Skinny/Fat

I decided this morning I don't like either word. 

Skinny and fat are both loaded words. Derogatory. Or, in the case of skinny, it is a description people mistakenly aspire to. 

The word that I want people to aspire to is healthy. Because being healthy is the goal. Wouldn't it be great to see yourself as healthy? Aspiring to health instead of a body type? 

Healthy is going to look different on each person - and that's appropriate because it is a one person at a time journey.  

It means getting real. Ever day. Looking at the choices you are making. Understanding your health risks - and paying attention to what you are doing to mitigate those risks. 

When I was younger, I was skinny. I had a physique that was enviable to many - but I was the furthest thing from healthy. While I looked culturally acceptable, I was guzzling soda. I was eating tons of highly processed foods. I existed on carbs. I was sedentary. The 14 years of ballet, tap, and jazz I was raised on had turn into couch potato. With a healthy serving of French fries on the side. 

Five years ago the diabetes on both sides of my family caught up to me. The carb diet had to change, or I was going to to have long term health complications. 

It's a journey. 

Every day.

 What are you eating? What are you drinking? Are you exercising? 

Of course the first thing you need to do is get real - and that means going to the doctor. Stepping on a scale. Telling them what you eat, what you do.  Getting a physical. Finding out your risk factors. 

Then you start the journey. 

It will last the rest of your life. 

Make the goal health.  If you are overweight, eventually health will bring you to a BMI that is healthy. 

If you are slender but sedentary, it will benefit you from head to toe. 

The focus needs to come off loving yourself "just as you are" to loving yourself enough to daily strive to be as healthy as you can. 

It's mindfully eating. It's choosing to get up and move around. It's deciding to drink water throughout the day. It's fueling yourself, not feeding your emotions. 

It's reality. 

Get on board. You won't regret it. 

e b e r