How about we all just stop for a minute.
I am a “Fan” and “Like” various fitness groups on Facebook and read a few fitness and running blogs on a regular basis. Heck, I even write for a fitness blog. But I’m more and more discouraged about the negative tone of what I’ve been reading lately. Pinterest abounds with pins of models posing all greased up next to barbells with the caption: “Strong is the New Skinny”. What I want to know is – have we traded one ideal for another? How about we celebrate what OUR bodies can do? Instead of comparing ourselves to the models on magazine covers, how about we stop striving to look like anyone but the best version of ourselves? Wouldn’t it be better to ditch the scale (which isn’t a complete picture anyway) and focus on the amazing things of which our strong bodies are capable? Could we stop looking for instant fixes in the forms of pills and boxes? Why don’t we shift the focus from simple vanity and looking this way or that way, to teaching our kids health? Let’s teach our kids health in the complete sense of the word: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual; not just obsessing over numbers and exercising compulsively.
I saw this today:
Words have power. They carry weight. (Yes, pun intended.) I don’t know about you, I think there is enough negative crap thrown at us in terms of body image, what we SHOULD look like, what we SHOULD do, and how we SHOULD do it – I don’t need this kind of “motivation”. I find this disrespectful and negative. How about we ditch the name calling and the bullying – of ourselves. Yes, it’s supposed to be humorous, and light-hearted, but at the end of the day – I am always more inspired and motivated by truth, honesty and positivity.
How about we try some of these words instead:
Accomplishment
Goals
Achievement
Pride
Exhilaration
Joy
Breathlessness
Passion
Integrity
Compassion
Truth
How about it?
Life and Other Stuff 
Amen!!
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I just found your blog and this post is EXACTLY where I’m at and reflects exactly how I think and it is marvelous to read. I’m a curly woman too. Not a runner anymore because I had to have emergency spinal neurosurgery a year ago, but a mom of 2 littles and living in a military world although not a military wife myself. Anyways, thank you for this post. I’ll be following you for sure. 🙂
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Thanks so much for reading and commenting! It means a lot to me that people take the time to comment! 🙂
Wow! That kind of surgery is major. How long was/is your recovery? As a mom of littles – that can’t be easy.
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It sucked. 🙂 It was major and surprising and it was emergency – meaning I was told I’d either do the surgery and take 10 weeks out of my life to recover or I’d be in a wheel chair for the rest of my life in under a year. Not a choice, really. But being a full-time mommy and living overseas and husband had no family leave or sick leave at all (bad benefits, good job) – it was terrifying on the most primal level. But we did it. And a year later, I just came back from a walk !. 🙂 I have chronic side effects but at least I can walk. But let me tell you that it REALLY impacted my idea of my body, my ideas about beauty, health and wellness. Holy crap. I was a driven machine in terms of workouts and such – fitness etc. – up and down cycles with weight but overall I was clear that being fit mattered a lot. NOW? Now I’m trying to re-define what “health” means to me, what it means to be beautiful and what it means to be grateful for the body I’ve been given – flaws and all. And scars too. Anyways, I found your post SO refreshing and a relief, really! I’ll keep checking in for sure. Glad I found you! 🙂
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Wow. You inspire me. It is beyond amazing the amount of grit and perseverance we possess when necessary. If you are on Facebook, there are some great like-minded fitness groups I’ve come across that I enjoy (you may have already heard of them):
Fit Mama Training (she also has a blog)
This is Not a Diet – it’s your life
Fit Villains (Chichi Kix)
They offer the same view of total health and fitness – not just for vanity.
Thank you again for sharing your story!
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Thanks for the tips about This is not a diet – its your life. OMG I love it! HOw did I miss this? THANK YOU!
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No problem!! (I just recently found them too!)
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