Your body is NOT the enemy.

You know, it’s amazing how much mental space clears up when we stop constantly hating our bodies, trying to make ourselves shrink, scrutinizing other women’s bodies, and wishing we were someone else. 

Yes, I’m fit.

However- my time is not spent trying to become “perfect.”

I’m not a bodybuilder or a bikini competitor, nor do I aspire to look like an airbrushed photo in a magazine necessarily.

“But wait, isn’t being aspiring to be fit all about having the perfect body?”

No, it’s not, necessarily. First of all, there’s no such thing as perfect. Secondly, I lift and eat right because it makes me feel AWESOME and I’m able to accomplish more in life with a healthier, positive outlook. I also like being able to throw heavy iron around with wild abandon. It’s empowering!

But I didn’t always think this way.

I used to desperately desire a perfect, tiny, delicate, frail body at one point. But now- I choose to be strong, not delicate. I want to be able to use my body to its fullest potential. I want to be able to do things that people wouldn’t expect me to be able to do. 

When I stopped focusing on trying to be as skinny but as strong as possible, due to basic scientific principles (that the diet industry never perpetuates) I actually did lose bodyfat. (But that’s a whole new discussion in itself.)

Anyhow, my point is-  body acceptance and being fit and healthy shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.

You often hear of “body positive” stories and movements targeted towards larger women, which is fine, but in the fitness world all you hear is: “OBSESSED IS A WORD THE LAZY CALL THE DEDICATED”, “GO HARD OR GO HOME”, “BE PROUD BUT NEVER SATISFIED”, etc. 

I’m honestly sick of that mentality. How about we work towards health and strength, eat the foods that make us FEEL the best (Tip: It’s the healthy ones) and not try to make ourselves miserable by striving for “perfection” that doesn’t exist anyhow? 

And why do so many people let themselves be defined by numbers? Calories, macros, number on the scale, pant size, etc. It’s bondage.

I can honestly say I don’t “track” anything at all. I have no clue what I weigh, how many cals I eat per day, or anything. And I’ve never had a better body image. (or a better body, at that!)

Let’s stop treating our bodies like the enemy.

When we give in to these “diet cleanses,” “slim wraps,” etc. that’s what we’re doing. Treating our body like the enemy. “GET SKINNY NOWWWW,” we scream at our reluctant bodies, hoping for that drop on the scale to happen overnight. And obviously those things never work, because the road to health and fitness isn’t a short one. 

And also- let’s stop throwing temper tantrums because your thighs “touch.” WHOOP DE FREAKIN DO. So do mine. So do 99% of women’s thighs in this world. It doesn’t mean anything. In fact, I’m proud of mine because they’re a sign of strength. 

You should be too.