12/17/2024
✨️Transformation Tuesday- Body Dysmorphia✨️
This is a tough topic for me, but here’s to being vulnerable. Here is an up to date, raw, no filter, no makeup, healthy photo of me.
Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with body dysmorphia. While I still have days when it lingers, I’ve come a long way in my journey. I think it’s crucial for more people to be open about this—whether it’s something you’ve personally faced or know someone who has.
For me, body image issues began in 8th grade. Over the years, I’ve experienced many phases of this distorted self-perception, which consumed me for a very long time. At my lowest point, I weighed just 80 pounds with only 5% body fat. (This phase was difficult. therefore, I won’t be sharing photos.)
After I had my son, I struggled to lose weight, which caused me to spiral. I didn’t like the body I saw in the mirror. I hated the number on the scale. My journey with body dysmorphia has been marked by fluctuations in weight, whether that be "overweight" or "underweight,". I still face moments of weakness when that inner critic creeps in. It whispers lies, trying to convince me my body isn’t beautiful or that my worth is tied to a specific number on a scale.
One of the most helpful things I’ve learned through this struggle is to avoid the scale altogether. Instead, I focus on nourishing my body and silencing the guilt if I enjoy a burger, ice cream, or treat myself every now and then. I’ve had to—and continue to—reprogram my mind to understand what “beautiful” really means.
Beauty is about loving yourself enough to appreciate your body in whatever phase of life it’s in. It’s understanding that who I am on the inside matters far more than my exterior.
By sharing my journey, I hope to encourage someone else who might be struggling. You are beautiful inside and out. You are worthy of love. Don’t let the world’s standards trick you into believing otherwise. Our culture has sold us an illusion of beauty, with filters and impossible standards. None of it is real.
I love you just as you are—and I hope you’ll learn to love yourself, too. 💛🫶
