The Stomach

I started writing this post in 2017 and to be honest my view of my stomach has not really changed that much. Recently though, I’ve been reading Instagram posts by Sadie Nardini and it reminded me of this post again. So here it is:

How are you?
I’m good thanks. You?
Good
End of conversation.

But the internal conversation starts now.
Well, actually I hate being here today.
I know it’s good for you.
So I shouldn’t hate it. But I do.
I don’t want to be here.
I don’t want to be anywhere.
I’ll pull my top down to hide the flabby stomach.
The stomach that has carried my two beautiful daughters.
The stomach that’s has fed and nurtured my girls for 18 months altogether.
The stomach that has been through so much
But today I hate it.
For two days I’ve been filling it with crap
Junk food in the form of cookies and chocolates and crisps to name a few of things that are not good for you.
Why do I do this?
Then I come here in an attempt to absolve my sins.

And here are the links to Sadie Nardini’s post who puts it more eloquently:

View this post on Instagram

Guess what? These are both photos of strong abs. In fact, I took these pics 2 seconds apart. But most people would point to #1 as their goal abs. Not a great idea. Here’s why: ⠀ We’re conditioned to believe that a strong core is supposed to look chiseled and tight all the time, but “tight”, rock-hard, fat-free abs are not even healthy. ⠀ Anatomically, too-tight, sculpted abs means you can’t breathe right, your anxiety can get triggered, you can’t move fully, your digestion and organs won’t work as well, and you probably don’t have the pleasure of eating french fries, or being free from scale-obsession, either. ⠀ I’ll take a primal, flowing belly that ripples with my inhales and exhales like a wheat field in the wind. ⠀ I’ll take the freedom not to agonize over every calorie, and every bite. ⠀ I’ll take my strong-ass REAL core over some idea of self-punishment any day. ⠀ And your belly is beautiful, too. She tells your epic story. She’s done incredible things. She tries so hard to nourish you, to let you reach for your loved ones, and breathe a sigh of happiness as you accept a loving hug. ⠀ All the simple pleasures that involve a supple core are too numerous to count! ⠀ Today, love her up even more, too—just as she is, not as doctored or totally tensed up images try to make you strive for 24-7. ⠀ Love!♥️ Sadie ⠀ #bodyconfidence #realabs #corestrength #corestrengthvinyasayoga

A post shared by Sadie Nardini | Yoga + HIIT (@sadienardiniofficial) on Sep 1, 2020 at 4:37pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

The fat-free fitness industry has two main goals, and they can easily suck you in: They show you photos of bodies that usually require a lifetime of self-punishment and restriction to attain, then photoshop them anyway, AND they make people covet that body so much they’ll throw any amount of money at their companies and products and supplements to help them get it (they never get it). ⠀ Now, I’m not claiming to be some ripped bodybuilder—that’s not my goal. I’m 48 and a yogini first and foremost. ⠀ However, I’ve modeled in many women’s health and fitness and yoga magazines, and I can tell you, the me they show you is definitely not any of the other images on this post. It’s #1 or nothing. ⠀ Even in the yoga media, you’ll see a high percentage of tiny, fat-free, 20 year old blonde bodies, with a “real” body thrown in here and there so they don’t face backlash. ⠀ Because they know what sells: People coveting impossible bodies. ⠀ And honestly? ⠀ We fall for it. So they keep doing it. ⠀ No more. ⠀ Because what you don’t see are the other shapes a strong belly makes. ⠀ The poof. The ups and downs depending on the day, the meal, the moon. They rarely show you what those models look like without mechanical tweaks. ⠀ I know many professional photographers. ⠀ They photoshop and manipulate EVERY model. ⠀ Do you really want to chase that myth? ⠀ You are so often being fed a photoshopped lie — and an unhealthy lifestyle. ⠀ People, especially women who are not effortlessly, naturally thin and tend towards muscle definition are facing a grim reality: Never eating for joy, only for abs. Feeling stressed instead of social. Being at the mercy of grilled chicken and broccoli and hormonal imbalances and hair loss and fatigue and mood swings and illness. ⠀ I know—I tried to live this fat-free, over-exercising life for years. MISERABLE years.. ⠀ It nearly killed me. ⠀ Don’t fall for it, too. ⠀ Let’s be strong, balanced, and above all…relaxed about who we are. ⠀ Together. ⠀ ♥️ Sadie #bodyconfidence #abs #fitspo #bodyhonest

A post shared by Sadie Nardini | Yoga + HIIT (@sadienardiniofficial) on Sep 4, 2020 at 3:38pm PDT