Honoring Your Body

Not too long ago, I was out to lunch with a group of friends. I ordered a huge basket of chicken tenders (my favorite) and ate everything in the basket, fries included. After I ate though, I noticed that I was rocking a pretty large food baby. I was wearing tight biker shorts and a crop top, so my stomach was on full display. I noticed I instantly became aware of how large my stomach looked. I looked around at everyone at the table and announced that I had a food baby. Like literally, a full-on PSA, so that everyone knew.  

If I was so self-conscious about my food baby, then why did I just announce to everyone at the table (and everyone nearby basically) that my body had changed drastically enough for me to notice?

I realized that I wanted everyone to know that the reason my biker shorts were a little more snug than before was because I just ate and it wasn’t for any other reason. 

After this realization, I was alarmed with myself. I never realized I did that before – that I felt like I had to justify the fact that my body had changed. It made me think about all the other habits I had regarding my body and eating that I didn’t realize. 

 Moving forward, I decided that I would be more conscious of my body, how she changes, and how I treat myself when my body does change. I’m going to stop saying things like “I have a food baby,” or, “I feel bloated or that I ate too much,” and instead, I’m going to say that I am feeling nourished or well fed. Instead of feeling bad for eating a basket of chicken tenders and fries, moving forward I am going to recognize that I am honoring my cravings. I’m going to avoid saying phrases like “beach body” or “summer body” because my body should not have to look a certain way for me to feel confident to go to the beach or be at the pool. 

The next time I get to eat a full meal, I am going to be aware that my body will change from that and I’ll know that doesn’t mean anything. I’m going to be more aware about the habits I have that aren’t honoring my body.

My body is simply doing what it’s supposed to be doing.