Numbers they plague us. The number of friends we have (facebook
or otherwise) the number of calories we consume every day, the number of our
pant size or shirt size, the number on the scale. If you are a collector it’s
the number of items you have of your favorite thing. My dad can never have
enough Star Trek things, or fossils, or books. I tell people I grew up in a
library. I do not think my Dad has met a book he didn’t like! I have to thank
him for that because I love to read. Reading is up on my top ten things to do.
Just below spending time with my Husband and kids, meeting with friends, and
Exercise!
What I really want to talk about today is our body numbers.
We get an idea in our heads of what our perfect numbers are. Sometimes those
numbers just don’t or won’t match up to reality. My dream numbers are 12 inches
(biceps), 30 inches (natural waist at the bottom of ribcage), 155 pounds, and a
size 8. My current numbers are 14.5 inches, 37 inches, 200.6 pounds, and a size
16. So I have a ways to go before any of those become a reality. The trick is to work on the mental part of
reaching those goals. Are they reasonable? I believe so. (Maybe not the 30 inch
waist, but we will see) The funny part is because of differing body shapes two
people who are the same height and the same weight can look totally different. I
have friends who weight exactly the same and are the same height. Their
clothing sizes are very different. One girlfriend wears pant two sizes bigger
and the same size top, while the others pant size is two sizes smaller and her
tops are a size bigger! It can be very confusing, and a bummer when you want to
share clothes. Let’s not even get started on the muscle vs. fat debate. You can take two people; one who works out on
a regular basis and one who doesn’t that weigh the same. They both can be in
the healthy range according to the BMI scale and look vastly different.
 |
| All these women weight the same and have similar measurements |
I spent my childhood thinking I was huge! I look back at
pictures now and what I see is a healthy young girl with very strong thighs. I
was an active kid. I played basketball and volleyball. I walked to and from
school most days and once I was in high school I was roller skating every week.
I also spent my summers swimming at the public pool that was in walking
distance from my home. Do I wish I had
continued to be that active? You bet! I did not get 70 pounds overweight by being
a healthy active person.
The funny thing is right now at 200.6 pounds (almost in one-derland!!!!!!!)
I feel better than I have ever felt. I have changed my life in so many ways. I
am not exercising and eating healthy to look good in a bikini this summer (but
that will be a bonus!) I am doing these things because I want to live a long,
active, healthy life. Now that I have changed the mental part behind those
numbers I am finally being successful. I am determined, focused, and happy on
my current path. I am sleeping better,
feeling more awake; I am happy choosing good options for food instead of
feeling deprived because I shouldn’t have that doughnut. (I really don’t want
that doughnut any more, cool right?)
But what happens when those goal numbers are not realistic? I
don’t think I will ever be a size 0. But for some the smaller is better. How do
you help a loved one realize they are beautiful regardless of any of these
numbers? Our society has been conditioned to love people based on their size.
It is shallow, mean, and devastating to young boys and girls. Those young boys
and girls grow up to be sensitive, fragile adults who have a hard time seeing
the wonderful, valuable, person they are. Those numbers still plague them. This
is a subject I don’t have an answer for. All I can hope is that I can be a positive
influence on my children. That by living a life filled with healthy foods, lots
of activity, and exercise I can break the obesity trend in my own family. By
not forcing them to eat or denying them food I won’t establish food as a means
of safety or punishment. That by having healthy foods always available 9 times
out of 10 they will choose the apple over the cookie and also not make them
feel guilty for choosing the cookie. Finally by loving myself just the way I am;
I establish to my kids that they are beautiful no matter whether they are a
size 6 or a size 20. That they are valued for their kindness, intellect, and
how they treat others.
How do the numbers affect your life? Are you comfortable in
your own skin? Have you spent a life time battling the scale? It is time to
stop. Change how you perceive yourself. Reflect on the person inside that has
so many gifts. Those are the things that make you who you are. Not the shell.
You can change the shell with your food choices and your life style, and even
plastic surgery but if you don’t work on the person inside, you will never
truly be happy.
Have a Happy Healthy day!
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