women & body image

Ok, so in my last post I said I had mentioned that I had a post about this video & post from Carissa.  It talks about how hard women are on their body image, and give statistics that are very ver interesting.  It occurred to me how, after having Saige, I am so much happier with myself physically.  Now, I'm not model, nor close to being one by looks or size- but I'm ok with that.  The last time I was this happy with my physical appearance it was between 2006-2008ish.  I had lost a huge amount of weight and that made me happy.  Sadly, the weight loss was all that made me happy, those years there were a little rough.  Thats another post I'll have to write one day down the road.  Anywho, when I got pregnant, I wasn't really happy with my size or weight or the way I carried my weight.  I was lucky & only gained 20lbs during my pregnancy & I didn't gain it fast & mostly it was in my stomach/hips area.  I delivered Saige with only 3 stretch marks & immediately lost 15lbs. It took me about another month to lose the last 5 & that was ok.  I don't know what has given me the confidence now, maybe its my maturity, maybe its knowing what made my body this way?  Either way, who cares.  I do make negative remarks about my body still, although not as often & mostly their in a joking manner, but I am going to work on lessening that even more.  I can say that I look in the mirror when I'm getting dressed or getting ready to walk out the door and am pleased.  I love that my clothes fit, and fall down a little, that I'm not tugging at my shirts or wearing over-sized shirts to hide my pudge.  I have a pudge yes, but I'm not perfect and nor do I try to be.  I have thought about starting up many different exercise videos & training, and when I'm ready I will start them.  I don't feel any pressure to tone up or lose more weight, from myself, husband, or society and that is something that I am so grateful for.  Sometimes I wonder if this came about because I had Saige.  Like Carissa, I would never ever want my little girl to hear my talk negatively about myself (in any way), because the pressure for girls to be "perfect" & skinny is too strong as it is and I would never ever want Saige to crack under that pressure or to hate her looks.  I would rather her be happy with herself & the looks she was given and will grow with and embrace them.