Positively My Body

My mother was seriously overweight. In Jamaica's current parlance she would be described as "fluffy."

Compared to many of the women that surrounded me in those years, my mother was 'fat'. Granted, back in the 1970's body size did not seem to have the attention it now has.

By the time of my first serious relationship, things had changed. 

I recall the man that seemed so progressive in every other way warning me to "watch the midlife spread." That was when my adventures in one week dieting started. Despite being hungry as a dog, I would refuse a full meal on dates, choosing instead a salad. The genesis of my hatred for salads lies in those years.

Thousands of dollars would be wasted over my 20's and early 30's in unused gym subscriptions, on gym wear and shoes, fitness equipment, diet and exercise books and on various related audiovisuals. At least one intimate relationship crashed on the rocks of the "I am too fat" sea.

Liposuction - considered; facelift - explored; breast augmentation - discussed and thankfully I never had enough financial resources to afford any of these procedures.

A couple years ago, I was in a Toronto store trying on some jeans. Not finding any that fitted just right, I lamented to the saleslady how sad it is that my butt is so flat. She vehemently disagreed with me but offered to sell me some for C$30.00 if it would make me feel better.

Is that what it is, we really do not feel good about ourselves because our bodies do not look like the models'? 

Praise God on turning 40 and no longer feeling the need to look any particular way to secure a partner. Yes, most of female body image challenges are directly related to snagging a partner and/or keeping one.

It took all this time to understand that my body, your body will respond to inner cues and not the other way around. If my self talk is one that is diminishing of who I am as a human being and more so as a woman, not only will my behavior reflect it but so too my body.

Read an interesting article on this subject and the author provided the following tips for maintaining an healthy body image:

• Remember that health and appearance are two different things. 
• Accept and value your genes — you probably inherited a lot of traits from your family members, so love those traits as you love your family. 
• Keep a list of your positive qualities that have nothing to do with your appearance. 
• Surround yourself with people who are supportive and who make you feel good about yourself. Treat your body with respect and kindness. 

Yesterday, we looked at the media and its impact on our view of the world around us. The media's influence is much wider than that, extending to how we as women love or despise our bodies. Popular culture, peddled by the media, would have us in a schizophrenic state, constantly trying to fit body images that simply are not innate to our beings.

We are all uniquely different and the sooner that is embraced, the happier all of us will be - in our individual "image and likeness of God." 

Need support accepting that? Drop me a line here, on Facebook and/or on Twitter and let us talk.

Blessings!

P.S.: Remember to check out the events section of our Facebook page and make plans to join us in Jamaica on December 14 - 21, 2014