Big girl, skinny (obsessed) world

I may not technically still be a “big girl,” but frankly I’m pretty muscular so I’m definitely on the bigger side of average. In our skinny-obsessed world, bigger isn’t necessarily considered better, even when bigger suits our body-type.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a “big girl” lately. In this week’s blog "My big, fat, fabulous struggle with body image" I take a hard look at why I’m still struggling with this, even after my 120 lb. weight loss. Turns out, self-acceptance has nothing to do with body size. While that revelation hit me like a ton of bricks, the good news is that self-acceptance is available to us no matter what size jeans we wear. Huh, who knew?!?

Speaking of appreciating your body and playing to its’ strengths, I’ve decided that bodybuilding will be my next physical challenge. Ever since I had knee surgery and was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 2012 I’ve had to scale back my running significantly (hurts like a son-of-a-gun these days, so not much fun anyway). The last few years I’ve felt like I’ve been treading water; no real setbacks, but no significant gains either. Rather disappointing to a girl who’s pretty hooked on accomplishing physical goals.

What I’ve discovered as I created a life based on healthy habits is that I do best when I’m striving to achieve something. I think maybe that’s true of most of us, too. Maybe we’re at our best when we’re challenging ourselves to push outside of our comfort zones. Bodybuilding will challenge this big girl to the outer limits of my comfort zone and beyond.

Enjoying the process of wellness is the best way to make peace with our bodies, no matter our size.

Have a happy, healthy week!

– Marilyn  

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