fbpx

Sorry, boys, this isn’t for you.

Share This Post

There’s understandably a lot of talk about New Years Resolutions.

On my social media, they tend to be in two different varieties.

On the one hand are the people who are making resolutions about their health.  They are going to a gym, working out, dieting, eating better, etc.

http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/47a92385-a9e9-4c27-82c9-e9d994130b2f.jpg

On the other hand there are those who already live a pretty healthy life who are annoyed by all the new ‘heathy people’ crowding out their equipment at the gym with their ‘doomed to fail’ resolutions.

As I have mentioned before, I lost some weight this past year.  About 50lbs, to be exact.

So while I was on vacation visiting my parents and in-laws, I got a lot of this:

“wow, you look amazing, what did you do?”

“Holy crap, you’re tiny.  Good for you.  How’d you do it?”

or my personal (un)favorite “Holy!  Where did your boobs go?!”

For the record, I did not work that hard all year for the majority of people to point out first the drastic change in my bust line.

That being said, almost everyone wants to know my ‘secret’.  How did I do it?  What can they do for the same results.

And they are almost always annoyed by my answer,

“I eat less.  And I run and work out.  Mostly, I eat less”.

Then they always ask “Well, what do you eat?”

“Less.  I eat less.  I didn’t cut one thing out or switch to shakes or start a program or take a vitamin.
I eat less of everything I ate before.”

“oh.”

And trust me.  I’ve been there.  I wanted a magic pill or a fancy diet, or someone to tell me I could exercise it all away.  But I couldn’t.  And I can’t.

I run a couple times a week.  It’s amazing once you lose 30, 40 lbs…. running sucks less.
I do core/ab exercises when I can most days.  15 minutes or so.

And I eat less.

I still eat the occasional piece of pie.  Bowl of ice cream.  Birthday cake.

I just eat less.

And slowly…. like a year later slowly…. I lost weight.

No one is making an infomercial on that.

So my New Years Resolution?

Accepting those changes.

I don’t look perfect.  I don’t have the genes that allowed my body to snap back to a flat stomach and a sag-free body.  I look much, much better with clothes on.

And after a long, tear filled conversation with my hubby, I realized he’s the only one who sees that.  And he actually, truly, doesn’t care.  He doesn’t care that nursing my babies meant I lost 4 bra sizes, or that my stomach hangs where excess, stretch marked skin covers the bottom of what would, if life was fair, be a flat stomach.

Because the truth is, he loved me 50lbs ago.  And he loves me now.  And don’t get me wrong, he is infinitely happy I am in better shape and he is having sometimes too much fun picking me up and tossing me around (gently) just cause he can, but the scale and the jean size does not define love.

I worked really frigging hard.  I still do. 

And while that little bit of flab around my middle could look just like that…. flab…. it is starting to look more like what it really is.

It’s the whipped cream I still order on my skinny latte.

It’s the piece of pie I will still eat when friends come over.

It’s that spoonful of peanut butter and hunny I have when I feel stressed out.

And you know what?  I like those things.

And you know what?  I don’t need plastic surgery to put back my chest the way it was and cut out that skin that doctors tell me won’t go away any other way.  The only reason I think I should (and trust me, I sadly think about it all.  the.  time. ) is because I want to live up to an ideal my body wasn’t designed to meet.

http://storage.canoe.ca/v1/dynamic_resize/sws_path/suns-prod-images/1310609275656_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x

And that is not a good reason to go there.

There were plenty of times I said even a year ago I wasn’t made to be under a certain weight or size, and then I got there.  So sometimes, ‘supposed’ limits are all excuses.  But sometimes, they’re just the way you were made.  And, sadly, bra size, stretch marks and sags…well, those fall into category #2.

So while I will keep running and keep eating healthy because I like the way it makes me feel, and lets be honest, I like the way it makes me look…. I’m not going to make a weight goal for this new years resolution.  If I lose another few pounds, or gain a couple, it’ll be alright.  (not gonna lie, I’d prefer option number 1).

My New Year’s Resolution is to move one step closer each day to accepting that this body is OK. 

This body made it 30 years when my grade 10 counsellor was sure that the way I was treating it then, it wouldn’t make it to 18.

This body can run 10k in an hour when before it could barely run 5k at all.

This body can do a 2 minute plank and over 100 sit ups when before, it couldn’t even do 1.

This body now wakes up in the morning and doesn’t compel me to sleep most of the day away, or take 2 hour naps in the afternoon or avoid doing things with my kids because I am just too tired.

This body birthed 3 children.  It fed those 3 children and, well,. for a few years it was neglected while I watched those children.

It doesn’t owe me a flat stomach or a full chest.

I doesn’t owe me less frizzy hair and it certainly doesn’t owe me a perky anything.

