So while at an event in my hometown I had someone say something to me about my weight. Now you all know I had documented my journey and that when I was over 200 pounds very little had comments about my weight and at that time I was way over where I needed to be. It was devastating. Now I am at weight goal and tightening up and I am still getting comments about my weight. I was taken back if I am honest. I talked to my husband and he was like “keep it in perspective some folks aint seen you since you were a kid. You’re a grown ass woman with an amazing body and 3 kids, stay the course!” Can we just clone him? He made me feel like the beautiful woman who I am.
This is the conclusion I have come to. A lot of folks will only see you at what they last remember. I went to college a size 0 and came back a size 4 that was an issue. Had a baby and was a size 6 and now I am holding at a size 8 and sometimes 10 depending on how the pants are cut. Issue.
I am not here to worry about what other people’s eyes see me as. I am perfect at the size that I am. I am not in competition to be at high school weight. I was unhealthy to be honest. I ate what I wanted, rarely went to the doctors and the only saving grace was a high metabolism and sports. Skinny isn’t always healthy. I know folks smaller than me with high blood pressure and a whole gambit of health complications.
What I know is from head to toe I am finally in the best shape of my life and I can run and do 6 or more races a year. I can keep and outrun my kids and run up and down a flight of steps without losing my breath. I eat as well as I can and work out 2-3 usually more a week. I am fine! I am enough!
There is a woman who is struggling right now with a lot of whispers and you may not be as confident as I feel or feel like you’re not. You are just enough. You are enough even in the state that you are. Its one of the things I felt I needed to say. I need to release it. I had a family member say oh you sure are hippy meaning curvy. I am supposed to be. Newsflash, I have regular amazing sex and I have 3 kids. They didn’t know when I had the athletic build in high school I used to want to have a curve. Now I have them and they are here to stay. I looked like a boy body shape and folks would either like it or have an issue. So to the curves and the butt that I now have, please stay. We are going to tone up these next couple of months but we ain’t dropping you!
Do not let anything stop you from being your best version of you. Trust me you can change your body, but be the best version of yourself inner and outer and trust me you will always shine in darkness.
What if you aren’t at the place you need to be and someone does make a negative but true comment? Remember when the lady asked me how far along I was and if I was having a boy? Devastating. I cried. I was hurt. I made up in my mind that I wouldn’t allow myself to get to that point. To prevent that I only keep my size clothes in my drawers. I don’t wear baggy clothes. They actually let you look bigger FYI. Wearing form figuring clothes helps hold you accountable. I didn’t say tight, I said form-fitting or figure flattering clothes. The other day I found a size 14 pant in my closet, tried it on and it was drowning on me. I gave them away. I keep myself accountable by weighing myself weekly just like I did when I was going to Weight Watchers meeting. It’s important for me to stay the course. So when that comment was made through the help of my husband and getting on the scale to see what was going on, I was fine. I knew it was a comparison of what they remember me from my past. I am still at goal weight. I am in training season for these runs. I can’t let words distract me. If I do I might not be able to get through my vigorous races ahead. I got to keep running forward.
One of my favorite songs by Kirk Franklin, Imagine Me:
👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 I think our elders could stand some etiquette lessons on how not to say everything that comes to mind. I remember getting comments on my hips often when I came home from school but I felt like they were more on the tip of “I know you’re having sex;out there sinning.” Your words are true & you are fabulous. The best part is you love yourself as most adult women have to learn to do again after bearing children and caring for our families. Keep it up!
Thanks soooooo much. Yeah it’s def a matter of etiquette and learning that not everything needs a response. If a size 8 is big I’m in trouble. What matters is beyond size is health and I’m definitely striving for that And toning!! Keep your course too you’re doing well yourself