The joy of simply being normal.

I read the most amazing article this morning and I will share. I am curious what everyone things about this? I hear "strong is the new skinny" all the time. So much so that it feels like something that people just say anymore.

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.com/2013/05/21/what-happe
ns-when-the-pursuits-of-sk
inny-and-strong-collide/

I am to the point that I just disregard a lot of the stuff I read. I am so fed up and tired of it all. I am to the point that I am no longer trying to press myself into a mold.

F clean eating.
F low carbing.
F paleo.
F calorie restriction.
F being skinny.
F bending myself to fit into a 'diet' (loose term meant to say eating style)

I have spent so much time trying to fit myself into certain molds over the years. I.Am.Done. I can't say I fit into any group or category anymore. I am not a clean eater because I do eat sugar (not to excess mind you but I don't see it as an evil villain that will take over my life if I have a tiny bit in my coffee in the morning because for God's sake, I freaking love my coffee and if I want it a little sweet it isn't going to be my demise). I eat foods that have been purchased from the outer perimiter of the grocery store for the most part but sometimes I have to cave and in a pinch when I am desperately trying to hang on with four kids at home for summer, I order pizza out or (enter horror screams) go through the drive thru of someplace. I eat bread. Yes, you heard it right. I freaking eat the hell out of bread. I drink beer and wine. I will occasionally have a soda. I enjoy a trip to get Fro-Yo with the kids sometimes.

What does all this mean?

I can enjoy life while working on being healthy. I don't take any of this to extremes. I don't drink six cans of soda a day or 4 beers a night. I don't gorge myself on pizza on a regular basis. I don't eat an entire loaf of bread followed by pasta in one sitting. Rather I simply balance it out. I eat good. Damn, I eat good food. I eat a ton of fresh (mostly organic even) fruits and veggies, I drink a lot of water throughout the day. I get my ass up three times a week and do strength training with six days of intense cardio and a bit of yoga tossed in there.

I am also finally losing weight and inches.

What has changed? What switch flipped? The one that says I have to be a certain way be it clean eating or intuitive eating or low carb or low calorie. Instead it has been replaced by a person that is not really seeking anything but health. Weight loss right now is a side effect and a nice one at that. My husband told me the other night that if he were to see me on the street he would never have guessed that I had four kids. I about cried! I push myself daily instead to be a better person. To do good things for myself so I can be a better mom. Yes I get up and yes I take an hour in the afternoon to workout. Yes I spend time fixing wholesome foods in my kitchen for my family. Yes I order pizza and drink a beer from time to time.

No I am not an ideal body type. No I will never look like some of these ripped goddess type of women we see gracing the covers of magazines and fitness books, touting 'strong is the new skinny' but I am to the point of acceptance of that and am simply working on what I have. Being that better version of myself. Life is too short to say I am never going to eat a cookie or a piece of cake becuase it isn't 'clean' life is too short not to enjoy a beer while sitting outside on a hot summer night with my husband. Life it too short not to enjoy that pizza with my family because life got too busy to get the kids everywwhere they need to be AND be able to cook. Life it too short to be so hard on myself. I can have it all, but in balance. That is what i have spent so much time trying to acquire and obtain and I feel like I am there. I consistently make healthy choices for myself. I am not perfect, but I am okay with that. I am okay with not being food obsessed. I am so freaking okay with it.

I am just tired of the standards of having to be a clean eater or eat paleo or whatever the going trend is or will be. That is how I see the industry is simply trendy. What one guru says is good, the flock will follow and that will be the going thing for a few years until the next best thing pops up. I have fallen into that trap so many times but I am done. I am to that point that I am no longer going to mold myself into anything.

I am going to appreciate myself for what I am. Normal. Healthy. Happy. Imperfect in every possible way.