Reality Check

I had the opportunity to attend a “Muffins with Mom” event with my 8 year old this morning at his school. It was a very informal little gathering, where kids could show their moms around their classroom, introduce them to faces of the children they so often speak of, and let parents read their journals, which would otherwise not be seen until the end of the school year, while enjoying a muffin & apple juice.

I pride myself, in that my relationship, on most days, is very open and close with all of my children. I make sure that they know that they are my first priority, and they know that even though I may not always be happy with their choices, they can tell me anything & I will be there to love them just the same.

While reading through my son’s class journal, there were 2 entries that stuck out and really made me swell with emotion. The first made me swell with pride and was a total Mommy moment, as it was titled “My Best Life Events.” My son listed his top 5 life events as follows:

1. Getting a baby sister
2. Having the best mom in the world
3. Having the best dad in the world
4. Living in a big warm house
5. Having my own swimming pool

The second entry filled me with a different kind of unexpected emotion…sadness. It was titled, “All about my family.” My son listed the normal things any child would for the various members of their family…dad is great at building things, baby sister likes to play a lot with her dolls, older sister has attitude (spelled additoode) that she’s working on…. But for a description of who I am, or the role I play in our family, my son wrote, “My mom is trying to lose 10,000,000,000 pounds.”

I thought….”Is that ALL that my son thinks my purpose is? Have I made my quest to "look the best" completely taken over my life?”

After I not-so-successfully fought back some watery eyes, I maintained my composure until the event was over. As I left the school, my mind flooded with ways that my weight loss efforts have seemed to become my #1 priority. It wasn’t on purpose, it didn’t happen overnight, yet somehow…my 8 year old son could only think of THAT as who I am…what I do…the only way to describe ME.

I want to reinstate, reinforce, and reclaim (mainly to myself) that our lives do not have to be ONLY about getting healthy or not at all. It is OK, healthy in its own sense, to remember that there is SO MUCH MORE to life than always being obsessed about our weight. It is important to remember to enjoy life too…to not portray to others that nothing else matters but to lose weight. Everything we do should not be followed by…”I’m on a diet, I can’t”, as I now realize I have been guilty of.

Once in a while, and I’m not saying often, I believe that it is OK to forget…just for a day, or an event, that you’re on a diet. It’s OK to go to a “Muffins with Mom” event when you’re on a no carb diet and to eat a muffin with your son. It’s OK to go to a fair with your family & eat a corn dog, even when you know what’s in it & how bad it is for you. I can find comfort as I eat that corn dog that tomorrow I can work it off. But for today, just for today, I am going to fully enjoy being a mom to 3 of the best darn kids I know and NOT think about my weight.

Enjoy the weekend with those you love.

Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