In fact, I am blessed that this body and the One who created it,  allows me to push it  little farther, allows me to run a little faster and lets me live another year.  Because other, healthier people have bodies that simply said no.

I was beautifully and wonderfully made.

Seriously, I was.  It says so.

It’s not a sin to want to push my body to be the healthiest way it can be.  Being too thin is unhealthy, but so was being too big.

It continues to be sin for me to look in the mirror and never, ever be happy with the way I look.  To shrug off the compliments of my husband as words from a man who is supposed to say nice things to me, and spend TOO MUCH focus trying to meet an ideal that is entirely created in my head and no one Else’s.

I will learn to enjoy where my hard work has brought me.
I will learn to thank the One who loved me when He created me to be me.

Road-mapped stomach and all.

If you for even one second thought this might be a picture of my stretch marks…..AHAHAHAHAHAH!   You’re funny

Comments

comments

About The Author

reccewife

Share This Post

Comments

comments

19 COMMENTS

  1. Alana Winder | 10th Jan 12

    I had this same conversation with my family over the holidays! I lost 15-20 pounds over the past couple years and they want to know my super-secret diet, but seem disappointed when I tell them I eat whatever I want, except less. We're not used to eating only when we're hungry and stopping when we're full, it's a foreign concept to a lot of people!

  2. Julie | 10th Jan 12

    LOVE your post! See I know if I just eat less and work out a bit I will become the right size for me. I won;t look like I did when I was 22 but I will be alright with that. Right now I feel like I just can't get motivated enough to work out and that is my biggest problem. But I know that I have had 3 kids and my body is different and that is ok.

  3. Danielle Hagemann | 11th Jan 12

    You go! I also get annoyed with the "New Years crowd" that floods the school rec center at this time of year. Enjoy the fabulous new you and keep it up!

  4. Stephanie | 11th Jan 12

    So beautifully written. I read every word and then scrolled up and read again.

  5. Caleigh1 | 11th Jan 12

    Over all our beds I have the saying "You are wonderfully made"…..I constantly have to look at that, and remind myself, that yes, I was created this way…..I am built like a pre pubescent boy, and that is the way it will be!!!!!! You are an amazing woman who, when her mind is made up accomplishes everything you do, and in such an inspiring way!!! You look amazing, but then you always have!! True beauty is what flows from inside, and you have always had an abundance of that!!! HUGS!!

  6. RecceWife | 11th Jan 12

    We all want the quick fix that doesn't involve work, don't we? I know I do! 🙂

  7. RecceWife | 11th Jan 12

    It's true. Different is ok. And just because some people were blessed with those snap-back-to-shape bodies, that doesn't mean we have to assume I have to be too!

  8. RecceWife | 11th Jan 12

    Everyone has to start somewhere, I suppose, though it's too bad most don't seem to last. The problem is starting when the calander says, instead of when they are ready.

  9. RecceWife | 11th Jan 12

    Thanks Stephanie!

  10. RecceWife | 11th Jan 12

    You're such a sweetie 🙂

  11. Elizabeth O | 11th Jan 12

    I must say: 50lbs is something to be darn proud of! While I have been getting healthier, and doing pilates, and watching what I eat, I can't help but look at all the friends I have doing weight watchers and saying "Oh goodness, I can eat whatever I want." No. Treat your body right and it will treat you right. Indulge in the slice of pie and accept the place on your hips where good times with good friends comes.

    I love this post- every word of it.

  12. Kim | 11th Jan 12

    Kim…..You knock my socks off…every.single.time.
    Love you!
    Kim

  13. Hoolieana | 11th Jan 12

    You are so right. It's so hard to think of eating less, but it really works!

  14. Kendra | 12th Jan 12

    AMEN! Besides, babies are more precious than flat bellies! Flat bellies are highly over-rated.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. I believe in eating for sure!

  15. RecceWife | 12th Jan 12

    You're a pretty fabulous Kim yourself 🙂

  16. RecceWife | 12th Jan 12

    It really does. But food is just so yummy. It always seems like there should be a better way! ;p

  17. RecceWife | 12th Jan 12

    Flat Bellies are for people who wear bikinis. I live in Canada. We have very few bikini months here, anyways 🙂

  18. The New "Normal" | 13th Jan 12

    LOVE this!!! You're posts are always so honest and inspiring, I love reading them 🙂
    It's so hard at times to accept the little extra belly, the less perky boobs and the fun stretch marks, but then I remember what they all were for and I would much rather have my beautiful children than a flat belly and big boobs any day. And besides, big boobs make it harder to run…
    Awesome job on the 50 pounds and especially the way you did it. Definitely the smart way 🙂

  19. RecceWife | 15th Jan 12

    Thanks Elizabeth. Sometimes, the little things are worth it 🙂

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *