I love it!

Happy New Year! A new year often bring s a new perspective, but sometimes it also brings in a lot of feelings in inadequacy. The past couple of weeks have been inundated with "I'm the fat one..." and "I hate my body" and "I wish I had her body..." comments. I'm sick of that crap (even though I can totally relate to those feelings).

Bottom line: you have to love yourself first. You have to love yourself enough to want whats best for you even when that means hard work and sacrifice. Tough love. But, loving yourself first gives you so much more perspective and an appreciation for every little thing you do to better yourself--in whatever way you choose--as you move towards a more fulfilling life.

Right now.

As far as weight loss and PCOS is concerned, I can't hate my body. There are things I don't like (I'm talking to you stretch marks) but I wouldn't trade my hips and butt for Jennifer Anniston's legs or Michelle Obama's arms.

I was working out tonight in a room of thin, pretty girls who are probably about my age. Sometimes its easy to feel self conscious about that, but you know what? We're all in the gym for the same reason. We're all gonna sweat, stink, get red-faced and out of breath. And honestly, they probably are too concerned trying to keep up than with how I'm doing. *whew* As I was working out, I looked in the mirror, you know those great mirrored walls? And I realized something profound: I love my body.

I love that I have two feet that plant firmly on the ground, lift me up on my toes, catch me when I jump up off the floor just one more time. I'm thankful for strong legs that have moved me 67+ miles in the last eight months and taught me to run. I'm thankful for arms that can do a few more reps even though I want to quit. Those same arms that hug my friends and family, carry my groceries, and push my body up off the ground even though I'm really ready to throw in the towel. I'm thankful for the core that holds it all together. Even though it jiggles from time to time, that's the place belly laughs come from and laughing yourself to sleep next to the love of your life is the most peaceful feeling I've ever experienced. I'm thankful for the head atop my shoulders and the voice inside my head that says "you can do anything for 10...15...20...30...minutes" until its done. I'm thankful for the sweat, the sore muscles, the gallons of water I drink. I don't work this hard because I hate my body, I work this hard because I love it.

So every time you want to call yourself fat, remember, the word you mean to say is "beautiful" and keep trucking along! Its a hard row to hoe, but loving yourself now allows you to love yourself even more on down the road.