Take a good look - no really - take a really good look.
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(Yeah that's my son photobombing the pic on the bosu ball - he loves that thing -ha) But no, what I really want you to look at is the picture of my stomach.
See that area of fat around my belly button? That's my 'problem area' - the area that I try to hide - the area that I crop out of pics - the reason that my clothes don't fit - my muffin top - my extra handfuls and then some.
But look right above that area. See that line - the beginning of muscle definition - that wasn't there 4 weeks ago. That 'line' didn't exist. I'm not holding 'anything in' and that purple mark underneath my hand is where I painted over what I couldn't tell if it was my boob or the underside of my bra - so I covered it just in case.
I want you to look at this picture, really look at it, because I want you to realize something.
When I saw myself in the mirror today while working out, I had a choice. I could have focused in on the belly fat - the part about myself that I try to hide. Or I could focus on that line - the beginning of hard work starting to pay off. I also could have cropped out my gut and only shown you the 'progress'; instead I chose to show you the real reality.
What I'm saying is that when you see yourself, you have a choice. You can tear yourself apart and nit pick at the things that you don't like about yourself. Or you can see the positives and the progress even if they seem very small and focus on those.
I believe we really do have a choice in how we see ourselves.
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I was never comfortable with my body until my 50s. How sad is that?
ReplyDelete:) I'm not far behind you!
DeleteI know exactly what you mean. Thanks to PumpItUp classes, I am getting muscles in my shoulders and arms. I try to focus on that and not those persistently wobbly bat-wings. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I have a tendency to nit pick, and I'm trying my best to shift my focus :)
DeleteYES!!!! I'm the same way. I won't lie and say that there are not parts of my body that I would change. However, in working out, I'm learning to appreciate the way my body is changing and reflecting how STRONG I am becoming. If I can't have skinny arms, I will have STRONG arms!!!
ReplyDeleteWay to go.. I'm trying really hard to focus on being healthy and strong!
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