Love Your Body, That Is All
Growing up I was never a fit kid. I never played sports, never exercised. My eating was just what any kids was. I ate whatever I wanted. I was never fat but I was never thin either. I rode right in the middle and I was always happy with that.
I never thought about the way I looked in terms of my weight/body. I was just a kid and worried about kid things. Even as I got older I don't remember ever thinking negative thoughts about my body and I certainly never dieted. It wasn't until I gained 40lbs from pregnancy that I ever even "went on a diet". I never really exercised much either. I joined a gym and worked out with a trainer for a few months before our wedding but as soon as I got pregnant I saw it as an excuse to kick my gym habit.
I know that the reason I was never obsessed or focused on my body was because of my mom. While
my mom has dieted over the years she never let that rub off onto me. She always showed me how to love yourself because no matter what her weight was she always loved herself. She always took pride in her appearance and she was always happy and smiling.
As I've gotten older and been exposed to more in terms of diet and exercise. I've seen it all and I've tried a few things a long the way and figured out what worked for me. I don't believe in starvation or even deprivation. I don't think you need to work out 7 days a week for 52 weeks. I do believe that everything in moderation is great. I think exercising more days than you don't is healthy. I don't believe in fat shaming or, the newest trend, skinny shaming.
I've been eating an 80/20 Paleo diet for the past 3-4 months and I love what it has done for my body, inside and out. I have also been doing PiYo for 6 months. The combination of the two has really changed my body, it's leaned me out and made me more defined. I've never felt or looked like I do right now and I am proud of the way I look. I am not done, however. I know that I can tone up more and really take my body and fitness to the next level.
I am happy with where has come from and where it's at now but it seems others aren't. That's where the skinny shaming comes in. I don't even refer to myself as skinny, I never use that word to describe myself because I am not skinny. I still have curves, I still have jiggly spots, and I still have meat on my bones. But lately I've been hearing comments like, "girl you NEED to eat" and "you're wasting away" neither of which are supportive or true. Both of which are hurtful and mean.
I don't talk numbers but I feel like I need to. I am 5'3 and I have and 31-years-old. The ideal weight for my height and age is 112-140lbs. The lowest number I have seen on the scale {because I don't weigh myself often} is 126.4. That number is pretty much right smack in the middle of where I should be and where I feel comfortable. I do not think that number qualifies comments like, "if you lose anymore weight...we're going to have to have an intervention". Yes I've heard that to which I reply, "I am NOT trying to lose anymore weight so you don't need to worry about that" because it's true, I'm not.
What people don't understand when they say those things is that it is like they are negating the hard work I have put in as if all I am doing is starving myself, which couldn't be further from the truth. I even heard a comment that compared me to a sick person. As if to say I look unhealthy and sickly myself. How hurtful? I work hard, I eat well {for the most part} and take pride in how far I've come while raising two little kids. To hear such negative comments from people who know me, personally, feels like a slap in the face. I know they think they are "helping" or being funny but it is anything but.
I am not trying to nor do I want to lose any weight. I would like to lose body fat and lower my percentage. I would like to continue eating a mostly Paleo diet. I would like to continue on the path with PiYo and building those long, lean muscles. And I would like to see my body change and see what it, what I, am capable of.
And I would like to do all of that with supportive comments, "girl you are looking FIT, high five!" Not that I think everyone needs to tell me I look good, I don't, but if you are going to say something, say something nice. Remember that age old saying, "if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all"? That.
I've read so many posts about skinny/fit shaming and I never thought I'd be writing myself and I never wanted to. I got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore though, I had to speak up and defend myself.
I've been eating an 80/20 Paleo diet for the past 3-4 months and I love what it has done for my body, inside and out. I have also been doing PiYo for 6 months. The combination of the two has really changed my body, it's leaned me out and made me more defined. I've never felt or looked like I do right now and I am proud of the way I look. I am not done, however. I know that I can tone up more and really take my body and fitness to the next level.
I am happy with where has come from and where it's at now but it seems others aren't. That's where the skinny shaming comes in. I don't even refer to myself as skinny, I never use that word to describe myself because I am not skinny. I still have curves, I still have jiggly spots, and I still have meat on my bones. But lately I've been hearing comments like, "girl you NEED to eat" and "you're wasting away" neither of which are supportive or true. Both of which are hurtful and mean.
I don't talk numbers but I feel like I need to. I am 5'3 and I have and 31-years-old. The ideal weight for my height and age is 112-140lbs. The lowest number I have seen on the scale {because I don't weigh myself often} is 126.4. That number is pretty much right smack in the middle of where I should be and where I feel comfortable. I do not think that number qualifies comments like, "if you lose anymore weight...we're going to have to have an intervention". Yes I've heard that to which I reply, "I am NOT trying to lose anymore weight so you don't need to worry about that" because it's true, I'm not.
What people don't understand when they say those things is that it is like they are negating the hard work I have put in as if all I am doing is starving myself, which couldn't be further from the truth. I even heard a comment that compared me to a sick person. As if to say I look unhealthy and sickly myself. How hurtful? I work hard, I eat well {for the most part} and take pride in how far I've come while raising two little kids. To hear such negative comments from people who know me, personally, feels like a slap in the face. I know they think they are "helping" or being funny but it is anything but.
I am not trying to nor do I want to lose any weight. I would like to lose body fat and lower my percentage. I would like to continue eating a mostly Paleo diet. I would like to continue on the path with PiYo and building those long, lean muscles. And I would like to see my body change and see what it, what I, am capable of.
And I would like to do all of that with supportive comments, "girl you are looking FIT, high five!" Not that I think everyone needs to tell me I look good, I don't, but if you are going to say something, say something nice. Remember that age old saying, "if you don't have something nice to say don't say anything at all"? That.
I've read so many posts about skinny/fit shaming and I never thought I'd be writing myself and I never wanted to. I got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore though, I had to speak up and defend myself.
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