Shifting the Focus

I remember having conversations with friends back in my dieting days. Sometimes, we would get together for lunch or dinner, and decide to share a dessert, because a) we had worked out for a few hours that day and "earned" it or b) we would run double digit mileage the next day to "work it off". Sometimes, we would bond over self-deprecating comments. I would insult my thighs, my friend might complain about her belly, or vice versa. We would plan and plot for our next big weight loss campaign, trying this new meal plan or that new workout routine.

Once I started healing my relationship with food, this was something I let go of. Don't get me wrong, I still love to bond with friends over food. It's a beautiful, celebratory way to share time with someone you love. Dining out is one of my favorite things. But, I no longer have to "do this" (workout a ton, not eat all day, etc.) in order to "get that" (delicious, nourishing food). And the self-deprecating comments had to go. That's never helpful, period.

Wouldn't it be nice if women could bond over how smart, successful, and talented they are instead of exchanging negative comments about their bodies? What if we cared more about what we did with our lives than how we looked in a bathing suit? What if we realized that there is more to us than our appearance?

Something to think about.