Imagine if we obsessed over the things we loved about ourselves… I remember when a new girl came to my school in 5th grade. She had the thinnest legs I’d ever seen. They were smaller than my forearms at the time.
I on the other hand had pretty big legs, my dad likened them to baseball bats. I couldn’t figure out if this was a compliment or not. 🤔
There was no hiding them either, I grew up in a religious denomination where we wore skirts all.year.long.
My mom had experiences with catcalls due to her big legs and it looked like I was going to follow in her steps. My mom didn’t say that big legs were a bad thing, but almost an abnormal thing. And I wanted to be normal.
I remember going home and exercising, doing calf raises to slim my already thick muscular legs. I’d put my mom’s Brenda Drycraft tapes in my Walkman and go at it for what seemed like hours in my living room. What I didn’t know was that I was building the muscles in my legs, making them even bigger! Then I had these ripples of muscles here to explain/hide/deal with! 🤦🏽♀️ Fast forward into my teens and 20s. I got to wear jeans more but I couldn’t fit any knee boots to save my life. I remember using a fork to hook and pull the zipper and completely breaking the zipper!
Fast forward to the day I got out of the hospital after have my firstborn son, Devin. My legs had atrophied a bit and my sisters made comments about how they were so skinny. Well, I liked the compliment, but to my surprise, I felt like I had lost a trait that makes me, me.
I remember my mom always telling me that muscle burns more fat and that it’s good for you. This gave me solace as I grew into a young adult cuz these legs weren’t going anywhere!
Today, I can say that I am SO glad for these big muscly legs!
These legs have also taken me down roads I knew better than to tread, but with the strength to walk away.
I’ve walked onto platforms to share God’s Word and worship when my fear would have had me do otherwise.
These muscly legs walked me down the aisle, (well the courthouse) to marry the love of my life.
These legs helped me endure being a single mom of two who would finish college and pursue a master’s degree while her sons watched her walk.
These legs have challenged me in runs, relevés and malasanas that have shown me my strength.
Imagine if we obsessed or even acknowledged the things we love about ourselves?
What’s one thing you disliked about yourself that you now love? Comment below!
#strongisthenewskinny #loveyourself #strongnotskinny #healthylifestyle #healthiswealth #legselfie #healthcoach #youareunique
xoxo
