I’ve been seeing a LOT of social media posts on how we should ‘accept our bodies’ and not worry about wrinkles, losing weight, sagging skin, etc.  I’m calling it BS.  Yep, I said it…… BS.  It’s the excuses people are saying to themselves to help themselves deal with the fact that fighting for their own health is sometimes difficult, frustrating, exhausting, and not everyone can do it.  “I’ve tried to lose weight, but I can’t …. so I’ll just love my body and say ‘fat is beautiful!”

Let me clarify — I believe in aging gracefully.  Yet, I still color my hair, put makeup on, use wrinkle cream at night, stay up with trends, and wear supportive bras. I will age.  We all will and we are!  Whether you want to or not…. it’s going to happen. Honestly, many people grow more attractive as they age!  Accepting that your skin will lose elasticity, gravity will take over, and a few pounds will creep on is fantastic and I applaud people who accept it!!  (Smile lines and crows feet show a happy life, right?)  So, if that’s what all those social media rants are in referring too…. I agree!  If it’s referring to people who have suffered the pain of losing a limb, burned skin, scars from trauma, scars from removal of cancer….. I applaud those people too and those are battle wounds that you have earned!!
But, they aren’t.

Many of them are referring to weight.  Saying that you accept being 50+ lbs over weight (And mind you, some of these are people that are morbidly obese)….. is NOT OK.  We ALL struggle with our bodies – it could be extra skin around our belly buttons, the stretch marks from pregnancies, a flat butt, saggy arms, bird legs, or big belly.  But, sagging skin, stretch marks, wrinkles…. they aren’t going to effect our life expectancy.  Weight problems WILL!!
Would you click the ‘like’ button if someone posted “My extra fat is causing me to have diabetes and I’m getting my foot amputated next week!  Yeah Me!”  Would you think “good for them!  It’s great that they accepted their extra pounds!”  ?????
That’s kinda what’s happening.

People are ranting in these posts that today’s world is consumed with being ‘fit’ and losing weight.  That there are people all over social media and infomercials ‘fat shaming’ others or constantly promoting weight loss programs.  Well, maybe if 1 out of every 3 people weren’t overweight, then you wouldn’t see all that!  It wouldn’t be in our faces all the time!  Maybe if childhood obesity wasn’t at an all time high and people didn’t care… you wouldn’t see it all the time.  Children are getting illnesses and disease that they should NOT be getting because of weight issues!  Can you imagine a world where most people were a healthy ‘average’ weight and actually took care of their hearts vs. enable others and accept an early death?

Breast cancer awareness is everywhere too – clothing, tv, social media, etc.  WHY?  Because it’s killing us and being proactive saves lives!  Do you hear people complaining about that??  (Shaking your head no?)  Yet, there are complaints when the disease is in another form such as ‘fat.’   I just don’t understand.

I am NOT saying people need to have hard bodies and be a size 2.  I am NOT saying that everyone needs to eat clean 100% and fit into skinny jeans.  I am NOT saying that magazines need to have thin models and 6-pack abs on their pages.  A few pounds overweight is one thing and it’s natural because our weight fluctuates, and I find no problems with that.  I find NO PROBLEM with people who are overweight and trying to live healthier lifestyle!  Many of my friends fit into that category and I myself should lose 8-10 more pounds!  I’ve been on prednisone many times and gained the weight… but I’ve NEVER accepted it.  I’ve worked very hard to take it off each time I’ve finished that round of treatment.

A friend recently told me “It’s okay to love yourself even though you may not be happy with your body” and I 100% agree because I am one of those people.  Loving yourself and loving your body are not synonymous.  She also said, “You don’t have to hate yourself as a person to admit that you dislike your body (or parts of it) and want to change it.”    Once again… I agree.  I’m thankful to have amazing friends and that we can have discussions like this without losing a friendship.

I am growing fatigued with the notion of folks who say, “I can’t lose weight, I’ve tried everything, so I’ve just learned to accept it.” That’s not learning to accept it because I guarantee you don’t think it’s beautiful when your doctor tells you he won’t replace your knee until you lose weight.  Or, when the nurse is helping you roll side to side in a hospital bed to clean between the skin folds to prevent skin breakdown and infection.  What you are ‘accepting’ is that you haven’t figured out what will unlock your body and create weight loss.  There is a key for each of us!  It may take many times of turning the lock to see which key fits, but there is one out there!  I know it gets depressing, frustrating, annoying,& maddening.  I myself have experienced it and have been on the journey with my clients.  I’m FULLY aware of that side of weight loss.  But, when it happens and you find even a little success…. it’s joyful.  Pure joy to calculate the inches that have been lost and to see your ‘before’ picture compared to the current one!!  And that joy makes it worthwhile.

 Accept things that you cannot change….. find the courage to change the things you can…… and the wisdom to know the difference.

That Serenity prayer holds true for all things in life.  The problem is…. many people can’t find the wisdom to know when to accept a healthy weight and when to fight for better.   You do NOT need to fight the battle alone.  As you know.. there are plenty of us on social media that will help you fight that battle.  Be Better.  Do Good.  Pay it forward.  Lead by example.

YOU are in control of Your Fitness!  Let’s do something about it.
Be true to who you are – but ‘fat’ isn’t who someone ‘is.’  It’s tissue inside a body which comes and goes. Let it Go! (Did you really not expect a FROZEN reference in this blog?)  🙂

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