MIRROR, MIRROR

This week's blog is a tough one to write. LOL...I know what I want to say! But I don't want to offend anyone along the way by telling my story and then asking you to participate in what some might consider an uncomfortable challenge.

With that said, on with my story about my body image issues ...

Men and women who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) often see themselves in a different light than those around them. They have a skewed perception of themselves.

Oddly enough, my mirror was showing me the men's result, lol!

For years I would look in the mirror and admit to myself that I was overweight. Overweight yes, but never ever called myself fat, chubby was my size and I was content to remain like that for the rest of my life.

 

Wow, was I in denial! What a shock it was to me to find out from my doctor that I was actually OBESE! And that if I didn't lose weight by exercising and eating healthily, I'd be on medications for the rest of my life.

 

Along my journey, I went through various mindsets. To begin with, I only planned on losing 5 lbs. just to make my doctor happy. Then as the lbs. started dropping off and I saw a new me in the mirror, I got excited and proud of myself for taking care of my body...something I should have been doing all along.

 

 

Luckily, I didn't get caught up in society's hype about womens bodies, how we all need to be skinny & prancing around in bikinis. LOL...there is still part of the old me left inside...the one who enjoys food (and not just the good stuff, the bad stuff calls out to me alot and I answer "yes please") too much to be able to stick to the very rigid health regimen needed. Good grief, is it even possible to get an old saggy body to look young again? If it is, sorry, I'm just not up to proving it right or wrong...but if you try for it, please let me know the results :)

 

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that no matter what you see in your mirror, it doesn't matter what your body looks like, you have to love yourself enough to do everything you can to make it a healthy body. We come in all shapes and sizes (who wants to look like everyone else, right?)...the best way to honour that body is to have it encasing a hardy healthy core :)

 

 

On looking back at my overweight life, I now see that I was making myself feel & look older. Firstly, by the clothes I was wearing...never wore jeans, always chose elastic waists, loose-fitting tops, long dresses/skirts, flat shoes, etc. Secondly, by just shuffling along in life, not realizing that my sore feet and achy knees were due to my weight.

 

Now that I am healthy, I can use the money I would have been spending on medication on a new smaller wardrobe, a much more enjoyable outcome :)

 

LOL...I always hated getting my picture taken...for some strange reason, I always looked fat in them...duh, you were Cheryl!!

 

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

 

The purpose of this week's challenge is to explore your views on body image. I am hoping that I'm not the only one who has problems with their mirror.

 

Below is a body chart I found online. It raised quite a bit of controversy and hateful remarks on it's originating site. I'm hoping none of that happens here. I am not saying any of these bodies are better or worse than others, I am just using them for examples that will be the answers to the challenge questions.

 

I will give you my scenario before listing the challenge questions ...

 

Prior to last year, I was #6, but thought I was #5.

Currently, I am mid-way between #5 and #4.
In my dreams I'd love to be a curvy #3 but will be happy to end up a solid average at #4...only thing standing in my way is some stubborn belly fat :)

 

Note: To my family...please feel free to let me know if I'm still delusional and my body is nowhere near the #s I chose lol.

 

Now, on to the questions for you (if you feel comfortable answering them):

 

1. Which # is how you see yourself in the mirror?

2. Do you think it's correct or skewed?

3. Which # would you like to be?

4. Which # do you think society dictates we should be?

 

As for society, I think it's a tossup between #2 and #8, they seem very similar to me, fit or athletic, I think it's what most women aspire to be these days.

 

NEXT WEEK'S BLOG: Body Types

 

 

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DISCLAIMER: Whenever I use the word DIET in my blog posts I am in no way suggesting that I have invented/discovered some miracle system to lose weight. Whenever I use the word DIET, I am simply substituting a single word to replace the longer phrase EATING HEALTHIER THAN IN THE PAST.