For many years, I mistreated my body. I fed it junk
and processed foods and for that I paid greatly. I was obese, sluggish and
unhappy. I hated my life and the sight of myself. I stayed away from mirrors
and I wouldn’t even dare think about stepping on the scale. Depression hit me
hard, no matter how nice I dressed or how skilled I was in certain areas of my life;
it still didn’t change that fact that I was FAT. I didn’t respect myself. It
was not until my uncle, mother, and grandmother all in that order, passed away
from heart failure that I decided to make a change.
I’ve tried several times in my life to make a
change and while I always exercised; I never altered the way I ate. I just
figured as long as I took a 60 minute spin class, that the cheese steak and French
fries I had the night before wouldn’t matter. Little did I know, that loving me,
meant nourishing myself with wholesome, natural foods from the earth. Once I
got that concept, I was off and running. My body finally started to love me
back and in turn, weight loss almost became effortless. I felt better, my skin
was clearer, I was more upbeat and most importantly, not only did my body love
me; I now loved me. I smile now when I look in the mirror. And the scale, bonk
the scale; it still doesn’t matter to me because I know that I’m eating the
right types of foods and I’m exercising.
My once flabby body is now tight and muscular. I
admire my curves and the stretch mark scars that are left from the damage I
have done eating the wrong foods over the years. I call them war scars. Why?
Because I fought hard to make the necessary changes in my life to eat healthy.
I fought hard to respect my body. And when I look at those scars, they are
constant reminders of the journey that I have traveled. Loving yourself can be
hard work and at times it can be overwhelming. We always focus on our faults
rather than what we are good at. I remind myself every day that I am loved by
many, including myself. I respect my body and I trust my body therefore I take
care of it by nourishing it with the best food possible and in return it treats
me well now and hopefully for years to come.
