Three Sizes, One Woman💖

Published 1 day ago • 3 min read

CELEBRATE YOUR BODY

AT EVERY STAGE AND PHASE

If you're anything like me, you've probably had a complicated relationship with your body.

I went from painfully skinny (the boys in grade school called me Olive Oyl) to finally filling out in high school.

I barely had time to enjoy that late-blooming stage before pregnancy changed everything. My body never bounced back to its pre-baby shape, and I was left with stretch marks and a permanent kangaroo pouch. 😒

I knew I was a bit...okay, a lot...vain about my appearance, so in my twenties I became dedicated to fitness. Running, biking, group classes, jump rope, strength training, personal trainers, barre—even pole dancing (yes...). If there was a workout, I probably tried it.

Would I wear a bikini? Absolutely not.

But I looked good, if I do say so myself.

Then my forties arrived.

Despite staying active, the weight slowly crept on. I blamed my desk job, constant overnight work travel, eating my way through every city I visited (trying new restaurants had become a hobby 😁), and being far too exhausted to visit the hotel gym after a long workday.

Then one day I saw a photograph of myself.

215 pounds.

I couldn't believe it. I remember wondering why no one had told me I'd gained so much weight—as if I didn't own a mirror or hadn't noticed my clavicle had completely disappeared.

So...back to work.

This time I hired another personal trainer, cleaned up my diet, drank more water than wine, packed my jump rope for every business trip, and even booked hotels near Planet Fitness just in case the hotel gym was terrible.

My trainer was phenomenal. He kept me motivated, accountable, and in the best shape of my life. I lost over 40 pounds and finally felt comfortable in my own skin again. Even when someone I was dating insisted I was getting "too skinny," I tuned out the noise and kept going.

But, life had other plans.

First came plantar fasciitis that completely sidelined me. Once I recovered, I bought a bike and started riding with a friend who was an experienced cyclist.

I, however, was simply...someone who owned a bike.

Predictably, he took me onto trails far beyond my skill level, and one downhill crash left me with a back injury that ended my cycling adventures.

Then, because apparently the universe wasn't finished with me, I fell off my bed while hanging a picture, got tangled in the sheets, and landed hard enough to (I'm still convinced) break my first three toes.🙄

Back to the sidelines. Then menopause arrived. 🥵

Suddenly, the same healthy habits didn't produce the same results. The stubborn belly fat refused to leave. Cravings returned. Emotional eating crept back in. Bread and potatoes became my comfort foods, work travel continued, and I simply didn't have the energy to meal prep or exercise the way I once had.

The weight gain—and the repeated setbacks—began affecting more than my body. They affected my mental health.

I hated the way I looked. I felt older. I felt discouraged.

Then, a few weeks before my birthday, something unexpected happened.

I stood in front of my closet trying to decide what to wear for the weekend. Instead of shopping for something new, I reached toward the back of my closet and pulled out a dress that had faithfully served me through another season of my life.

It fit. I smiled.

And immediately remembered something a wise and always fabulous Diva told me years ago:

"Every woman should have three different sizes in her closet."

At the time, I thought she was simply talking about clothes.

Now I realize she was talking about life.

I couldn't control menopause.
I couldn't undo the injuries.
I couldn't go back to being twenty-five.

But I could begin again. And that's the lesson.

You can begin again, as many times as life requires.

Your body isn't meant to look the same in every season. It deserves kindness, respect, and grace through every version of itself.

So yes, keep those different sizes in your closet.

One day you'll reach toward the back because that's the body you're living in today.

Another day you'll happily move those smaller clothes back to the front.

Neither version of you is more worthy than the other.

So, keep the dress. Renew your goals. And keep serving looks at every size.

If today's story resonated with you, click below and watch (:51s) my Body Positivity Inspiration Guide for gentle reminders to honor your body through every season.