, Scholar Athlete Award winner, City champ in discus, past or current record holder in high school and college in shot put and discus, graduated College at 20, MBA at 22 then on to a fast paced international career. The first (and only, as far as I know) female to live and work for Cargill (the world largest private corporation) on 3 continents. I have a wonderful husband and family. I have always been good at managing money. I have a thriving Wealth Management business. I feel that I can do anything I put my mind to.......except this weight thing. It is the same for Oprah, successful on all fronts except this weight thing. It is not unique to Oprah and me. In the same issue of O in a letter to the editor a bank VP was sharing the same experience. Over achiever, except on weight management. Weight has always been my area of concern and now I am putting it together that they are related.

Over achievers are trying to prove their value and get approval. My approval came in the form of my Mom saying that she hated kids in high school like me. Not "sweetheart I am so proud of you," that came much later. WUNAM. Bob Greene said to Oprah, "Your weight is ultimately tied to your feelings of unworthiness." WOW never thought of it that way. Oprah says she has been "achieving to prove my worthiness." So have I been trying to prove my worthiness with my achievements and eating to cover the pain? Maybe. Once seeing this can I get past it? I do not believe I am unworthy in my mind and I don't even really believe it in my heart but it must be there on some level. Oprah closes by saying, "Whatever your challenge- overeating, overindulging in any substance or activity, the loss of a relationship, money or position- let it be an open door to your holiest revelations about yourself, an invitation to your best life. This was a holy revelation for me. I have opened the door to my best life.

I got in over 13,000 steps yesterday ate less than 1400 calories and the weight is back down to 188.4 today. I will try everyday to love myself and live my best life.