This is "overweight"…well, the charts say so….

"Your not fat, you are perfect!".  Being a 9 old-year girl, I can hear my mother's voice telling me as I sobbed in her arms.  

"But all the other girls are smaller and skinnier", I would tell her.  My Mom would always listen and assure me that size did not matter to her and that I was loved above all else.   Though her words helped my heart, the fact remained that I was never at the top the pyramids at sleepovers or I was always the "pusher" on the swings never the one who was pushed.  That my arms were bigger than all my friends.  I was not fat, just not "normal" like the other girls.  I was bigger, thicker, stronger.  Ewwww, who wants that when you are a little girl.  

I never played sports.  Dreaded gym time.  Hated the annual pull-up, sit-up, mile run testing that the schools did.  Along with it came the weight and BMI testing.  I was "overweight".  Ugh.  Those words are ones that any human never WANTS to hear.  Don't get me wrong, I wasn't lazy.  I rode my bike with my friends.  I danced from ages 7-16.  I was out AND about!!  But I always secretly wanted someone else's body.  Someone else's weight. 

Moving on.  Enter adult life.  I never recall ever weighing 135 lbs., which is apparently the average weight for someone my height of 5' 6".  It's like I skipped that number entirely.  I feel like for all the years I can recall I always wanted to be 10lbs. lighter, like somehow that was the magic key to my happiness.  That if only I had "her arms" or "her stomach" or "her legs" that life would be alright.  I would always see my PCP and he would say that I was just outside of the "normal" weight range.  So I am "overweight" at 155 lbs.?  Yep, pretty much.  I mean if you aren't in the normal weight range than yes you would be OVER-weight.  Shoot me.   

So in my 20's I began to weight train.  Funny thing happened.  I didn't lose weight but the clothes got looser.  The inches came off.  I could wear things that once before I thought looked unflattering.  Now I wanted to see my arms that I worked so hard for.  At 22, I was at my leanest and I was 142lbs. and people told me I looked "sick" - face looked gaunt.  What?  Sick?  I am now normal.  Well, in 7 more pounds.  I gotta hit 135 lbs!   

Well guess what I did to finally get there?  Get ready!  It was so easy - just simply stop lifting, stop running, stop training and eat below my daily required calories.  Sounds like a plan.  Right? (eye roll) Wrong?!  It all came back once I resumed a regular diet, but now I had no muscle, my metabolism was slow, and believe it or not I was way higher in body fat than before.  How can that be?  

Enter motherhood, three pregnancies and limited time to work out.  How am I ever gonna get back to my regular weight and lose this extra body fat.  So I ran. And I ran. And I ran.  It was my salvation.  In May 2010, a knee and hip injury temporarily shut down my running escape.  That is when I discovered lifting again.  It was my "me" time that I needed desperately.  The running had increased my endurance so I was primed and once I added the weights - BOOM!  It was magic!!  I felt great.  I never weighed myself.  I didn't care.  I felt good.  Isn't that what happiness encompasses?  Just being content in one's own skin.  

In 2012, WLG was born in a small field at Batts Neck and a Barn in Gibson's Grant.  Slowly and steadily business grew.  I met a man.  A man who loves me at any number.  I have three kids that are all over the place with sleepovers and science fair projects.  I have 2 crazy male dogs that are spoiled rotten and we know it.  We have 3 ducks that must be let out and put back in their pen every day - just envision the fun.  2 successful businesses.  Loads of laundry.  Floors to be mopped.  And in January 2015, a new found desire to invest in myself despite the chaos of the day to day.  

So here I am, ALL 156 POUNDS OF ME (13% body fat at that!) So Efffff Yewwww 135 lbs.!!!  I will not and CAN NOT weigh some prescribed number on a chart without sacrificing what I know to be the right way to get there, so I just won't do it.  I will write my own number.  Better yet I will let my body figured that one out - I will just do my best.  Every day.  Over and over again.  It took my entire youth, but as adult, I don't mind being different.  I am not overweight.  Never was.  Now my girls walk up to me and say "Mom, look at my arms!  I got muscles!" or "Mom, look at my legs - they are getting stronger!".  Girls need strong role models!  

The days of wanting to be pushed on the swing are gone.  Now, I want to be the PUSHER!  Now, I don't want to be lifted up on that sleepover pyramid - I would rather Clean and Press a bar.  Never give up.  Keep moving.  Keep sweating.  Keep repeating.  You never know who you going to inspire!   Until we sweat again.  Love your faces. 

K
xoxox

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