We’ve all done it:
Went a whole day eating nothing but delicious and nutritious food.
Got in an amazing workout.
Drank plenty of water.
And then…Just before bed time…
Remembered the Double Stuffed Oreos that are sitting on the kitchen counter.
And ate an entire sleeve.
And felt guilty.
But why do we feel so guilty?
When I was a junior in high school, I began to put on weight. I had gained 15 pounds or so in just a few months. I wasn’t happy. So I did something about it. I began going to the gym. I began to eat healthier. And I began to lose weight (about 20 pounds) and I kept up my good habits. I cheated every once in a while (I mean, who can pass up pizza and ice cream?). When I left home for the first time, my good eating habits began to decline.
When I transferred to Kutztown University from community college, having a meal plan really messed up my ability to eat healthy. The salad bar was not very tasty, while the dessert bar was the best thing about the dining hall. While I still kept up my gym routine (an hour plus a day, four to five days a week) I wasn’t eating like I should have been. It’s not like I gained a significant amount of weight, but it was enough to make me feel guilty and hate the skin I was in.
The problem is social media. I see all these beautiful, fit women with amazing abs and I can’t help but look at them and hate myself sometimes. But the thing is, a lot of these women count macronutrients, do meal prep, and eat lots of grilled chicken and steamed veggies. It’s great that that works for them, but doing that would make me absolutely miserable. I still consider myself a healthy person. My weekly meals include lots of veggies, sweet potatoes, grilled chicken, whole grain pasta, eggs, and exuberant amounts of fruit. I workout five days a week. I guzzle bottles of water. And I learn to love myself everyday.
I learned to not go by the number on the scale.
I learned that everybody has their off days.
I learned that it’s okay to pass up pizza for a salad, but that it’s also okay to pass up salad for a pizza.
I learned that almost everybody struggles with body image.
And most importantly, I learned it’s important to love yourself.
So let’s stop feeling guilty.
And reach for those Oreos.