No, I didn’t join a cult; I’d rather start my own thankyouverymuch.

For years I’ve refused to join in any fads or do things in what I considered the “mainstream” way. No, I didn’t think I was uber original, I just wanted to make my own decisions and I don’t like hype. For a long time I wouldn’t do a lot of the “popular” things. I refused to read Harry Potter and Twilight, listen to Lady Gaga or anything like it, wouldn’t wear leggings or pointy toed shoes (still won’t), go see Pirates of the Caribbean or Oceans 11 (or 12 or 13), watch Jersey Shore or NCIS, and try acai berries or Atkins.

Some of these turned out to be good decisions (reading Twilight was definitely a mistake when I gave in and did so and I’m glad I never touched an acai berry) but other turned out to be limiting and stupid. I am now a huge fan of Harry Potter (the books, not the movies… I haven’t stooped that low), Lady Gaga, and NCIS. I saw Pirates of the Caribbean and loved the first and the third one.

So, I drank the Pop-Culture punch and I’m glad.

I mean, I’m still a total snob and completely neurotic but I might be a little more normal now.

It took me time to learn that some things are popular for good reason and that they are worth 100% of the hype. It’s okay to be a little sappy and love silly girl movies. It’s even okay for pink to be my favorite color and know that I look damn good in it even if I do feel like Elle Woods on her first day at Harvard.

How the f*ck is this relevant to weight loss you ask? No, I’m not hawking any health punch (although I could go for some Pirate’s Punch) and there is no affiliate program I’m about to pitch. I promise I’ll get to the point in a second…

In the years I spent sipping my own self righteous tea I didn’t really do it for myself. If I hadn’t cared what others thought I would have just done what I wanted without any thought of if it was popular or not. Instead, I made choices based on what others thought, I just went against them.

To start losing weight I had to chuck all of that right out the window. My choices needed to be based on what was best for me and based on what I wanted. I wanted to be healthy, happy, and hot. So, I drank the punch. I tasted it and figured out what I did and didn’t like. Yes, I’m unique and I like opera but I also like Lady Gaga.

So Twilight sucked; Harry Potter was like therapy. I’ll still probably never wear legging or pointy shoes but at least that decision is based on the fact that I just don’t like them, not because they’re popular.

I let go of what my friends thought I should be, what my family thought I should be, what my church thought I should be, what I thought I should be and in the process realized that I kind of like what I am. Apparently so do others.

And now for the completely gratuitous and slightly narcissistic, “Hey, look, it’s me!” photos of me and my sister at the Lady Gaga concert on Saturday night.

Or two because she looks better in the second one…

Or three to show off my mothers awesome photography skills

Notice her mad skills in holding the camera still… Love you mom, thank for the ride!