Sunday, July 14, 2013

Acceptance

Here's another blog about weight.  Yep, weight.  I am a middle-aged woman who has been battling her weight since 1990.  It fluctuates at a rate that you can imagine a sailboat (me) tossed around in a stormy sea..back and forth...back and forth.  You get the idea.  At 5'7" my high school weight was 145.  My highest weight as an adult?  225. 

I'm fat.

That's the truth of the matter.  The goal is not to seek compliments or words of encouragement.  My mother, bless her straightforward manner, has a mantra:  "It is what it is."  She is correct.  It IS what it is. 

Of course, articles on diet, exercise, blah, blah, blah....yes, I have read them all.  Weight Watchers, South Beach, Sugar Busters...the list is enormous.  Been there, done that.

"But Tina, if you set your mind to it, you can do this."  Yes, I know.

"I'm tired of all the women out there whining and complaining about finding the time. There is no excuse."  I read this on Facebook from someone  who LIVES at the gym and does nothing else with his/her life.

"I can't do it for you."  Well, duh.  I never asked!

Comments, comments and more comments. 

It finally dawned on me that my brain believed that if I was skinny, beautiful, breathtaking....people would love to be around me.  Society would welcome me.  I figured my self worth was appearance, not accomplishments.  Quite the epiphany, eh?

The solution?  Acceptance.  Now stop.  Don't get the idea that I have "given up" or that I "accept" being, medically termed, "obese."  The acceptance is that I am overweight but it doesn't define me as a human being.  My appearance is still important.  I strive to dress nicely, have appropriate manners, and practice good hygiene, but that is not everything in life.

Acceptance.  I have to love who I am, be proud of my accomplishments and then, just toil on.  That's what we should ALL do.  When you accept who you are, then everything falls into place.

I exercise.  I run/walk, use the elliptical and I also manage how many calories I consume.  I'm doing the best I can.  My blood pressure is low, my cholesterol is normal and all other blood tests are healthy. My heart is strong.

So.  I have accepted that I am overweight, will probably never have "killer abs" or look like my idol, Catherine Zeta Jones.  However, I think I finally like who I am.  I'm sure I will have my down days where I question everything, but they will be far and few between.  I'm hoping that my character as a person is valued more than the physical side of me. 

Do NOT compare your self worth to others.  Be honest, loving, kind, compassionate, hopeful and love who you are.  ACCEPT who you are.  When you finally do this, life is beautiful.




1 comment:

  1. Wonderful post, Tina! There is so much pressure to be and look a certain way, so many how-to articles, etc.

    I agree it is good to try to stay somewhat health conscious: reasonably watch what you eat and do some kind of exercise (not killer stuff). But, as you said, the key thing is to learn to Accept who you are, the way you look. And to present yourself as good as you can, particularly when out in public. We need to have pride in ourselves.

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