What Does It Mean to Love Your Body?
ONE SIMPLE QUESTION... I asked skinny girls, fat girls, fit girls, sick girls, black girls, white girls, asian girls, hispanic girls, girls with kids, girls with dogs, solo girls, wives, young girls, old girls, lawyers, doctors, waitresses, models, athletes, coaches... Each so unique...
"Truth is I do not love my body. I fight this battle every day. When I weighed a lot more I thought well if I could just lose the weight I would love my body.... But now I'm disappointed of the wrinkles and Saggy skin. Catch myself thinking if I just had plastic surgery I would love my body. Truth is... I LIKE My body best when I perform better or PR in something or can see improvement...that at least makes me FEEL confident and I like my body more. I'm a special case in that I battle the memory of what I USED to be able to do every day. I fight harder to do less and it frustrates me and in that I see defeat and ugliness sometimes. I feel best about my body when I compete or complete more than I thought and if I end up helping a friend."
"What It means to love my body: Treat it as a temple since I only have one body by eating clean, exercising, and living a happy life."
"Loving my body means my body is my ally in achievement, not my enemy of defeat."
"Some days, it's as simple (and mentally difficult) as embracing my height and standing tall and proud. If nothing else, it gives the appearance of self-confidence."
"To me, loving my body means taking total care of it in every aspect- fueling it with great food, moving it ALOT, listening to it when Im tired."
"Being 100% comfortable with how your body looks and performs."
"feeling comfortable to be YOU"
"Being content with and proud of what God created you to be. Fearless, fierce, strong and beautiful. Always striving to be better , knowing when you look in the mirror that your proud of yourself!"
"To me it means admiring your strengths, admitting that the only limitations we have our the self imposed ones, that joy of knowing with out one experience we wouldn't be as beautiful as we are at this moment... That life as we know it would cease to exist if we didn't have our body to love"
"It would mean peace, which I do not have at this time."
"To love thyself"
"To love your body means to fully accept who you are and love each second of your journey."
"I do NOT love my own body, I am human and full of flaws, this does not mean I am not comfortable with my body. I have had children which left scars on once beautiful skin, but the story those scars tell is an amazing life altering experience that I would never change."
Are these answers not insanely powerful? I am in awe by how different yet how similar many of them are. I wish I would have also asked, how important is it TO love your body? Do you NEED to love your body to exist? Obviously ^^ a few of these ladies don't. What does it take TO love your body?
I think what's most important to consider when loving your body is, is it a healthy body? Maybe you have aesthetic flaws, extra here, not enough there, dimples, stretch marks, etc. But is it healthy? And do you strive to take care of it?
**For those of you quoted above, thank you for providing me honest answers. **
So, what does it mean to love your body?
"To love my body means that I am strong and capable to surpass any obstacle life throws my way.
To be able to do whatever I want without regard to what anyone else thinks about it."
"It means the world to me to truly love your body and I feel like I haven't in a long time. I constantly compare myself to others but I have to understand that I am a creation of Christ and that is beautiful. It's hard and challenging with how society views bigger women but we have to prevail as women and change the culture."
"i dont know. never have and dont know how. its like asking how do i love filet mignon when ive never had it never had love for my body.......i remember the first time i hated it though
"To love my body means that I am strong and capable to surpass any obstacle life throws my way.
To be able to do whatever I want without regard to what anyone else thinks about it."
"It means the world to me to truly love your body and I feel like I haven't in a long time. I constantly compare myself to others but I have to understand that I am a creation of Christ and that is beautiful. It's hard and challenging with how society views bigger women but we have to prevail as women and change the culture."
"i dont know. never have and dont know how. its like asking how do i love filet mignon when ive never had it never had love for my body.......i remember the first time i hated it though
For me, it means being able to look at a picture and not say "delete that one please, I look so fat" or not putting on an outfit and say "nope, not that one. I look huge", Not an easy thing to do by any stretch!!"
"complete satisfaction in your own skin"
"complete satisfaction in your own skin"
"What It means to love my body: Treat it as a temple since I only have one body by eating clean, exercising, and living a happy life."
"Loving my body means my body is my ally in achievement, not my enemy of defeat."
"Some days, it's as simple (and mentally difficult) as embracing my height and standing tall and proud. If nothing else, it gives the appearance of self-confidence."
"To me, loving my body means taking total care of it in every aspect- fueling it with great food, moving it ALOT, listening to it when Im tired."
"Being 100% comfortable with how your body looks and performs."
"feeling comfortable to be YOU"
"Being content with and proud of what God created you to be. Fearless, fierce, strong and beautiful. Always striving to be better , knowing when you look in the mirror that your proud of yourself!"
"To me it means admiring your strengths, admitting that the only limitations we have our the self imposed ones, that joy of knowing with out one experience we wouldn't be as beautiful as we are at this moment... That life as we know it would cease to exist if we didn't have our body to love"
"It would mean peace, which I do not have at this time."
"To love thyself"
"To love your body means to fully accept who you are and love each second of your journey."
"I do NOT love my own body, I am human and full of flaws, this does not mean I am not comfortable with my body. I have had children which left scars on once beautiful skin, but the story those scars tell is an amazing life altering experience that I would never change."
Are these answers not insanely powerful? I am in awe by how different yet how similar many of them are. I wish I would have also asked, how important is it TO love your body? Do you NEED to love your body to exist? Obviously ^^ a few of these ladies don't. What does it take TO love your body?
I think what's most important to consider when loving your body is, is it a healthy body? Maybe you have aesthetic flaws, extra here, not enough there, dimples, stretch marks, etc. But is it healthy? And do you strive to take care of it?
**For those of you quoted above, thank you for providing me honest answers. **