Babies and Body confidence: Time to be a Role Model

I’ve never been entirely happy with my body. Since the age of about 15, presumably when I hit my peak of puberty and my bad eating habits caught up with me, I have always been a little larger than I should be. The bigger of the two siblings, I always felt like the ‘fat’ sister, the one who always ate too much chocolate, and the one who could never quite fit into that elusive size 10.

My peak of fitness was probably in about 2011. I had recently split from a long term boyfriend and his cheating had knocked my confidence. I was determined to ‘get Lucy back’ so I set myself a personal challenge, signing up to Trek Iceland and grafting down the gym at least 3 times a week, getting a personal trainer and running at parkrun every single week. I felt fantastic – I was healthy, my clothes fit me well, and I was for once, comfortable in my own skin.

Since having two children, my body is a far cry from those days, carrying more than weight than I can attempt to blame on pregnancy, I have failed to look after myself and eat FAR more than I should – all the wrong things and most likely the result of sleep deprivation and comfort eating. I HATE my podgy belly and my over rounded thighs, the double chin and the hamster cheeks but this year I have finally started to do something about it, signing up for couch to 5k and making small steps to improve my overall diet and wellbeing.

This weekend I realised just how important my fitness challenge has been, not only in getting me up and out burning calories, but also in being a role model for my daughter.

This weekend, Erin, at just 4 and a half years of age, asked me if she too could have some running clothes, because she wanted to go running – she wanted to be like me.

She was desperate to come out with me – to the point where I eventually gave in to her requests and she joined me on my warm up – her little legs running as fast as they could whilst she puffed and panted with a huge grin on her face. It was at that moment that I realised that all my behaviours and every single word I use to describe myself has an influence on my daughter. Do I want her to grow up feeling concerned about being fat? Hearing about my insecurities, striving for an unachievable perfection or do I want her to see things for how they are? Show her that you have to work hard to keep fit, look after your body and eat well, but at the same time embrace your curves and love the body you have been lucky enough to have been given??

So for 2018, I have banished the word FAT from this house. I want my daughter to grow up LOVING her body, enjoying where it takes her, and embracing exercise, activity and fun. Tonight is the final week of couch to 5k, and weather permitting we have our celebratory parkrun on Saturday morning. I know my daughter will be standing on the side lines, no doubt in her new pink running gear, cheering me on and sharing my success. I am so proud of my progress over the last 8 weeks, and having her feel proud of her Mum, and see me as her role model is the best reward I could have ever wished for.

Lucy x