Nude

Bet that got your attention didn't it. Have you ever heard of the tv show "How To Look Good Naked?" I've watched it a few times now, I don't think it comes on anymore but I liked it. It was about everyday woman and their insecurities about their bodies. We all have them, I don't care who you are or how much you weigh. Each and every person has at least one thing they don't like about themselves, be it they think they have thunder thighs, their ass is too big/wide/saggy/small/, breasts are too big/small/flat/droopy/hairy, etc etc. You get where I'm going with it. Anyway the premise of the show is to help women realize that their body is not this horribly ugly thing. I can talk until I'm blue in the face and tell you, yes YOU, that your is not in fact gross. But honestly, this realization has to come from within and I will say, that is not any easy thing to do especially if you're like me and have spent years looking down on yourself or beating yourself up over every little thing you think is wrong.

I won't go into my long list of perceived faults. However, just before I got in the shower this morning, I paused for a minute and looked, and I mean really looked, at myself in the mirror. Naked. Nude. In my birthday suit. Now I'll be honest here, I usually tend to only give myself a quick glance because I can't bear to look at myself for much longer then that because I don't like what I see. I tend to kind of sigh and carry on. Except for today. Today I stopped and took it all in. My body in it's glory, front and center. Initially, I started to list off what I didn't like; the cellulite, the rolls and dimples, the lower belly pooch......but I stopped. I started to look at myself in a different way, in a more positive way and it was eye-opening. I've lost 55lbs. My body has shrank by almost 28 inches overall. Those breasts that I think are saggy and blah? They provided nourishment for my child. The stretch marks that cover my stomach and hips and the belly that sags? My body carried and brought, three beautiful little girls into this world.

So no, I don't have the "perfect body". I still have rolls and fat and parts that sag far more than I like BUT, you know what? It's my body and I am damn proud of it, of what I have accomplished so far this year. I'm continuing to work on and change what I can. I challenge each and every one of you to do the same. Don't focus on the negative, focus on the positive and above all, be damn proud of yourselves! You deserve it.