Body Image and Food

Oh how I use to HATE bathing suit shopping, even when I was 20lb lighter than I am today. Being an overweight elementary/middle school kid means you get a lot of negative comments about your appearance from others because it's the easiest and most obvious thing to make fun of you for. Those comments don't leave you very easily and it can really cause huge body image issues. 

Someone once said "she would be really hot if she could thin out her stomach and hips" No matter how thin I got I still had these hips and curves that were considered too big to be attractive. Well, at least I thought so because of the comments that stayed with me.  I over worked out and ate a very restricted diet that I thought was healthy that eventually got me to my goal weight! .

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Once my accident happened, I couldn't maintain my vigorous fitness routine and eat the low carb low calorie diet, that kept me tiny!  I had no choice but to fix my relationship with food and my body image in order to heal my body and overcome the challenges recovering from the accident would require. 

Through eliminating processed foods, chemicals and animal products my relationship with food changed and so did my outlook on my appearance. My only focus was feeding my body to heal and be able to regain my physical abilities and it didn't matter if my hips were too big, it mattered that they were able to support me to stand. It didn't matter if my stomach gained a little fluff, it mattered that the muscles underneath would fire up again and help me to stand up right. My food became my medicine and my workout became my physical therapy, to support me and help me heal not to make me hot enough for others to approve of me. 

I stand here today proud of my beautiful body that's getting stronger every day!  I've been on multiple vacations in the last 4 years and had to use a scooter to get around, now I'm preparing for a major trip overseas and my plan is to walk it all but even if I need the cane here and there it's still a huge victory for me and this amazing body of mine! Change your relationship with food and you will love your body!