Quit Bullying God's Creation!!

I started this journey two years ago with one thing in mind:
"I want to be HEALTHY".

Being thin was never a goal for me. Not because I didn't think I could actually attain that, but because I didn't necessarily WANT that. But then, after surgery, something inside me changed dramatically ...

My first weight loss goal was set at 145. Much less than my doctor's recommendation of 160. At the time I thought, "Well, if I can make it to 160, why not?" But, the reality of it was, my desire had shifted.

I started looking at society's view of the "perfect body" - rail thin with big boobs. The magazines made fun of women like Jennifer Lopez and the Kardashian sisters for having curves - not for being fat or overweight, but for having curves. I started seeing women like Jennifer Hudson and Jessica Simpson all over the media for their supposed weight issues (Oh no! She gained five pounds!!) And let's not even start in on what the tabloids say about Jennifer Lawrence's body ...

It seemed to me that everywhere I looked another Hollywood starlet that I admired was being admonished for being, well ... NORMAL!

I have spent much of my adult life as a body-image advocate. I think that all women have an inner beauty about themselves that they need to find and recognize. Weight and size should not be an issue if you're a healthy person (those of us that have had WLS were NOT healthy beforehand - let me make that point clear!). It should not matter if you're a size 2 or a size 20 - if you love yourself JUST AS YOU ARE. I had personally lost that perspective.

Everyone around me seemed to be dieting. Juicing, low-carbing, paleo-ing, shake-ing ... Trying to get weight off that, honestly, I didn't see. For some, there was a desire to be healthier. I completely understand and respect that. You can be thin and have the perfect body and not be healthy. But for some others, it became a race to see who could be the thinnest. "I'm down to a 4! Won't be happy 'till I see a 2!!" was an actual post I saw from one woman that started as a size 8. While she was getting thinner, she wasn't actually getting healthier. Rather, she was losing muscle mass and looking more and more frail and skeletal with each pound lost. It made me so sad to watch her wasting away to nothing because she wanted to be thin.

There were also those friends of mine that cannot gain weight no matter what they try. But the sad thing here is that many of them think the way for them to gain weight is to eat unhealthy - which is accomplishing nothing for them but giving them more and more issues.

All women are beautiful - regardless of size or weight.
Fat, thin, curvy, in-between ... YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

God doesn't make ugly. When you look at yourself as fat, ugly, or any other negative thing you can call yourself, you are bullying God's creation.

It is good to want to make healthy changes in your life - HEALTHY changes. Those things that bring about positive changes in body, mind and soul. Changing these things because we want to be healthier, stronger, better. NOT because society tells us we need to be these things.

People look at fashion models for inspiration, for example. BAD idea. Fashion models look the way they look for a purpose. Their purpose in life is to make the clothes they are trying to sell look at good as possible. They HAVE to have the body shape they have in order for the clothes to "drape" properly and accentuate all the aspects of the piece they are wearing. No one expects a normal every day woman to be a 6 ft. tall size 2. That's unrealistic. And you shouldn't expect that you will ever look like them. You don't NEED to. Your job is not to walk a catwalk in a $72,000 Dolce and Gabbana gown.

If you want to make a change - a HEALTHY change - before you can do that you have to love and accept yourself  the way you are! Look at yourself daily and say, "Hello beautiful! You are fearfully and wonderfully made! I love you!"

I'm going to invite you guys to do something with me. My friend Audra is an amazing coach. She is doing a 21-day challenge called the Freedom Challenge. The entire purpose of this challenge is NOT to make you diet and exercise your way through three weeks. Instead, it is about giving yourself the FREEDOM to LOVE YOURSELF AND YOUR BODY! I am not associated with this challenge in any way, other than the fact that I am a willing participant. I would like to invite you to join me in joining Audra's 21-Day Freedom Challenge. It's completely free and there's not diets, exercise, or pills. Go here to sign up. When you do, let me know! I can't wait to do this with you all!

Remember, God made you JUST AS YOU ARE. And He loves you JUST AS YOU ARE!! Don't bully God's creation!!

Love and God's Blessings to you all,
<3 Jen <3