Time to celebrate our beautiful bodies.
Five years ago I weighed 200 pounds. Three years ago I began to shed some of the excess. Today, I’m working on balance.
Look in the mirror. What do you see? What do you feel? Are you happy? Are you anxious? Keep looking, and I want you to say to yourself, out loud, “you are beautiful just the way you are.” It feels good, right? Now you need to believe it.
When I was at my heaviest, I was disappointed. I ate when I was stressed, wasn’t active and, honestly, didn’t really take care of myself overall. At the time, I was numb to it. My clothes never fit, I always felt trapped, and never celebrated myself. I had a poor attitude, and didn’t want to make any changes for the right reasons. When I was at my smallest, I was nervous. I lived in constant fear of gaining weight, was worried about my stretchy skin, and again found my self never celebrating myself.
Unfortunately, it took shifting weight for me to realize that my disappointment and nervousness wasn’t ever going to be fixed by a scale or dress size. It starts with loving myself. I need to love my body, every day, big or small. I need to be thankful for the skin I am in, and proud of what I have. If I want to make changes, I will make them. I need to find balance.
I’m learning to take one day at a time. Some are better than others, but each day I am focusing on being thankful. I look at my legs, and though I may think they jiggle too much when I walk, I’m lucky that I have them. I can take a stroll every morning with my dog to the coffee shop because of these legs. If I want to work on getting them stronger, then I will eat healthier and be more active. Either way, they are my legs, and they are beautiful any way they are.
For every negative thing I say about my body, I’m learning to say a positive. I’m growing to love myself not only on the inside, but the outside. I hope you wake up each and every day feeling beautiful, because you really are.
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+What do you LOVE about yourself? Tell us in the comments below!
I love that I’m the oddball of the family. I love my free spirit!
Wow. Such a humble and inspiring post to wake up and read.. I feel so disconnected to a lot of bloggers content that I read but your honesty in your story is very refreshing. Thanks for opening up about yourself because many woman struggle with their weight everyday and it’s nice to be able to relate.. I love my smile!
My hips! I use to hate them when I was growing up. Then I started belly dancing and my hips can do amazing things! Great post; Thank you.
I’ve never commented on your blog. I am however so very proud of the young woman you have become. May your special spirit always shine.
What an inspiring text to read. I’ve had a lot of problems with my own view of my body myself, but I am so happy to finally be proud of my body!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
You’re a badass, Madisyn.
madison this is beautiful <3
A very special and powerful thing to read. I hope to do the same you do.
http://www.rumbii.blogspot.co.uk
Madisyn, this is amazing. I have a love hate relationship with my thunder thighs. One day the make me feel like a super hero and remind me that I had a double portion of FROYO!
Thank you for sharing! So refreshing, and much appreciated
It’s official… You are my new muse. Nice to see a post as honest as this on the blog. Thanks for your openness and inspiration!
You are amazing.
this is beautiful <3
each time I read one of your posts, I love you even more!
Love the rawness of this post, Madisyn. It is not easy to click that post button on honesty such as this and I commend you! Also, LOVE the comment by your dad, made my day!
We all struggle with that nasty inner voice. It was a good read. What do I love about myself is that I’m strong and that I am consistent with my exercise and keep improving myself.
Beautiful!!!
I adore the fact that the FP blog always talks about loving yourself and exercising to take care of yourself, rather than just be as thin as possible. It’s always so body-positive, and it’s really refreshing to hear. Confidence is more beautiful than size.
nobody gonna love you if you cant love yourself, its nice to know somebody figt for her own sake :) you go girl !