And I will be honest with you about myself. I am a 10. A not-so-perfect 10. About 95% of the clothes in my closet have this same label...10. I'm not ashamed of it, and I'm not proud of it. That's just my body. And my goal is to love it - imperfections, jiggles and all.
It's been basically the same for me since high school. There have been seasons of my life when I was especially active and conscientious and dropped to an 8 or even a 6, and there was the post-baby body that needed a larger size. But for the majority of my adult life, 10 has been my number.
Some would call this chunky or fat. Others say I'm skinny. At the end of the day, this number does not matter. We are given only one body to live in, so it should be appreciated and treated well.
Though this is a different topic than I generally cover, I wanted to share my philosophy on health, beauty and body image because I think it's an area that way too many of us Moms stress over. As a working mom with a career in sales and marketing, there tends to be an image that's expected, and I have worked with many gorgeous women over the years. But I don't believe in needing the "Hollywood body" to be a success at work or home. There is a lot to be said about being beautiful, but so much of a woman's beauty is in her confidence, attitude and belief that no matter what her "number" is, she is beautiful.
There are literally thousands of guides on health and fitness out today, most of which I think require a ridiculous amount of self sacrifice and self discipline. Not ideal! I want to live fully. My goal is to be healthy AND still eat hot dogs, hamburgers and giant scoops of ice cream throughout the summer. Can I get an Amen?
For what it's worth, this is my philosophy on health, fitness and body image. The end result is a not-so-perfect, somewhat sexy, kinda softy and flabby Mommy.
(P.S. If you want to look like hot moms Heidi Klum or Kelly Ripa, stop reading and stop eating. This is not for you ;)
So there you have it. Advice on healthy, positive living from a not-so-perfect 10! Put on that swimsuit and ignore the pimples, dimples, and jiggles and go have some fun :) If it were only that easy... But I hope we can.
There are literally thousands of guides on health and fitness out today, most of which I think require a ridiculous amount of self sacrifice and self discipline. Not ideal! I want to live fully. My goal is to be healthy AND still eat hot dogs, hamburgers and giant scoops of ice cream throughout the summer. Can I get an Amen?
For what it's worth, this is my philosophy on health, fitness and body image. The end result is a not-so-perfect, somewhat sexy, kinda softy and flabby Mommy.
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| Three generations - Me, my daughter and my mom recently at Winterthur museum. |
(P.S. If you want to look like hot moms Heidi Klum or Kelly Ripa, stop reading and stop eating. This is not for you ;)
1. Activity is more important than Food.
"You are what you eat"...We've all heard that a million times, but I think it's only partly true. I think it's much more accurate to say, "You are what you do!" Sure, food is the fuel and it should have value, but the heart, lungs and muscles are all strengthened by ACTIVITY. So get your but off the couch! Oh wait, moms don't have much time to sit around ;)2. Run, run, run.
Call me crazy, but I do enjoy a good run. It's not for everyone, but there is something highly motivating about putting miles under my feet and training for a race event. As a working mom, it's tough for me to get out to run more than twice a week, but that's enough to keep me 5K ready! If your heart is not pumping and you're not working up some sweat at least once or twice a week, it's time to start! But make it fun. Find something you like - biking, walking, zumba, karate, jump rope with the kids...whatever. Yes, children make it tough, even impossible but you will feel better when you do it. |
| Activity is so much more fun with friends! This morning two of my cousins and two of my sister-in-laws ran the 5K Run or Dye together in Dover |
3. Eat what you want...mostly
This is my greatest weakness because I love good food. Half the time, I eat as much or more than my 6' tall husband (I am not proud of this). I'm just not prepared to give up carbs or sweets and suffer through tofu salads. Life is too short to always be saying No to delicious things. That said, I try to keep it balanced and make sure to eat lots of fruits and veggies along with good protein and high fiber foods. I just need to cut down on the desserts...but they're so yummy!4. Counting calories is just Annoying
The truth is, I did count calories. Guess what? It worked, and I lost some weight. Everything I ate was tracked on this app on my phone. But it was honestly kind of miserable. Having to constantly monitor every little thing I ate and estimate the calorie count felt obsessive. It took the enjoyment out of eating, which for me, took some joy out of every day living. This approach works for some people, but it's just annoying.5. Sleep when possible
The universal truth for parents is that sleep can be a luxury. Especially in the early months of a baby, but there will also be many nights into the toddler years when cries in the night awaken you. But rest really is so important. Yet here I am at 4:00 a.m. unable to sleep and writing. Hmm, guess I need to work on this. Most mornings, I try to be good and get up early, but I don't hesitate to sleep in when the girls let me.6. Drinks lots and lots of Water, and little else
It's fairly self explanatory and should not be too hard, but seriously drink water. I don't always get 64 oz. in but I try. When I get too busy at work and forget, I get serious headaches. I don't drink much soda or juice or coffee or alcohol. Mostly just water. It may sound boring, but I'd rather eat than drink ;)7. Own a few great outfits in your size
Feeling good about yourself has so much to do with your clothes and how they fit. I know your budget may be limiting and it might be tough to find things in your size, but every woman should have a couple great feel-good outfits. Of course, if you ask my husband, he'll tell you I always complain about wanting more clothes that are stylish and cute. I'm really a horrible clothes shopper.8. Stop comparing and judging
If you are a woman, your body is innately beautiful. Maybe that's too broad a generalization, but it's true. Your curves and edges are different. God made us to be the most beautiful part of creation! You might not feel that way, but you should believe it. And when you believe it, amazing things can happen. Stop comparing yourself to other women. I know what it's like to be in a room full of moms who are size 2 or 4 and feel like the fat chick. I also know how it feels to be the smallest mom in the room. Either way, it should not change the way I feel about myself...or them. If you are super fit mom, go you! Or if you're plus size mom with some impressive curves, own it! Can we all stop comparing and judging each other and just be the unique and beautiful women we were made to be?9. Focus on your Health, not numbers
I rarely step on a scale. Because my health is not defined by numbers like 10 and whatever number the scale says that day. As long as my clothes still fit and I feel well, I figure I'm okay. Sure, I'd love to lose a few pounds and have thinner thighs, but mostly I just want to be healthy. Don't let the numbers define you. You are Beautiful. Believe that. It works wonders.10. Make your man happy
And finally, this is just about the most important point I make. If you are married, your body is shared. Don't worry, I'm not going to get all X-rated here! But seriously, your husband's appreciation of your body is more important than what any other man or woman thinks. And I do believe that you man loves you for you. Especially when you love yourself...no matter what your number.So there you have it. Advice on healthy, positive living from a not-so-perfect 10! Put on that swimsuit and ignore the pimples, dimples, and jiggles and go have some fun :) If it were only that easy... But I hope we can.
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