If I had gained this much weight in the same amount of time...

Would people still feel free to offer their opinions, advice, etc.?  Of course not!  (Unless I was pregnant, in which case everyone except those that had recently 'been there done that' would comment.)

Anyway, I posted this on my Facebook page yesterday.  Or maybe it was Thursday.  But here it is:

I came across it on Instagram, and I thought it summed up my feelings pretty well (recall my "If you don't have anything nice to say blog") so I decided to post it on my facebook.  Most of the comments were positive.  However, one person thought it was time to tell me her thoughts on my change.  Now mind you, I haven't seen her since before I was even pregnant with Stella, she's only seen random pictures of me on facebook.  But the conclusion I reached from her comments is that I look sickly, I must have an eating disorder, I am being unhealthy, etc.  And, quite honestly, it pissed me off.  More so than some of the comments I had to endure from my family a few months ago.

For the record, I am not starving myself.  I am not 'over exercising' (most days I get my workout in over my lunch break...meaning less than an hour), I have learned to maximize what little time I do have in the gym.  For the most part, I avoid fast food and when I do have it, I am smart about my choices.  I now cook most of my meals (not frozen meals, etc.).  I rarely drink these days (maybe a quarterly 'binge' here and there).  I don't smoke anymore.  I do still enjoy chocolate on a regular basis.  I haven't been able to give up my diet dew.  I really don't even bother counting calories anymore.  I do enjoy the occasional cheat meal (the burger I had on my birthday was beyond fab....including the soft pretzel bun).  I am really starting to enjoy running.  I love yoga.  I love to sweat.  I love to be active.  Exercise IS my stress relief.

Does any of the above point to a problem?

And now, a pet peeve of mine:  I always post a 'check-in' from the gym.  It is habit.  If nothing else, keeps me accountable...and quite honestly, I have had several people tell me that I inspire them.  Back to the point, I see several people making comments lately, negative comments, about gym check-ins.  Here's the deal:  This is what I do, this is what I enjoy.  I am so overly annoyed by the many passive aggressive status updates, but I don't say anything.  The regular bar check-ins/pictures make me feel like some people haven't yet reached adulthood.  And I seem to be one of the few not blowing up everyone's feed with their anti-gun control sentiments.  I mean seriously, I could be constantly posting all the ongoing drama in my family (not my nuclear family but the extended)...I have so much drama and stress going on there, but this isn't public knowledge and public facebook material.  My job is extremely busy...but I don't need to be doing constant updates about work (just checking in from the gym there on a regular basis).  People just need to be thankful I've cut back on the overs-harenting!

And with that...my rant is over.

If you don't have anything nice to say...

Well...we all know the rest, right?  Right?!?!?  Believe it or not, no...not everyone does.  At least that's been my experience lately.

I've at times been overwhelmed by some of the things people say to me.  More than a few people have actually said that I am an inspiration to them.  I have motivated them.  They want my help.  They want to know my 'secrets.'  They say I encourage them by the way I keep at it...even at times when I don't feel like it.  Even days when I'd much rather sleep in than get up early and workout in the living room or (if I'm lucky enough that my husband was off the night before) head to the gym before 6 a.m.  That if I can do it with my schedule (I work full time and then some, have a 20 month old toddler, and a husband that works a shift opposite mine) then they should be able to do something as well.  I love to hear all of these comments.  I'm surprised.  Still.  But to know that I have actually inspired people to do good for themselves, something I have never done before...well, that just feels good.  It really does.   And then....

And then...

And then there's my family.  Doing the best they can to negate all of the positive comments I've heard from so many others with their own negativity.  Funny how just a few words from just a few family members, negative words at that, can stick with a person more than all the good from everyone else.  Sad, really.  What do I hear?

"You're too skinny."  "You need to quit."  "When are you going to stop?"  "You cannot lose any more weight."  And so on.  I quit listening, if I am to be honest.  I heard enough with the first few comments and am doing my best to shut out all the rest.  These few comments, though, are enough to make me really want to avoid being around them...not hard to do, actually...but with some events coming up over the next several months, I'm sure that's bound to piss off people.

Let's think about this though:

• "You're too skinny."  Since when is a few pounds over 130 on someone who stands 5'5 too skinny?   
• "When are you going to stop?"  Stop what?  Exercising?  Eating healthy?  Um...this was not about dropping a few pounds and then reverting to an unhealthy lifestyle.
• "You need to quit."  See comments above.  

Really I don't get this at all.  I'm not underweight.  For the first time in years, I'm not overweight.  for the first time in a long time, I'm not feeling shitty because of my crappy diet.  I'm not hating myself because my clothes look like crap on me (although I am not hugely excited about the fact that I've had to replace my entire wardrobe a few times over the last year).  I've gained confidence in myself by getting healthier, getting in much better shape.  I look at my family history of health problems and see how much of it is tied to an unhealthy lifestyle...why would I want to stop or quit...and go back to looking at a future full of health problems tied to weight and unhealthy habits?  What am I missing here?  And now that I think of it...not one person in my extended family has said anything positive...at all...about my transformation.  Nothing.  Not one thing.  That kind of makes me sad.  I did this for me, I did this to set a positive example for my daughter.  And apparently my family would rather me be fat miserable unhealthy unhappy.  Sad.