Be the best version of yourself

I know we all have days when we winge about our imperfections, what we don’t like and what we would like to change about your bodies.  I know I have in the past, which lead me to try every diet fad in the book and eating more and less of something. In  my teens and most of my twenties I wanted to be taller,  have longer legs , smaller waist, smaller hips and skinnier arms ( you see the long list of wishes I had ). I even used to research what the right weight for my height and what percentage of fat my body should have, it got to the point that I would stress myself out. Despite the fact I was leading an active lifestyle with regular gym visits, classes and walking when I could I felt it wasn’t enough.

However,  when I reached my thirties and I finally decided enough was enough ( plus my mum was getting tired of me asking where the scales were ).  I was doing the best I could to stay in shape and I was leading a healthy enough life for ME. I attend the gym when I can,  keep active by walking as much as possible and eat a balanced diet to suit me and not everyone else.  Yes I eat junk food (I crawled at 3 months for food, what can I say ?) sweets, chocolate and drink the occasional cider, but who doesn’t indulge? You are allowed to treat yourself for being  who you are, living how you  want to live and if it means munching a malteeser bunny on the bus then so be it.

There is one thing that has always stuck in my mind when I was trying to figure it all out, is an ex work colleague who was an anorexic sufferer. One lunch time she mentioned to me how important it was to her to try and eat, especially breakfast.   She said she had to make sure ate something  as at times she would forget to eat. I  remember being sat there thinking about the irony of her telling me to eat properly to aid the body with enough fuel, ‘only silly people skip breakfast she told me . Since then that has always stuck in my mind and I make breakfast the most important meal I can have for the day.

So ladies and gents if you’re reading this, take a deep breath and say to yourself be the best I can be. If you want to change or improve, do it by all means but make sure it is for you and no magazine or anyone else.  I hope everyone can find something they like about themselves even if it’s the length of your arm, the colour of your hair or the way your bum looks in your jeans. Whatever it is, treasure and be the best version of yourself. I am now 37 and it has taken me over 20 years to do that ( yes that me is in the picture last year on holiday. It has taken me that same amount of time to let someone take a photo of me in a bikini ) . I know everyone out there can do it .