I have come to realize that I have always had a love/hate relationship with my thighs. I was never the skinny little girl with chicken legs and knobby knees that ran around in sundresses all summer long. I was always a little more full through the thighs and calves... a little, might I say, thick. And as a child who didn't really know better I never really cared until a classmate and a cousin pointed it out. First it was my cousin A, who at the tender age of 10, felt it necessary to tell me, as we watched my video taped dance recital, that I was bigger then all the other girls. She did not mean taller...she said and meant bigger.
Then there was the nickname bestowed upon me by a male classmate in the seventh grade: Bodybuilder. Why would a 12 year old girl deserve such a moniker you ask? Because I had muscular legs, thick thighs, large calves.
With that it began, the relationship that has lasted 15 years and has been confusing and unclear even in the best of times. To this day, despite losing 20% of my body weight, my thighs are still my least favorite body part. When everyting else noticeably shrunk my thighs sort of, kind of, might have gotten a wee bit smaller.
I won't lie, I want smaller thighs. I want to lose 10 more pounds and I want every single ounce to fall off my legs. Thats my wish and I will work on it every day and try to make it happen. I know that I will never have skinny legs, nor do I want them. Its not my body type and I accept that. But smaller and skinny are two different things and I do want smaller to be my reality.
Until then I must make peace with the legs that I have and the body type that I will always have. So here it is, a few reasons to embrace the stems that I stand on:
*I love that my legs are strong and powerful and allow me to hold a squat longer then most people in my boxing class
*I love that my legs allow me to run more and more everyday.
*I love that my legs want to dance just for the hell of it when I am all alone (and sometimes in front of others too)
*I love that my legs are long enough that I can stand on my tippy toes and touch noses with my 6'1 boyfriend.
I guess I kinda, sorta love you legs...now just think how much I will adore you when you help me fit into a size 7 and cross the finsh line in the 10K!!
Why not tell me one body part you like the least and 3 reasons why you should really like it more.
Since I started running I've definitely learned to appreciate my legs, and body, a lot more.
ReplyDeleteOne of my least favourite areas is probably my arms. I really want toned arms but I always seem to have droopy triceps. I'm working on it, though!
Good job on finding good things to say about your legs! So often we focus too much on what we don't have and forget to appreciate what we do have...
ReplyDeleteSounds like we have very similar legs. Yeah, but on top of being 'bigger' mine are quite short too... But hey, at least they're strong, right?
Good for you for trying to embrace your thighs :)
ReplyDeleteI for one hate my stomach. Just despise it!
It's big and bulgy and fat. But it's got some muscle somewhere in there, and it keeps my torso from falling over. So I guess I can love it a little bit.
Yay! Good for you! It can be hard to find peace with *that one* body part... we all have 'em! :)
ReplyDeleteBody part I like the least: My tummy. From the weight I've lost already, I can tell that my belly is going to be the hardest to get rid of. My legs are on the bigger side too, but I've grown to love them (they are my fave part now) because they are SO STRONG! My boyfriend absolutely loves them because they are just full of muscles. I guess that's one good thing about being overweight... your legs really get toned up. And when you start to shed the weight... they look amazing!
ReplyDeleteKeep it up!
Oh man...that's a tough assignment. I'll have to give it some thought. I love how you turned your negative into positives. That's how you learn to accept and love what you've got.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments on my blog. And yes, I know I can do it. :)
I'm glad that you are finally able to appreciate your legs. Mine too are very muscular, which comes with the territory, I think!
ReplyDeleteMy least favorite body part is most definitely my stomach. I think that that is going to be the hardest to shrink!
My belly is big. It's flabby, it has stretch marks even though I have never been pregnant, and the pouch! Ugh.
ReplyDeleteBut underneath that flab is a strong core that lets me do sit ups til I quake. My stomach helps me push in kitchen drawers as I reach into the cupboards. And at least my boobs are proportional! (that is so girly, but it makes me so happy:)
I once heard a poem that went like this:
My name is Wanda.
The big-belly-boobied goddess.
My thighs are thick and thunderous.
My waist is wide and wondrous.
And the mountains of my chest are a living treasure chest.
And these legs are mighty stumps, to support this mountainous rump!
So love your thick thighs!
aww this was beautiful! i love my legs for allowing me to prove myself wrong with running (which i thought i could never do). this enabled me to see that i could literally transform my life.
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