Body Image + NFR 6WC Challenge 7/27-9/7

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If you’re seeing this on facebook, you’re not getting the full story.  Click the link to read more.That wasn’t so hard, now was it?

Facebook has changed the way that it accepts the feed from WordPress, and in a picture-centric blog like mine, that means I’m getting tons of “likes” on the pictures, but no one is seeing the reason for the picture in the first place.  There’s a select few that actually click through to read the blogs, but everyone else is just like ‘meh, Megan is taking pictures of food again…’

It would be more frustrating if I were writing this blog solely for the audience that reads it, but since I’m writing for myself (mostly) I guess that what matters is that I still enjoy writing.

The idea of body image has been pretty front and center lately.  It’s been a growing trend, and it’s been pretty controversial in the fitness world.  I tend to take sides in controversy.  That’s not to say that I don’t see what the opposition is saying, just that I, for the most part, tend to agree more with the side I choose.

I think that my first real exposure to it was from Whitney Way Thore, aka Fat Girl Dancing.  At first, I found myself judging her–like, great, go dance, but why post it for the world to see? But then she came out in interviews and talked about what it’s like to walk in her shoes and the struggles that she’s faced with her weight and the social attitudes towards it.

Speaking on Lorraine earlier this week, Thore said: “I had body issues for years, even when I was thin I had eating disorders, so to become fat and deal with the social and cultural perceptions of that and how the world viewed me… With every pound my value seemed to decrease.”

While I’m not rocking out and wiggling every ounce of fat on my frame, Whitney’s experiences resonate with me and really make me internalize the reality that losing weight isn’t going to flip a switch and make me love myself.  It’s got to start in the mind, and then flow from there.

‘I am learning to practice aggressive self-love,’ she writes on her website. ‘I have lived my life as a 130-pound woman and as a 350-pound woman in North America, in Europe, and in Asia. Cultural norms, societal pressures, and the whims of the fashion industry do not define my worth as woman or a human being.’

With the support of tens of thousands of men and women all over the world, the No Body Shame Campaign has grown into a full-fledged movement and she’s accrued thousands of fans.

She added: ‘It’s a movement that knows positive change can’t start or be sustained until you are truly kind to yourself from the inside out. A movement that reaches even further – and aims to show that your body doesn’t have to limit you, whether it be deemed “too skinny,” “too fat,” or “too broken.”

‘A movement that asserts that you don’t need society’s permission to seek your right to happiness.’

I think that these virtues are reflected in this blog.  I try not to post any negative self talk, and I’m honest about the struggles I face with my health and wellness.  In the last couple of years, I’ve been on a journey to recover my self confidence and to really embrace the person I’ve become.  The back injury that I suffered after the warrior dash really knocked me out of the game.  The emotional turmoil that I faced at the same time helped me to pack on the pounds–I’ve never denied that.  But I’ve been in a great place for the past couple years.  I’ve been pain-free in my back for almost a year and it’s been so liberating–but the weight hasn’t come off.  I joined NerdFitness and lost about 10 lbs to start with, and then slowly back-slid into old habits.  And my weight plateaued.

So I shifted gears.  I learned to speak positively about myself FIRST.  I decided that I’m not going to wait until I’m at my goal weight to be happy, confident, or to have adventures.  Because of that change in attitude, my marriage is better, my career is better, I’ve made more friends, and Jeff and me are starting our family.  3rd Trimester isn’t a great time to start losing weight, admittedly, but I’ve said from day 1 that I do NOT want to start over when our Baby Girl gets here.  I need to keep a baseline.

A new NerdFitness challenge started today.  It runs until September 6th.  That’s PLENTY of time for me to make some *real progress* towards my health and wellness goals before Baby Girl is due to arrive.

First up – Emotional Well Being

1. Positive Body Affirmations – Daily

2. Mental Prep for Labor/Delivery–reduce stress and anxiety by learning about it. – 20 Minutes Daily

3. Practice being confident and sassy – fake it until you make it 😉 – 1 Act of Sass Daily

 

Next – Physical Wellness!

1. Short (15 Minute) Walk – Daily

2. Physical Prep for Labor/Delivery–Make sure I’m up for the challenge by completing recommended exercises from the Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. – 30 Minutes Daily

3. Strength Training for when Baby Girl arrives!  Babies come with a lot of gear, and a lot of trips up and down stairs… Time to get the practice in now by completing full body (modified) work outs that will include the following exercises at a minimum of every-other day:

• Bicep Curls
• Squats
• Overhead Press
• Rows
• Tricep Kick-Backs
• Alternating Arm/Leg Lifts
• Cat/Cow Stretches
• Stretches

Side Quest: Level Up the House!

I really want to have a proper nursery for Baby Girl, but we also need a proper guest room for our out of town visitors.  My friends are coming to town within 2 weeks for my baby shower (ee!) and then my in-laws will be in town shortly after Baby Girl is born.  My side quest to level up the house will be to relocate the office to the basement and to convert the office to a proper guest room.  This will involve tearing out a desk that is built in to the room, patching and painting the wall, and moving large heavy furniture from the office to the basement and from the current guest room to the current office.  It’s a big bite to take out of our plans, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get it done before Baby Girl makes her debut. It’s on the list, though 🙂 Let’s go.