What does it mean to be BEAUTIFUL?

Beauty... What does that really mean? We, in our society, have a skewed view of what beauty really is. Look in line at the grocery store. Are "perfect bodies" (airbrushed and photo-shopped, as well as made up with a professional makeup artist!) staring you in the face making you want to cover up and hide in an over-sized sweatshirt?

Oh, how I remember feeling like that. I would compare myself to other women - and not just on the magazine covers, but people I knew in school, church, and other places I would go. I would think to myself, "If only I had her legs", "I know I will never look as fashionable as she does", and even worse when at the beach or poolside, "I WISH I didn't have so much cellulite like HER.". "I will never be able to be someone who can NOT wear a cover up.". How defeating. But I know that the way I felt isn't something that was exclusive to MY thinking. Why? Because, we are women who are constantly being told by the media, school, our friends, and who knows what else, that our self worth comes from looking a certain way.

I am here today to tell you that YOU (yes, you) are beautiful. You are a beautiful woman who God loves and who He created in His image. You are unique and special and you were made for more than to live in defeat and let this mindset overtake who you really are. You, my friend, are beautiful.

So, do I live in defeat still? No, not on most days anyway (hey, I'm not perfect!). I have learned to love my body. And I have learned how God wants me to treat it. Yes, I am about to talk about nutrition and exercise, but this doesn't mean that I am saying that you are still not beautiful just as you are. So bare with me for a minute.

God loves you. And He wants you to take care of yourself. Does that mean feeding your body with GOOD, healthy, nutritious food? Yep. Does it mean you need to be active and find some type of exercise to enjoy daily (or at least 4-5x/week)? Yep. Does it mean that you have to be a size 0? NO!!!! See the key here is to remember that everyone is a different shape and size, even at their healthiest! I never knew that my healthiest weight would be 118 and a size 2. I lived most of my life before this yo-yo-ing between a size 6-12 and anywhere from 135-160lbs! But I was never living a healthy lifestyle. But now that I am, I have maintained my results for over a year. WOW. Seriously, I can't believe that I haven't yo-yo-ed. I have a wonderful friend who went through a healthy lifestyle change herself and her healthy weight is 150. See what I mean? Healthy isn't a size. It is a way of life.

So if you get ANYTHING out of this post today, it is to know that #1. You are a BEAUTY. This might sound silly, but I want you to tell yourself this in the mirror everyday. Just look at yourself, flaws and all and say it. "I am beautiful."

And the other thing I want you to take away from this is #2. You are WORTH the time, effort, and yes, even money to invest in your health. I' m pretty sure that all of us can name at least 1-2 people in their family who have spent a lot of money on their health - but not in a preventative way. Heart problems, cancer, diabetes, all of these have one thing in common: expensive health issues that can and usually DO shorten your lifespan. So what is our solution to preventing this? Get a PLAN in place TODAY to keep yourself healthy for your family and for YOURSELF! God has you here for a purpose and it isn't to sit around worrying about your body while you don't take any action in making it better!

It takes discipline to make this healthy lifestyle change, and it also takes accountability, motivation, and a community of others who are on that path with you. If you don't have anyone or anywhere to turn to for that, you have ME! I am here to help you reach your goals and I want to help you get there. I have a new group through a private online facebook group starting each and every month and I have the tools that can help you, as I have been able to help countless other women find their "healthy". Click the link below if you are interested in signing up for my newest 21 Day Fix group and/or email me at betterfitlife@gmail.com OR message me on facebook HERE or HERE.

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE FORM TO SIGN UP!



-Ashley