i heart my saggy, baggy body

I am sure most of you are familiar with the golden book story: The Saggy, Baggy Elephant. Like the elephant, I always felt confident and happy about my body when I was growing up. I kept myself fit and active and it was not until somebody pointed out to me that my body did not look the way they thought it should look, that I started to have a problem with it.

Your thighs are too big.

Your breasts are too big.

You walk funny.

Your tummy is too large.

You are short.

Just like the saggy, baggy elephant I decided I need to improve myself. So I started to eat less. I began to seek the opinion of others on how to look better and over time began to love my body less and less.

I tried to shrink my thighs.

I tried to shrink my breasts.

I tried to walk better.

I tried to starve myself so my tummy would shrink.

I tried to buy shoes that would make me look taller.

In the end I hated myself and the way I looked. The harder I worked to change myself the more my body seemed to rebel. It was as if it was screaming at me to just love it, to accept it the way it was and to embrace it.

I am now happy to say that I heart my body.

My thighs have been strong enough to help carry me through many pregnancies.

Those breasts that were too large have helped me to breastfeed seven children.

My funny walk my husband adores!

My large tummy is now covered in battle wounds from having children and I couldn't be more proud!

My shortness has not stopped me from any goals or dreams I have had in life.

I may not look the way some people wanted me to look and I may have a saggy, baggy body after having seven children but my body allows me to love them and hug them and to serve them in many wonderful ways as I raise them into adulthood. My body is a precious gift from God and I am so thankful that it is healthy and I am able to do whatever I desire in life with it. I now embrace who I am, I take pictures of myself, I dress up more, I celebrate my soft tummy, my bigger butt and I work a little harder at keeping fit. I am so thankful to my husband who constantly tells me I look great and on days where I feel a little low he always lifts me up. I know I am not going to ever be really thin and all I really want is to be healthy in life and to be fit enough to enjoy my kids. I love that I heart my body and hope that you do too!