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I heart my body…

How do you feel about your body? Do you love it?

Right now, my answer is an emphatic NO. Because it’s that time of the month when my body decides it hates me and fills my uterus full of stabby needling cramps, sustaining them for 36 hours or so. This is usually combined with low back pain and a headache that won’t completely go away. I am pretty much incapacitated during this time. It takes everything I’ve got to force myself upright but I can’t stay that way for long. The Blokes Wot Live Here know (most times) not to poke the Pain-Crazed Mamma-Bear. She gets very irritable when roused.

I have been to my doctor about this, in case you were wondering. I will be having that pesky uterus taken out early next year. Good riddance! But for now, I have to hang on for a day or so, when I’ll be back to my normal self.

But back to the question about whether or not I heart my body. Do I really?

Overall, yes I do. But that love has been a long time coming. In my teens I wanted legs that were hair- free. (I had the hairiest legs out of all my friends. After months of trying everything from peroxide to lemon juice, I ended up shaving them). In my 20’s I wished for a body that was slimmer, without the mummy belly (I was having babies, while my childless friends were wearing midriff tops and going out.) In my 30’s I wished for my boobs to be bigger (post breast-feeding my boosies SHRANK to A cups. I was devastated.)

But in my 40’s, I have finally realised that there are way more ticks in the plus column than in the negative one. My body is strong and I now make of a point of looking after it. I don’t smoke, I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and try to exercise regularly. I use good quality products on my skin. I colour my hair and have the occasional facial. I still have cellulite but hell, what woman doesn’t? I’m in excellent health, I don’t look my age and better yet, my pre-baby B cup boobs are back (accentuated to their full potential by a good bra!)

What’s not to love about that?

So tell me – do you heart your body? Share your story here… 


24 responses to “I heart my body…”

  1. Farmers Wifey Avatar

    40's are the new…whatevers! Go us! You have an amazing smile, I loved this post xo

  2. Carly ~ Creator of We Heart Life Avatar

    I am so happy that you have more positives than negatives. Love.

    Thank you for linking up xx

  3. Liz@LastChanceTraining Avatar

    My boobs went to AAA after kids but I had them uh,surgically altered. I'm a B cup now and no one except the entire blogosphere is none the wiser!

  4. Life Love and Hiccups Avatar

    You know I was so worried about turning 40 next year but you have proven that with those 40 odd years comes wisdom and grace and acceptance which is awesome. You look totally fabulous hun but I a so with you, I would love my 20 something year old boobs back! ๐Ÿ™‚ xx

  5. Fiona Avatar

    Oh dear – there's a lot I don't like. But then again, I'm the one who let things slip. I'm learning to take care of it again, working hard to restore some of it's former glory. On the plus side it has produced four fabulous children, and my boobs worked well to feed them! So while I don't really love it, I'm learning to respect it and not take things for granted.

  6. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    I'm LOVING my 40's; you are so right – it has been the decade where I've been so much more relaxed and 'whatever' about life in general. With age really DOES come wisdom. Who'd a thunk it, hey?

    That B&W photo is one of the few of myself that I actually like! Thanks for stopping by, darling x

  7. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    I loved this challenge, Carly! Thanks for doing it – I've read some amazing responses over the last day or so. xx

  8. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    There was a time when I was seriously thinking about the surgical option, Liz, because I had NOTHING. It was ridiculous. Especially as when I was breast-feeding, they blossomed into D cups! I don't know who was more disappointed when they went away, me or The Provider. ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Yes, those pesky kids have a lot to answer for, don't they? Stretch marks, saggy boobs, wrinkles… LOL.

    I was SO in denial about turning 40 myself all those years ago (I'm 46 now). Now that I look back though, it was the beginning of me rediscovering ME. Feeling more in tune with myself and happy with who I was and what I looked like. I actually liked the person I had become and I didn't worry (so much) about the small stuff. I found my priorities had changed but that was okay, because those changes made my life less complicated.

    So I say bring it, Sonia! Embrace it! xx

  10. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Respect is good, Fiona, as is not taking it for granted! I think we all have days where we don't LOVE the person standing in front of the mirror. But they're mainly superficial things really. As long as I am healthy, I can deal with all the other stuff xx

  11. Alana Avatar

    It's a bit cruel to still have cramps in your 40s, don't you think? I admire your positivity though. My dark days look more like this ….
    housegoeshome.com/2012/07/27/who-are-you-in-your-40s/

  12. Deb Avatar

    What a great attitude. I love where you are in loving and respecting your body.

    And yes, that time of the month stuff is annoying. I'm dosing myself with nurofen for two weeks a month at the moment. My mother tells me she went through early menopause and the changes I'm experiencing makes me think that I'm heading for the same thing!

    Deb

  13. Alison Avatar

    I second that! Middle age was invented for a reason and I plan to work it. Even experimenting with not dying the greys out so my hair matches my face matches my 45 year old body. Am I taking it too far now?

  14. Good Golly Miss Holly! Avatar

    I'm in my 20's with babes while my girlfriends are running around on mini dresses.totally feel your pain! If I look half as good as you in my 40's though, I'll be pretty damn chuffed x

  15. The Kids Are All Right Avatar

    This is one of the benefits of getting older, isn't it? Settling into your skin a bit more? It's probably just a survival mechanism, but it's nice ๐Ÿ™‚

  16. Janine Fitzpatrick Avatar

    I think you do start to have a more comfortable attitude to who you are in your 40's. I don't think I'm any wiser but I know my own strengths and weakness and have a clear picture of the what I want from life. I'm thinking the 40's will be the decade that I actively make that life happen so from 50 onwards I can sit back and enjoy (here's hoping anyway).

  17. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Ooh, Alison, you are much braver than me! While I am TOTALLY on board with the 'working' of middle age, I am not anywhere near ready to go grey. But I have a couple of friends who are 'au naturelle' and they look good, the colour suits their skin tone. Nothing worse than seeing mutton dressed as lamb, haha! My friends and I have a pact that if any one of us gets to that point, we will step in to save us from ourselves ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Only a few more months to deal with those bad cramps, then I will be free! Hope you don't have too many dark days like that, Alana – we might have to schedule in some more blogging lunches ๐Ÿ™‚

  19. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    I've discovered if I'm nice to my body, it's nice to me. This equates to less mornings feeling like death *ahem* One or two drinks and I'm pretty much done, nowadays.

    Two weeks a month?? Oh darling, that totally sucks. Have you seen your doctor? He might be able to help xx

  20. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    *blushes* Thank you! There is a benefit to having your babies young – by the time they're in their teens and you start to regain your OWN life, you're still young enough to get out there and enjoy it!
    xx

  21. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Definitely more comfortable in my own skin, for sure. I don't worry about the small stuff any more like I used to. I look forward to the days when I'm one of those opinionated senior citizens with no care about what the world thinks, lol!

  22. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Yes, you definitely know what you want and what you DON'T want. That's quite refreshing after a decade or so of not knowing what the hell it was all about. ๐Ÿ™‚

    I LOVE your idea about sitting back and enjoying our 50's. Bring THAT on!

  23. Glow Avatar

    What's not to love indeed!!!

  24. What Sarah Did Next Avatar

    Thanks, Trae! It's all about accentuating the positive ๐Ÿ™‚

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About Me

Hi, I’m Sarah!

Former wild-child of the 80’s, classic rock fan and loyal friend to a particularly awesome group of people. Forever planning to write more. Fervently wishes she lived at the beach. Loves the mighty All Blacks. Rather partial to a cheeky glass of red.

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