My Story; Love Yourself

I have always been told i was very skinny; some saying it as complimentary and some as concerned/judgement. I struggled all through intermediate school with bullies saying things like "you're a walking stick" or starting anorexia rumors (that were very false). When i reached middle school i started playing volleyball and also played basketball. I was 5'8 as a 14/15 year old and i vividly remember being asked by my coach if i was eating. One incident that really threw me for a loop was when my own mom questioned my eating habits. I was devastated and ashamed of my skinny physique from then on, but was very good at hiding it. Still no one, until right now, knows how much that hurt me. 

Which leads me to my next point. I eat so dang much, like people that know me now are amazed by the amounts of food i can eat and how many times a day i do. My metabolism skyrockets, which would explain why you would not be able to tell how much i do intake. 

When i got to high school i played volleyball my first two years and was also on a very competitive club team for years, so its safe to say I've always been very active and in shape. I always would look at the other girls legs and how their spandex fit them and wonder why i didn't look like that. We did the same work outs everyday, lifted the same weights and ate the some food. Why didn't i have the muscular legs or the broad shoulders? After my sophomore year i quit school volleyball, then ended up having ligament reconstruction on my ankle in March of that year. So that year was my 'skinniest year' per say. I wasn't working out, I did a lot of laying around which almost seemed to make me less hungry throughout the day. I was very thin. Weighing at around 108 lb.  my BMI was very low for my height, age and gender. The average weight for a 5'9 16 year old was 120. But it took me until my senior year to start really pushing myself to get back into the gym and playing volleyball again. I began coaching for SVA volleyball club, going to LA fitness everyday and eating lots of protein and veggies. This went on and off for my entire senior year. 

Now I'm in college and have a goal of 130 lb. and I'm almost there. I work out, I run and i eat. A lot. I now weight 124 lb. and i couldn't be happier. 

Fat or skinny, we need to learn what we are happy with. Not what others see us as or what makes others happy. You must learn to love yourself, set goals for yourself and achieve them. I can validate that doing so makes you a stronger, better person at the end of the day. And when i look in the mirror i don't see the 'walking stick' i used to know, i see a strong beautiful young woman who gets closer and closer to her goal. 

So darlings, set a goal to love yourself first.
Xoxo

If you have any questions of how i set my goal or want advice to reach yours, comment below!