31 Days of Fitness: Day 13

I love to pin! I'm not talking about wrestling...but the new pin - Pinterest. I am very organized in my pins and I actually even do some of them!

I even love some of the workouts I've found on there:

I even love some of the tips I receive via pins like paying yourself for working out. I do love the inspirational pins about how a 14 minute mile and a 7 minute mile still both cover a mile. Things like that are encouraging and motivating.

What I don't love about fitness stuff on Pinterest is this:

found via 

found via

found via

These images, while perhaps trying to be encouraging, are discouraging. My body is NEVER going to look like these images without extensive surgery. I've had two large children in my short frame. My skin is never going to shrink back to normal; my stretch marks are here to stay.

I've lost 50 pounds, ran several half marathons, continue running and working out almost daily - and I don't look anywhere near this. The second picture is a little grotesque, in my opinion. I never want abs like that! And the last picture really disappoints me because it's an article from Livestrong about how to get rid of excess skin - as if that girl in that picture has excess skin. Just like the girl above doesn't really have a lower belly pooch like the article suggests! Sickening the things we make young girls (and old girls) think about their bodies - women are supposed to have higher body fat than men. Seeing your ribs isn't cute (if you come about it naturally, I know that many girls have opposite sensitivities where they are made to feel anorexic - even when they aren't - just because they are REALLY thin). Why can't we just appreciate our bodies for what they are and accept them, flaws and all.

I'm not saying I wouldn't jump at the chance of an all-expenses paid tummy tuck. It's hard to see my skin stretched so thin (everywhere) and have my belly look all weird. Especially when I didn't appreciate my teenage body for how awesome it looked. But I really have come to a place of (mostly) acceptance with my body. I have a muffin top, I have a pooch, I have large thighs and a big ol' butt!

I'm not complaining, simply stating. There are also things I love about my body. I love my shoulders, my arms, my calves (sometimes - depends on if what I'm wearing makes me look short or not haha). I know my thighs and butt help strengthen my runs. I know my stomach has held two sweet boys for 9 long months, stretching so far to make them a suitable home.

I would love to look perfect, but this life is not perfect. And if I looked perfect, I would probably be really vain. So I'll take this imperfection! Stretch marks and all.

If you want to see a group of really beautiful women bare a lot (not it all) and show you what strong, healthy women look like (of all shapes & sizes), check out this post from Another Mother Runner.