You is who You is--Accept it and Be the Best You Can Be

Before we were married, my husband and I went out to a bar with a friend of his.   At some point in the evening, this tall, willowy, model-type creature strolled into the establishment with her long, straight, platinum blond hair flowing half-way down her back.

I felt a sudden stab of jealously as all the male eyes (and most of the female as well) in the bar went to this being as if drawn by a magnet, since I was (and am) pretty much the complete antithesis of this goddess--short, curvy with curly brown hair.

My husband's friend made a comment about how "gorgeous" this ethereal image was, to which my husband replied "she's not really my type."  His friend then retorted "Of course not, you only like short girls with boobs and big butts."

I then looked over at my then boyfriend, future husband and thought, "OK, now I see the attraction."

I thought of this as I was reading a recent special issue of Yoga Journal called Yoga for Weight Loss.

There were a couple of articles I found of interest (sorry but the magazine is not on-line so I can't link to it.)   The first was called Start Where You Are and details how heavier people can start and continue practicing yoga.   In it, the author wrote, "For large folks interested in exploring yoga, it can be helpful to explode the myth that good health comes only in thin packages."

I know this to be true.  Through the years I have had many larger friends who were active and healthy.   Their body type, however, pretty much dictated that, like me, they were never going to be built like Gwyneth Paltrow.  

The other article I read with interest in this publication was Love Your Body--It's the only one you've got, and, no matter how different it may look from your ideal, it's doing its best to serve you well.

I think the tag line pretty much says it all.

I've realized a long, long time ago that no matter how much I diet and exercise, I'll never be a tall, willowy blond.   I'm a short, curvy, brunette and will always be a short, curvy brunette (despite a brief period when I was indeed blond).

But, just because I'm a short, curvy brunette, doesn't mean I can't be the best short, curvy brunette I can be.    I can still watch what I eat, exercise and be fit and healthy.     

And, while there are plenty of guys who would love to be with that tall, willowy blond, one of the most special guys in my life (the others being my Dad and my son) actually prefers being with a short, curvy brunette with wild, curly hair.

And, that's all that matters.