Time To Get Real and Honest

As I look back on the last four years since beginning my fantastic journey towards a new healthy lifestyle, I sometimes forget the heart of why I started in the first place. To be healthy of course.

As a female in this world we struggle with the whole vanity thing all the time no matter what size or shape we are in. It can actually change our personality in a negative manner. Who wants to admit that they cry and have ugly thoughts from time to time and even have trouble functioning some days because of vanity?

We try and put on a "happy" face when out in public whether it is at our children's PTO meetings or we run into an old friend in the grocery store. We struggle and take drastic measures on occasion just to look good at a class reunion. As if we are trying to prove to the world that we are superhuman, mimicking an actress on the red carpet. What about the other 355 days of the year?
We should be looking on the inside to find and realize our achievements and in the end just how great we really are.

I am guilty of this too and my time on Face book was my evidence and soul searching reality.
I would get on there every day, project my positive outlook which I really do believe inside and try and help people feel the same. And that was genuine.

What became not so much the truth was how I felt about the way I looked on the outside physically yet appeared to be loving myself.

I felt great physically and still do. I am living proof that a healthy lifestyle is 110% what we all need to be doing to change our lives for the better. But that is only one slice of the equation. I have written before about the keys to wellness, but seemed to be missing some elements of them myself. I am still a work in progress by the way. We all are. Ha...practice what you preach did not stick.

So now, little by little I am going to write about my real truths. What I REALLY feel deep inside.

The reasons being are one a healing process for myself and the second to help as many people (females in particular) as I can that may have the same fears, sadness, anger, or overall depression that I have experienced my whole life and have had no one to discuss it with. There are no books, blogs, or even articles that I have been able to locate about the subject. I am sure some of us get help through therapy because of this, but quite frankly not enough because it is a taboo subject.

So you may be wondering what I am referring to specifically?

Stretch marks and loose skin!!!

Not all of us are blessed with great genetics when it comes to our skin. It is after all the largest organ of our body. It is what everyone see first and therefore because of this, we are often judged by this organ's appearance.

We don't see each other's heart, brain, lungs, etc. So someone might be really healthy and deserve a look at for the healthy lifestyle achievement or even their awesome personality but if they are not blessed with good genes or maybe they have fallen victim to some horrific accident we don't always "look" in a positive way.

I watch those stories on TV and get so inspired, but as dumb and judgemental as we are in everyday life sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees. If a girl we see at a reunion has put on 50 pounds we gawk and gossip. Such a shame!

I feel that someone needs to put this subject out there. Mainly so we don't feel so alone and even helpless. I have read so many articles and ads from "weight loss" experts on preventive care of stretch marks and loose skin or even false claims on how to get rid of it. I have seen it ALL! From this day forward I am owning it and I am here to speak the truth from my heart.

No more "High School" feelings about who looks better than who. It stops today and I hope by reading this blog from post to post it will enlighten as well as put those whom have experienced this minds at ease.

See you next post when I begin sharing my story. It is a doozy!

Yours truly and honestly,

Jenny