I always catch myself in line at the grocery store or Walmart eyeing the magazines and thinking... "Why can't I look like her?" or "How is her stomach that flat?". It's the age old battle of women (and men) feeling that they don't have the right look or they aren't the size society pressures them to be. Our media is filled with images and messages promoting the thinness and model look of women. Why? Why are we so consumed with physique and physical apearence? Where are the advertisements that demand for everyone to have a healthy heart and strong lungs? Forget the crash diets and 6 minute ab videos. Weight loss and reaching goals isn't suppose to be easy, it takes work. Hard work. Its suppose to be a challenge. It's a mental, physical, and emotional challenge. How about lets promote good character among people, health, and forget the vanity.
The majority of my life I took the messages society has delivered to be truth. I had to be thin. I had to have the model look. I had to be flawless. However, the wonderful truth is I only have to look like me. I only have to strive to be the best version of myself possible...that's it. It's easy to get sucked into the vortex of lies and negativity that are projected in the media. We have no reason to be hard on ourselves. And to the mothers of the world... don't buy into the nonsense. You housed a child (or multiple children) in your body for 9 freakin' months. Cut yourself some slack. You don't have to look like a 22 year old model.
As for my progress with the nutirion plan, its going well! I have just started Week 4! Yippie! For Weeks 3 and 4 I can incorporate a little oatmeal or quinoa into my breakfast meal! Everything else food wise stays the same. So far I have learned if I don't prepare and plan meals ahead my whole schedule will be thrown off. Also, I struggle a great deal on the weekends because the structure of my week days are gone and the urgency to do anything productive is gone.However, my energy level has continued to stay up and I am progressing with my running. The cravings for strarchy and sweets have definatley subsided and if I do have a tiny portion of them at dinner they aren't as satisfying as they use to be.
Let me know what you think!
-B