tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1886582675104435689.post4200892827590689324..comments2013-10-01T22:28:23.373-04:00Comments on Gracefully Evolving Mom: Is It Ever Enough? A Frank Discussion About Body ImageBriannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07504703899334382601noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1886582675104435689.post-62294549997756369872013-10-01T22:28:23.373-04:002013-10-01T22:28:23.373-04:00you might enjoy this photographer's project on...you might enjoy this photographer's project on loving your (female) self<br />http://www.liorakphotography.com/2013/09/22/68-gorgeous-people/Yanky 'n Shandel Strasberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00546704001009397011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1886582675104435689.post-39575199799993977852013-10-01T14:45:13.696-04:002013-10-01T14:45:13.696-04:00Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thou...Thank you for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful comment! I came to the same conclusions as you. Too much obsessing over food and fitness left me stressed, moody, unhappy, and feeling like a failure, which set me up for some pretty disordered eating habits and self-image issues. In the end, I've found my balance in choosing whole foods that I enjoy, eating when I'm truly hungry, enjoying some of my favorite foods without guilt, and choosing to move my body because it feels good and I feel good when I do those things. I expect that my body will respond more positively to love and tenderness and understanding than it did to restrictive, disgust-fueled, drastic, unrealistic behaviors. Briannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07504703899334382601noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1886582675104435689.post-3319126397352688662013-10-01T13:14:32.211-04:002013-10-01T13:14:32.211-04:00That was a moving and beautifully written piece. T...That was a moving and beautifully written piece. Thank you. I work as a holistic health coach and am a fellow skinny mom blogger. I feel your pain from my own experience and from my clients of all ages.<br /> As we improve physically, we believe that we can be perfect, but perfection is elusive and instead of being proud of our progress, the progress itself begins to feel like a challenge, How come you are not perfect yet? For me the day came when I had to choose to love myself first. When how I eat and exercise is a result of self-love and never a requirement for self-love, then I know, I will continue to patiently enjoy watching my body improve every year as I age. <br /> I also feel like a missed out on something vital when I miss a workout, but now I just do something else active and move on. the problem with very strict eating and conditioning programs is that in the end they deliver results but the price is too high. <br /> I suppose my clean eating diet would be restrictive for many people, but for me it is just a result of loving my self and respecting my body. I too experimented with grain free and vegan, but in the end I found that too much obsessing over what to eat resulted in never using that fuel for the things that matter in my life. <br /> I wish you all the best and thank you for bringing this struggle to everyone's attention. I still have moments after I have gotten used to and stopped appreciating a success, where I have to remind myself the body-goal Is never worth sacrificing the joy of my life's journey. <br /> Keep up the amazing work. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15885476607838381385noreply@blogger.com