While I am off in a cabin in the woods mountains and enjoying a good time with friends, I decided to share a post about something I am always working on. It is no secret that I had some body image issues after my fitness competition when I had to put on weight in order to conceive our second child. I fought them and mostly appreciated my body, but I still had ups and downs. Even on the best of days, negative self-talk can make an appearance and we have to be mindful of it. One of the biggest ways I combat such negativity is to have a running list in my head on why I love my body and need to respect it. In no particular order, here are a few of those reasons.

1. It is strong. My body has taken a lot of beatings from me, both good (in the form of tough workouts) and bad (in not feeding it enough at times). Despite the many pounds it has lifted, the many miles it has racked up in various forms of cardio, and the fluctuations it has encountered in weight over the years, it still works properly and can make it through every day with energy and strength. That’s pretty impressive in my mind.

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2. It is smart. I don’t mean the “score a 1600 on your SAT” smart. I mean it is intuitive and knows what it needs. If I have a few days with more treats and less fruits and veggies my body will seek them out for awhile following that time. It tells me when it needs rest by a new pain or just pure fatigue. It doesn’t like being fed too much or too little and guides me to an appropriate food balance. It has instincts that can help keep me safe or drive me further.

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3. It is healthy. My body is currently free from illness, functions properly, and can move, walk, dance, and play. Health is something to be treasured and I am very thankful to my body for being a healthy one. Face an injury, illness, depression, or anything else that can hinder your health and I bet you gain a newfound respect for your body being healthy over it looking hot in a bikini. I fortunately have never had to face a huge health scare, but knowing others who have opens my eyes to appreciating my blessings and valuing my body for the health it gives me.

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4. It is alive. It is through my body that I am able to get up in the morning and go out and experience life. Without my body I would not be able to see God’s beauty, hear Makenzie laugh, feel the embrace of loved ones, or laugh at a good conversation. Without my body I would have no life. I love my life and therefore should love my body for giving me the means to live it.

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5. It is used to bring  life into this world. It is immensely fulfilling to know your body is capable of bringing a life into this world. Throughout pregnancy, the changes my body goes through are beautiful to me. They are all part of helping create life. And after the delivery, seeing that baby and knowing my body accomplished that makes it hard to hate it. Every day, seeing my  child is a reminder of the amazing things my body can do and I would not have my daughter without it. I love my body immensely for that.

6. Lastly, and most importantly, my body was crafted by God. God took great care in making me. He had a plan for me from the first moment he formed me in my mother’s womb. He thinks I’m beautiful and part of his perfect creation. God can do no wrong. He made me. That means I am not wrong. It means I am perfect in God’s eyes. How can I argue with God? If he believes I am beautiful and worth loving, why should I deny that I am? God says my body is beautiful…and beautiful it is.

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• Name at least one reason you think your body is beautiful. We ALL are beautiful so we all need a reason to believe so.
• What is something your body has done for you that amazes you?
• Please listen to this song. It is amazing and one of my favorites.

While today didn't start off the best (something showed up that I was hoping not to see), I quickly turned it around and decided to make it more positive. There was no point in being down about it because I trust God's timing and hate wasting energy on negativity. I've done that too much before. One thing I've thought about recently is how, after competing in early November, negative thinking was the name of my game. I went through about a month of constantly feeling down on myself because of the weight I had to put back on after the show.  Hello?! It was for my health because you are not at a healthy weight/bodyfat with competing in figure. Yet I still had problems with it. I was always down on myself, told myself I felt gross, moody, and just a true Debbie Downer. And for what? It only made things worse. And I had absolutely no reason to be so negative about myself and my body. Since then, I take pride in all that is me and my body. So I figured I would share a few things I love about me and my body 🙂 In a non-conceited way, of course 😉

1. The most important thing I appreciate about my body, is that when it is at a healthy weight it will bear beautiful children for me. It has already carried one precious gem for me and I have no doubt it will carry another. 🙂
2. It can move. I am blessed with the ability to walk, run, lift weights, participate in fitness classes, spin around with my daughter, jump on a playground with her, among many many other things that I would be otherwise unable to do without a physically capable body.
3. It is pretty strong. I enjoy lifting weights and watching my strength increase. Even though I haven't been focusing on pushing myself too much right now, I know my body is capable of tossing around pretty decent weight in the gym. It amazes me to see that progress and how my body adapts.
4. It houses my mind. I love to read (as you well know) and I love to learn and grow, particularly in things related to my faith but in general too. I think I'm a pretty sharp lady, despite my many blonde moments, and I am proud of my intellect.
5. I have a big heart. I love to love. No matter how many times I've been burned, I will still care for a person. And nothing compares to the unconditional love I can share for close friends and my beloved family.
6. I think I have nice boobs. 🙂 C'mon. I had to have a fun one in there! Haha!
7. I love that I can see the good where others would often only see the bad.
8. I love how I am so in tune with my body and what it needs and recognizing how to accommodate it.
9. I love that I am not afraid of carbs! I used to be way back when and how ridiculous was that?!

Those are just some things that came to me while writing this post. What do you love about yourself and your body?

Now for a book review! 🙂

Deep End of the Ocean by Jaquelyn Mitchard

Many of you will think this sounds familiar because of this...

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWa7nDm9Wdg]

I saw the movie so long ago that it fortunately didn't affect my reading of the book. I remembered bits and pieces from the movie as I read, but not enough to where I already knew what was going to happen. That's important to me. I hate knowing the outcome of a book before I read it. But ironically enough, I despise more when movies change the books. Like this one did....

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP4NxUFgFrs]

I was SO disappointed with that movie! They absolutely ruined the book!! But back to my current book review...

The Deep End of the Ocean is about a family with a three year old boy who goes missing from a crowded hotel lobby. He is never found, dead or alive....until almost ten years later when he unexpectedly and accidentally reenters their lives. It was really enjoyable. Maybe being a mother I could really relate to the main character, Beth, and all her neuroticness after her son's disappearance. The story was really strong and just gripping. The decision of what is right versus what is wrong when her son returns is so disheartening. It kind of reminded me of Jodi Picoult's books where an issue that you would think has answers that are black and white and clear as day really don't. It's interesting to ponder the many intricacies that go into what is right for a family and how decisions have strong repercussions for everyone involved. And how it is sometimes impossible to fix or stop or change. I would recommend it. 🙂

Once again, time for me to get going to tutoring! Fun fun fun. At least it's easy money. And I already had my fun today with a Group Kick class followed by coloring Dora with the M girl. 🙂