SEASONS.

Seasons. I love seasons. Fall is my favorite. There is something about this time of year where I am the most peaceful. It is filled with leaves changing colors, football, all the squash and my favorite scents. But this post isn’t about seasons in that manner.

Have you ever noticed how social media feeds become plastered with posts about swim suit season and the pressure that comes with looking a certain way during the Summer? “Get that Summer bod in just 4 weeks”. Or shedding those post holiday pounds. “Holiday weight gain? We have a quick fix for you!” Quite frankly, it pisses me off. I hate when trainers take advantage of people and post how their work outs will get clients “summer ready”. Or detox tea companies promising consumers their products will shed those holiday pounds and guarantee a flat stomach.

Health shouldn’t come and go. It is a lifelong journey. As we age, our bodies’ demands change. Our health should not be limited to aesthetics. In college we named it the skinny fat. When a person would weigh 100 pounds, looking like an ad out of Glamour magazine, but never exercised and ate pizza ever night. That’s called a good metabolism and genetics, not necessarily healthy.

The same goes with someone who may not be pencil thin. I love at races when I hear people say “well if that person can do it, then so can I”. It’s as if their weight dictates their level of fitness. That if they have more than 15% body fat, they aren’t a runner.

Health looks different for everyone. Take my two photos, for example. Taken around 10 years apart, my “health” could not be more opposite.

• 

What others see (they’ve commented):

• Skinny female
• Slender arms
• Defined stomach
• Healthy
• Happy

What I see:

• Sadness
• Unhealthy
• ~117 pounds
• Shame
• Hurt
• Endless hours at the gym

At this time in my life, I would drink until I knew I would vomit. It was another way to hide bulimia. If I drank enough to vomit, my friends would assume it was due to my overconsumption of alcohol and less about me wanting to get rid of everything I consumed that day. If I knew I was going to be in a swimming suit, I would fast the day before and day of pool day. I might consider eating something small, but that was rare. I would most likely have a towel wrapped about my body.

Fast forward 10 years.

What most will see:

• To be honest, I don’t really care what others think or see!

What I see:

• A woman who brought spring rolls to the party.
• A woman who is confident enough to eat on the lake, in a swimming suit, while her best friend insists on taking a silly picture! I did try to convince Justin to wait until I was in between bites. He won! Love you, dude! 🙂
• A woman who ran around in a swimming suit, not hiding her body, for 9 hours.
• A woman who didn’t feel the need to get hammered to fit in or purge spring rolls.
• A woman who is happy.
• A woman who is healthy. My average resting heart rate lately has been in the low 40s, high 30s.
• A woman who is not defined by the number on the scale. (I broke up with my scale a while ago. We had an unhealthy relationship. Honestly, I am not sure what I weigh.)

Health encompasses more than what the scale reads. It includes mental, lab values, vital signs and other factors. I appreciate seasons and the various holidays, but often times there’s a scarcity and pressure associated. I strongly believe that if you want pumpkin pie in April, make a pie. It doesn’t have to be only limited to the holidays and making one feel they must consume the entire pie because it will be a year until the next pie is made. Don’t spend time comparing yourself to the woman next to you. Spend less energy focusing on the negatives and emphasize the positives. If someone offers you a quick fix, get the hell out and run the opposite direction. Good things take time and it will take time for your body to adapt. Be patient. Just because it works for someone else doesn’t mean it will work for you. Most importantly be your loudest cheerleader because you should be your biggest fan!

Cheers!