My tiny tot’s name is Sarah Hope, and I love every inch of this little chubby cherub. Weighing in the 85th percentile of bubs her age and with thunder thighs that barely fit in her 3 – 6 month clothes, this little cherub is sure a chub-a-lub. And yet she couldn’t be loved or adored more.
Now I’m fitness fanatic. I love everything active & have never ‘needed’ a personal trainer or gym class to get me going. I find joy in personal discipline and previously I could think of few things better than hours spent pounding the pavement or in the gym sweating it out. I love looking lean and toned. I prioritize it.
But now, as I gaze into the eyes of my chubby human and whisper over and over again how mommy loves every inch of her gorgeous body, I have been challenged as to how I can make sure that my Sarah remembers this message and not the one that says “Your body is not good enough”.
You see Sarah is no fool, and she’s only 3 months old. I repeat to my sweet crying child that ‘mommy’s here’ but little settles her until I lift her up and cuddle her. She knows already that actions speak louder than words.
Parenting has proven to be our greatest gift and hardest venture yet. I tell Sarah daily that mommy loves her more than every grain of sand on all the beaches in all the world; but truth be told, as she grows up, she will remember the moments I sighed while looking in the mirror or chose to cut out sugar for the week, or got grumpy while shopping for clothes because my size doesn’t fit me anymore. Not yet, but in time, this beautiful chubby babe, who could not be more perfect or loved to a greater degree, will start to use my body image as her example on how to see herself.
It’s early days for us but still this message of living by example is far more real to me than I ever imagined it to be. I do love exercising and looking toned, don’t get me wrong, but what I’m realising now is that this can NEVER come at the expense of living a full a and happy life. My ‘BODY LOVE’ may have the power to set my babe free – to give her the confidence to walk proudly in her own skin, even when the world screams otherwise. My loving all of me may just be the gift that sets my babe up for a life that doesn’t involve self-hate speech, dysfunctional eating or over-exercising.
Darling friend, whenever in life you are (mom, future-mom-to-be, aunty, friend) your BODY LOVE matters. Far more than you think. To love one’s body is not just to love oneself, but to empower those around you too!!
Need helping LOVING YOUR BODY – Let’s CHAT & get you embracing a healthy lifestyle and LOVING all of you!!!!