To Those Who Have Been Body/Food Shamed
Hey beautiful people,
Today I am writing about a topic that is sensitive to me and many other men and women. Body shaming and Food Shaming. Why are we so quick to shame people on their body, food, and lifestyle choices? Not only do we shame others, I think we are even harsher on ourselves. We say things like “I shouldn’t have eaten that” or “ I feel so fat” or “I can’t eat carbs or sugar”. Since when has food and body image taken over our thoughts daily.
A few weeks ago, we were at a bonfire with a group of friends. It was a fun night with good food and s’mores. We were all around the fire talking when a girl who I barely knew says to me “hey their girlfriend, how many marshmallows have you eaten? I’m not judging you but-” yada yada. My mind cut her off after that sentence. At first I was shocked. Like who in the hell says something like that? I mean she doesn’t know me. Then anger and hurt kicked in. I started questioning my dinner and how many s’mores I actually had eaten that night. I had stayed quite even though part of me wanted to stay something. I could’ve ripped into the girl who said something but that isn’t who I am.
It hit me harder the next day when I was getting ready and really started looking at myself in the mirror. I started questioning myself and being harsh to my body. “Maybe I should’t have eaten all those marshmallows”. I mean I do have a wedding in 6 months. “I didn’t deserve to eat those sugary things, I probably ruined a whole week of good eating”. A girl can really rip into herself when it comes to body image and it’s exactly what I did. I cried, I texted my best friends, told my fiance how I felt, and eventually I felt better. Instead of thinking about the negative things that comment had on me, I started to think about the positive.
What that girl doesn’t know is that I work out daily. I eat my greens and meats and fruits everyday. I have lost over 50 pounds in the last year and a half and I even healed my liver. I have become more confident in myself more than I have ever been. That girl didn’t know that in the next 12 hours, I’d be running my first 5k and doing my first dri-tri (OTF version of triathlon). What that girl didn’t know is that even though she had shamed me, i enjoyed EVERY SINGLE MARSHMALLOW. Everyone is fighting their own battles mentally, physically, and emotionally. I have no idea of what is going on in her world and how she feels about herself. Maybe this is how she makes herself feel better by shaming others? Who knows but this is no way for women to be feeling about themselves. We shouldn’t have to put others down in order to feel better about ourselves.I am not here to bash anyone but to help those who struggle like I do.
I want to challenge my readers, men and women. For the next week, instead of limiting yourself or even thinking thoughts that make you feel crappy about food/body, lets think about all the amazing things our bodies can do! For me it’s running and being able to workout 5/6 times a week. I love food and I will not allow others insecurities or comments destroy how hard I have worked mentally and physically on my body image.
XOXO MB