Body Proud at Any Size, and healthy too!

I've been reading a lot of articles lately in which the writers try to make people pursuing a healthy lifestyle into the enemy. Trying to flip the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle into a symptom of insecurity or lack of confidence. I'll be the first person to tell you that you should be proud of your body not matter what it looks like. No matter what it's shape or size. Your body is amazing. YOU are amazing. Who you are and the magnitude of amazingness has nothing to do with what you look like (Yes, I know "amazingness" is not a real word, but work with me here). End of Story. However, if you feel you have to defend your right to be body proud at a larger size by putting down those perusing a healthier lifestyle, you might really want to reflect on why you feel this way.

I honestly think men and women can be gorgeous at any size. And I'm not just talking Tyra banks version of plus size.What matters is if you're happy and if you're healthy.

When I was medically considered to be obese I wasn't happy. Not because of the terminology, but because of the way I felt. Thirty-Five pounds ago I was tired all the time. It took effort to run around the back yard with my toddler. I had no energy. My feet ached at the end of each work day. I just wanted to sleep all the time. And I got sick more often than I do now. As a matter of fact, I hardly get sick at all now. In the past year I only had to call off work one time due to illness, mostly because in the past year I've only been sick one time in the past year (yes, I know, I probably just jinxed myself by saying that). When you consider I'm a Pre-K teacher staying that healthy is an accomplishment!

Now, I am happy. Now, I love the way I feel now. I'm only 35 pounds lighter than I was 15 months ago, which is by no means super model thin, and with no desire to be, I feel great! I love how easily I can move with ease whether its getting up and down and moving all round the play areas at work or just running around the back yard and climbing play gyms with my own daughter. Love it! Movements that took effort 35lbs ago take place without a thought today. I sleep better. I have more energy. And I really enjoy my life and my body and all the amazing things it can do.

I workout today because it's fun! As a matter of fact I recently started a new workout program, Beachbody's INSANITY! I'm taking the INSANITY Challenge! Which means I had to take "before" pictures. The funny thing is, I wasn't like most people who take "before" pictures  when starting a new diet or fitness program with the depressed look on their faces looking all frumpy. Nope! Not me! I took before pictures and I thought, "Wow! I look this good before the program! I can't wait to see how much stronger and leaner I'll look after!" That's the goal for me. Not to be thin, but to push myself to my physical peak of fitness. I love my body and seeing all the amazing things it can do. There's more to being healthy than your annual exam and blood test results. THIS amazing feeling is what keeps me workout out and eating right!

But what got me to this point was a concern for my health.

On top of the way I felt, when I was overweight, was the concern for my future health and all the health risks that come with being overweight. In many of the articles I've been reading lately the writers defend their right to be fat (their words, not mine) by citing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels. That's great! That's a start, but there's more to the story than blood pressure and cholesterol levels. I almost didn't write this post because I don't think scare tactics convince any one to do anything worth doing, but the fact is this is not a scare tactic. This is reality.

The reality is carrying extra weight, especially around your midsection is dangerous, regardless of your blood pressure or blood test results, especially if that extra weight comes in the form of visceral fat. I've written about visceral fat and subcutaneous fat before in another article: Visceral Fat vs Subcutaneous Fat. So, while you're blood pressure may be at a healthy level, you may still be at risk. In addition to risk to your internal organs is the strong correlation between being overweight and serious diseases like Heart Disease and Diabetes and the increased risk of  certain cancers. These are real risks to your health that can be prevented by adopting a healthier lifestyle.  So, be body proud at any size, just be healthy too.

For more information on Diabetes Prevention check out this site:
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/prevention/?loc=DropDownDB-prevention

For more information on Cancer Risks check out these articles:
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/body_weight/overweight/cancer_risk.htm

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity

For more information on Heart Disease check out this site:
http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/behavior.htm