Me, Ms. Straight-Laced is thinking about a tattoo

I have always been one to think that tattoos are not something you will want to have on your body forever. How can you know that you will like the same design? And don't even get me started on the trend of inking lover's names on your body. Just as a quick reminder - Roseanne Arnold Barr and Pamela Anderson Lee.

But... there have been some tattoos I thought were great. In college, a fellow RA got a Woody Woodpecker Tattoo on his groin. I thought that was pretty hilarious and who would see it besides someone he was intimate with? And I've heard of people coming up with some great ideas to memorialize loved ones who have passed on. When they are small and discrete, I can get that.

So, while I've been thinking of ways to celebrate getting to goal and maintaining  weight loss, I've thought about perhaps getting a tattoo to celebrate this journey. Of course, a year after maintaining, I might not see the point like I do now while in the thick of the journey, but I know this journey will never really be over and I will need to continue to celebrating maintenance as I know how easy it is to gain uncontrollably.

But what to get and where to put it? If I put it somewhere completely private - like a boob (no I wouldn't go there, just saying), then what's the point of getting it? But I don't want a tattoo glaring out when I'm all dolled up for a ballet either.

So, I have no idea what part of my body I would put it, and I'm just as undecided about what to ink. The only think that has come to me so far are the words, "Never again." Not sure why that pops into my head, but it does. It's kind of how I've felt as I've gone down each size in clothing - never again will I be a 20, 18, 16, 14. Never again will I be so unfit that I huff and puff while crossing a parking lot (unless some terrible injury happens of course).

I have time to think about it and maybe someone will have some grand idea about it, but I like the idea of it being permanent because this weight loss needs to be permanent. My health is way important to me and now that I am healthy, I'm not going to give it up without a fight! So, a permanent reminder prize of where I have been and never want to be again might make me smile every time I see the tattoo. The loose skin and stretch marks aren't the prize for the weight loss, but the punishment for getting fat in the first place. But, I'll take those lumps. I've earned them and they are a lesson to me too. Never again.

Stats for 1/27/12:

Highest weight: 275  Now: 174.2
Total hours exercised in 2012: 18/250