Becoming the Best You

I've had a lifetime filled with being overly critical of my body. When

I was in second grade, I hated my hairy legs. In third and fourth grade

 I hated the fact that I was starting to get boobs and was a little chubby.

In fifth grade I was constantly crouching in pictures because I was
embarrassed that I was a foot taller then all my friends. Sixth grade I
believed that every girl was more beautiful then me.Seventh through
 my senior year in high school, I believed I had thunder thighs and envied
 all the girls that had long slender legs. Even now I pick my body apart.

However, my goal is to look at myself in the mirror and love every part of my
 bodythat Heavenly Father has created. 

I've changed the name of my blog from My Journey to be Fit, to My Journey

to Becoming the Best Me. It sounds a little cheesy, I know. But I've

done that for a very important reason. Now that I'm out of middle and 

high school I get to observe those who are embarrassed of  their height,

weight and pant size. I recognize more then ever that those insecurities don't
 stop at the age 18. Self deprecation/self hate, continues all through
women's lives. We have this intense need to be perfect. A lot of the time,
this need of perfection, is not for ourselves but the approval of our peers.
Who decides what perfect is? I see these mothers who are constantly picking
 at their bodies after having children, instead of embracing that fact that they
have those amazing, sweet spirited babies in their lives. Now,

all the mothers reading this are saying to themselves, just wait until you have kids.

Well, to be honest, I can't wait for that day. For someone who has been 

having troubles having children, some stretch marks don't sound so bad. 

This brings me back to my original question, 

Who decides what is perfect? 

If you look at the media, to be perfect, you have to

be a size two. Did you know Marilyn Monroe was a size 12? She was a sex icon. All

women envied her. I read a very disturbing quote from the magazine Allure. They are 

quoting a model named Liz Hurley.

"I've always thought Marilyn Monroe looked fabulous, but I'd kill myself if
 I was that fat...I went to see her clothes in the exhibition, and I wanted to take

 a tape measure and measure what her hips were. (laughter) She was very big."

Wow! 

If that doesn't get you thinking about how messed up our media is, then I don't know what will. 

This is the kind of message that media is not only sending to us, but our daughters.

I'm am genuinely worried about women as a whole. I don't want my daughters 

to hate their bodies. I don't want to hate my own body. God didn't give us these beautiful

creations to destroy with our constant words of distaste and hate.

As you can tell, this has been weighing very heavily on my heart and mind

for the last couple of weeks. I want to better myself and help women as a whole appreciate 

what they have been given.

I'm not saying. "love yourself, eat bad and don't work out". I'm saying, "love yourself

in the process of becoming the best you."

Don't hate yourself every time you have a doughnut. Don't beat yourself up if the scale shows

two more pounds than yesterday. Be nice to yourself and the beautiful creation that 

you are. 

On this blog I am going to share my work outs, healthy recipes, some yummy treats 

and the things that I am doing to work on loving myself. 

I hope I can touch someone's life, change some mind sets and help women, as a whole, 

become what they've always wanted to be.