Love Your Body

Last night, I was at PT and a woman got on the scale next to me.  She looked great but yet she looked at the number on the scale shook her head and she looked like was going to break down in tears.  I wanted to give her a big hug and tell her it was just a number and what did that really mean?

 It has been over a year since I even weighed myself and in the past year I have never loved my body - and how it looks and what it does for me - more.

Once upon a time, I was a bit obsessed with the scale.  I am sure I am not the only one out there, but if I was, I am happy no one else was a slave to the scale like me.  You know, where you are happy one day because the number is your safe place and sad/angry the next day because the scale has fluctuated two or three pounds.   In this way, the scale became way too controlling.  While it is important to maintain a "healthy" weight, whatever that means, it is also important not to go crazy over a silly number when you can maintain that same status through noticing your body - how it feels and how clothes fit etc.

And since that time, since I have completely sworn off the scale and obsessions with numbers, I have never felt better or happier about my body and life, for that matter.  No longer does a number on a scale dictate how any given day may go, but rather I have learned to love my body and trust it.  Trust that it will know how much I need or want to eat, trust that I am providing it with the right amount of physical activity, and trust that I can handle life without a scale.  I look at my body and I do not see that my stomach is a bit too big or my hips to wide.  Instead, I see strong legs, a nice stomach, and a smiling face.  Not everyone will look at me and say that.  But you know what?  I don't really care.  I am happy with me.  I happy with who I am, what I have become, and how I look.

It has taken me a long time to love my body.  To love the things it does for me - from running to walking around every day.  I was not always nice to it, if I am being honest and sometimes was even down right mean to my body. But my body stuck with me and today I try to honor it every and any way possible.

Now, I know, for many, it might be a scary thing, but I challenge each and every one of you to take some time away from the scale.  To enjoy and respect your body, and trust that it will do well by you if you are nice to it.  And if not, to just find one thing you love about your body instead of being so mean to it.

Now I know this post may seem to have nothing to do with running but then again it has everything to do with it because you can not be a strong solid runner without honoring and loving your body day in and out.

I am wondering what you all think?  Do you honor your body, what are your feelings on the scale - weigh in (no pun intended)