It's An Epidemic

When was the last time you hit the drive thru in an effort to save time & energy?

When was the last time you felt guilty for eating yet another piece of candy?

When was the last time you saw half naked women plastered all over a magazine cover?

When was the last time you felt envious when you saw a Victoria's Secret commercial?

When was the last time you looked in the mirror & liked what you saw?

If I had to guess, I would say the first 4 were sooner than the last one.

How sad is that?!?!

Did you know that the average woman is now a size 14? That's right ladies, I'm average!

I will never have the body I had when I was 16 & more than likely I won't have this same body when I'm 60. I am not that young girl anymore. I am a beautiful, confident, curvy woman who has carried, delivered, & nursed 3 beautiful healthy babies. My body will never be the same, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I weighed 135-145 all through high school. I wore a size 9-10. And I was told for years that I was heavy! 135 pounds! That's not "heavy", but according to some, it was too much. 

Yes, America has an epidemic. We make it way too easy to over eat & way too hard to be healthy. But, we also make women (& men for that matter) learn to hate their bodies! Hey, you don't like your nose? That's ok, just pay someone to fix it. Hey, you want a quick fix to loose weight? Here take a pill for that. Hey, you think you look good today? You don't look as good as that model on TV. Hey, you think you have a decent figure? Just wait till you try this bathing suit on.

We are all guilty of wanting to look good. And we are all guilty of comparing ourselves to impossible standards. Then we are all guilty of feeling inadequate because we can never measure up to Hollywood's standards.

Ladies, PLEASE quit beating yourself up because you weigh more than Katie Holmes. Or because you don't have legs to the moon like Naomi Cambell. Or because you can't dance like Shakira. Or because you aren't married to Brad Pitt like Angelina Jolie is. Hey, I bet he's just as much of a slob as most men & he probably has killer morning breath too.

I could stand to lose 20 pounds & you probably could too. But, you want to know something..... Most days, I'm ok with who I am. Most days, I would rather drink a Mt. Dew than another glass of water. Most days, (if I make an effort) I can still turn heads. But EVERYDAY, I have children that love me, a God that died for me, & a husband who thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world. Shouldn't that be enough!!!

We are in the middle of an epidemic & if we don't teach our daughters, nieces, sisters, & ourselves that we are BEAUTIFUL just the way we are, who will? Hollywood certainly isn't going to!