Positive Changes Versus Body Acceptance

Most days for breakfast lately I have been drinking a protein shake with whey powder, peanut butter, greek yogurt, and almond milk. The protein powder I use is from a company called 1st Phorm and it’s really good. Since I started using it, I have paid more attention to their social media and they are a really amazing company. They try to use real-life athletes, not just celebrities, to be representatives for their brand. A few weeks ago they announced their 2018 Athlete Search Winner and her name is Bellah Upadhyay. What is so special about her is that she is a REAL PERSON! She has worked out and eaten healthy and lost over 200 pounds. When they announced that she won it was in a video where she had gone to a surgeon to look into getting some loose skin she has removed.

When the owners of the company were talking with her in the video they posted, they talked about how they admired that she made a decision to change her life that way especially when body acceptance is a growing part of fitness. That made me stop for a second. Here is the thing – I don’t think that wanting to be healthy or exercise or make changes to your body, and body acceptance, should cancel each other out. If you aren’t happy where you are and don’t feel good in your skin, it is a great decision to make changes. BUT it doesn’t do any good to not love yourself and be positive along the way, or to not feel good about yourself even if you are not a traditionally “fit” person. And, I'm not ever going to tell anyone that they should not find great things they like about themselves just because they don't necessarily feel like they have to look a certain way. There are lots of times that I want to make some changes when I look in the mirror, but I am still going to work to find the things that I really like because I am worth feeling that way about myself even if I don’t have perfect abs or perfect arms (which what is perfect anyway).

So, I hope Bellah continues to feel awesome and proud of herself as she keeps working towards what her fitness goals are because she deserves it and she is worth it, no matter what it says on the scale or what she sees in the mirror along the way. And thank you to 1st Phorm for recognizing people who are working hard, staying positive, and are real. ***Oh and also I would suggest that you give 15 year olds who really like your caramel latte flavor a free one month supply. I’m just saying (and chocolate :) ).