Okay finding a balance of liking yourself and who you are; and working on improving who you are. Where is the line? For this blog I am talking external. Internal would be a similar idea but for now I will talk about outside.
I have lost some weight and am leaner, stronger, and healthier. I know to be even healthier and look better, I need to lose 30 more. I try not obsess about this, just keep working on it. Slowly is ok, but sometimes I take a step backwards. When i do, I just refocus and start again.
But back to the point of finding the balance. I will never be a 20 year old again but I can be the best I can be right now. Most of you know I have had some plastic surgery. I prefer to call it reconstructive; putting things back together after years self inflicted abuse. Am I just rationalizing or trying to somehow say plastic surgery otherwise is a problem. I don't believe so, people are just trying to improve themselves. But it can be a problem, when overdone or becomes an obsession. Where is that line and who drew it?
My first procedure produced amazing results. It helped me see and show what I worked so hard to achieve. The next procedure well; I will let you know the results in a few months. How many procedures is to many? How much weight loss is to much? How much exercise is to much? I don't believe I am anywhere near to much for any of these. I exercise 4x a week. I have had 2 procedures. But that is it for me. There are parts that I need to work and weight I need to lose. But I am who I am. I think I obsess more about what is to much than actually doing to much.
It is interesting when people say "you have lost enough, you don't want to be too skinny". I am so far from being too skinny. I think people are just used to how you looked being heavier. There are real eating disorders out there and you can certainly be underweight. But according to every doctor I have ever seen I am still very much overweight. Again back to finding a balance of being healthy but not obsessing.
I will never be perfect in this life, so its time to accept that and enjoy who I am. While everyday working to improve inside and out.
You raise interesting points in this reflection. I agree that, especially for women, we worry, stress-out and obsess more over our outer appearance than men. It's based primarily on a world that has an unrealistic view of the body.
ReplyDeleteWhile exercising and eating healthy are very important, and 4 days a week might seem a little excessive (but maybe I'm just jealous!), I think at the end of the day, it's about the motivation behind the action.
Plastic Surgery is an interesting topic. I would love to have surgery on the areas that diet & exercise don't seem to fix as easily, but it is cost-prohibitive right now. We see over and over how women and even young girls are getting surgery to "improve" what no one in the world sees as a problem. There are times, however that plastic surgery for health reasons is a reasonable choice. For example, having breast reduction to reduce back pain or a nose job to correct breathing or snoring issues. One just has to be careful that the reason is more of a "need" than a "want".
The bottom line is God made each of us different for a reason. We can't look at his creation and say "that's not good enough". We can honor his creativity by taking care of ourselves so as better to serve him.
May good health and blessings be yours - always.
Well said Phoebe. You are right God made us who we are and we need to accept that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great comment