💕 Making Peace with Our Bodies 💕

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t exercise to look “better”. Like many women, I’ve spent most of my life trying to change the way my body looks.

Puberty hit me early, and my body changed rapidly. I went from a thin little girl to a more developed, plump middle schooler, leaving me with stretch marks and a deep sense of self-consciousness. Comments from others, seeing relatives struggle with their weight, and growing up around women that cared immensely about their appearance, all made me hyper-aware of my own body—and desperate to change it.

When I “discovered” exercise later in life, it was entirely about reshaping my body. And while exercise can change your physique to some degree, no matter what I did, I never looked the way I imagined I should.

I spent hours on cardio machines at the gym, then took up running, and then high-intensity home workouts. I tracked calories, followed diet plans, and experimented with different eating styles. Yet even at my thinnest, my belly still stuck out, my thighs still touched, and my stretch marks from puberty still remained. 

As I’ve grown older, I’m learning to accept my body for what it is, and with that acceptance has come a greater sense of peace. I still want to feel strong and look fit, but I’ve also come to terms with the fact that my body is naturally a little thicker than the version I always had in my head.

Two things helped greatly shift my mindset and both somewhat recently: 

1️⃣ Turning 40 – I don’t know why, but I suddenly felt more comfortable in my skin.

2️⃣ Raising my daughters – Growing up in the same home with the same meals, my two girls developed completely different body types, energy levels, and food preferences. 

Seeing how my youngest was built more like me, it was a lightbulb moment—I had spent 30+ years fighting against my own DNA. 

Could I make my body leaner? Probably. But not without extreme, ongoing sacrifice—one that, to me, just isn’t worth it. I want to be fit, strong and healthy, but I also want to enjoy charcuterie, wine, and sourdough.

This isn’t about giving up on aesthetic goals. Work toward a healthy weight, build muscle, get strong. I’m still on that journey. But stop chasing an unrealistic version of yourself.

Make peace with your DNA, it ultimately shapes so much of who we are. The world is full of different shapes and sizes—embrace yours, because at the end of the day, you are the only one who cares so much about what you look like, and carrying that mental burden just isn’t worth it.