I’m a candid person. I’ve always been an open book. That’s why I didn’t bat an eye before telling you all that I had gained 30 pounds since COVID first started at the beginning of 2020. I called it the COVID 15 (times two). And while I can say with great confidence that I have officially lost those 30 pounds off my body over the last year (woohoo), I can even more confidently say that I am the happiest (and healthiest) I have ever been, and that’s all because of the healthy relationship I’ve fostered with my body.
Growing Up as a Woman
It’s not easy. Women are put under a microscope that no one else could understand. From the time we are young, our bodies are examined, judged, loved, and hated. By others. But also by ourselves. I don’t know one woman that hasn’t struggled with body confidence in their lifetime.
But here’s the thing: our relationship with our bodies is the first relationship, and longest relationship, we’ll ever have. It’s so easy to fall into patterns of dismissing our bodies. This year, I decided to put down the swords and stop fighting with myself. I wanted a healthy, happy body.
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Not About the Numbers
While I’m really proud of myself for the commitment I made to lose weight, it was never really about the scale or the numbers to me. I got to a point where I just didn’t feel good. Instead of feeling positive and energized, I was tired, I was cranky, things that used to feel easy felt hard, and I was just a little unhappy overall.
I wanted a change. I wanted to feel energized and strong and able to keep up with my kids. I’m so blessed to have a family passionate about so many things—dance, lacrosse, road trips, hiking. We’re a big “do” kind of family. And I want to be there for that.
That was my motivation to start creating better habits for myself. I started walking more to help calm my mind since I’ve struggled with anxiety and stress. I drank more water, I reassessed what I ate and how it made me feel. I’ve been the dieter, I’ve been the person to cut this or cut that out of my diet. This time around, I just wanted to be nicer to myself. I wanted to fuel my body with the healthy things that made it feel good. In turn, it gave me the energy, strength, and power to celebrate my body and keep up with the rest of the Schaffers.
Continuing to Love Myself
It’s always going to be work, but loving myself and my body for what it is has been such a huge win for me. I needed some strictness and I needed to switch up my routine. Accountability is hard, but it’s such a key for success when it comes to pushing out bad habits and ushering in the good. This year, I’m bringing these healthier habits with me. More walks, more movement, more fun!
I know I owe it to myself to keep up with celebrating my body and giving it what it needs to do all of the things I want to do. That’s what it’s really about to me. It’s not about sizes, although I have to admit it feels good to fit comfortably in my clothes again, and it’s not about numbers: it’s about investing in a version of you that is happy and healthy. It’s really that simple.
You look great D! And just remember:
“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” — Kate Moss
You look amazing 🤩 and have filled me with inspiration.
Gracias ,
C
You are adorable and look great!
Love all the outfits!
Thank you for sharing!
You look amazing! I know it’s not about the numbers, that weight is a by- product of a healthy lifestyle, but it’s hard not to focus on the pounds when you can’t fit into your clothes. Do you have more details on the program you followed and what was the single biggest change you made? Thanks for the inspiration!