One of the things you are the most unprepared for about the World Race at the beginning of the journey is all the ways your physical body changes.
From training camp, blogs, and YouTube videos, there are side comments made by alumni racers of the weight they gained/lost on the Race. “Women typically gain weight, men typically lose weight.” There’s this demonization of carbs as bad (despite the fact that they’re an essential macronutrient necessary for the health of our minds and bodies, and are where we get energy from… but that’s a different conversation). And there’s a sense that packaged/processed foods are inferior and worse for you than unpackaged/fresh foods.
At various times this year, I heard many comments that broke my heart and made me realize how deeply unaware most of us are about actually caring for and accepting our bodies. Comments about refusing seconds for fear of “overeating” despite still being hungry. Comments about skipping meals to lose weight. Comments about muscles no longer being toned enough. Comments about sliding food to others’ plates to cut back on carbs. Comments celebrating weight lost from being sick for a few weeks. Comments about saying no to cake at a birthday party, for fear of eating too many calories in a day. Comments about pants being tighter than they were when we packed them on the 7th of January.
And much of the the wider world would say that body image is only a women’s issue, and I can tell you with confidence that it is not. Men and women both struggle with accepting the bodies they were born into, and though it may present in different ways and the primary concerns vary, this is not just a blog written to the ladies.
Maybe it’s written to myself one year ago, ignorantly unaware of just what I was getting myself into.
Maybe it’s written to my squad mates, who entrusted me at various points with their own hidden thoughts about calorie counting and squishy stomachs.
Maybe it’s written to the former Racers, who returned home bigger or smaller than they had been a year prior, only to find a closet full of clothes that did not fit right and well-intentioned yet misplaced comments from those they hadn’t been with in the meantime.
And maybe it’s written to you, a whole human being who should not be expected to be the same size and BMI that you were at 16 or 18 or 25 or even 30, before the kids, or the sickness, or the tragic loss, or the career change, or or or…
I don’t know, I’ll let you be the judge. Take this as you will, but please consider my thoughts before you entirely dismiss this topic.
So to the one whose body changed this year…
it’s really okay. I promise.
You were out of your comfort zone, traveling every 3.5 weeks, politely eating the food served to you, being told what to do with yourself from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, being given a food budget barely big enough to keep yourself fed (let alone fed an ideally balanced diet), and…
what if the size of your body is the least important thing about you?
Your body did far more important things this year than maintain its size and shape and composition of what it was almost an entire 12 months ago.
Your arms wrapped the hurting in comforting hugs.
Your hands held smaller ones, innocent and pure, refusing to let go until the very last second.
Your back carried your belongings, few and purposeful, from one home to the next, again and again.
Your hips became safe places for small children to rest upon, tucked closely to your chest.
Your legs carried you over mountains and forged new paths to explore the beauty of creation.
And your feet… your feet trekked and ran and walked and stood and declared the goodness of God and the Hope of the world–the Christ who came and died and rose again. How beautiful are your feet, that bring the Good News.
So YES. Our bodies change. They have since the moment of conception, and they will until the moment of our resurrection. It’s how God made us, and He called it good. Let us trust Him about this thing, too.
And now, I could continue this blog in any of 100 different directions. I could talk about how our budget + our transient lifestyle makes peanut butter (gasp! a processed food!) the most reliable source of protein we can sometimes find. I could talk about proper calorie intake, and how under-eating is a much more common problem than overeating is (especially in women). I could talk about how carbs and sweets are not the enemy (but we’ve sure made them out to be). I could talk about how celebrations are meant to be full of memories and joy, not avoiding treats and mentally figuring calorie counts. I could talk about how weight is lost through a healthy calorie deficit, not by eating only during certain hours of the day. I could talk about how our bodies are smart as heck and if we’re hungry, it means we probably need to eat something. I could talk about how not eating enough calories typically leads to fatigue and irritability rather than healthy weight loss. I could talk about how food myths, strict food rules, and obsessiveness around food are symptoms of disordered eating, not overall health or healthy self discipline. I could talk about how, YES, we do have choices to make about what we eat, and nutrient-dense whole foods will keep us full and healthy longer and better than chips and candy will. I could talk about how food is meant to be enjoyed, not demonized, and how moderation matters most when it comes to what we eat. I could talk about how we can all agree God doesn’t make mistakes when he creates, but then look at ourselves and forget He made us too. I could talk about any of these things or so many others, and still, words cannot convince us.
The only thing that can heal our sickened hearts, mend our misunderstandings, and fully convince us that our bodies are not flawed, is the unfailing love, unending grace, and ever-tender mercy of God our Father, Creator, and Friend. It is a process, buoyed by prayer, and very likely one we’ll keep at until we meet Heaven face-to-face.
So, dear friend, stay encouraged. Enjoy the birthday cake. And know that your worth rests in much more than the body that you have.
Please pray:
– for those whose bodies changed this year, that we would treat ourselves with honor and respect, like temples truly indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
– for traveling mercies over the next couple of weeks.
– for wisdom, patience, and grace in this season of transition.
This is beautiful Em! Thank you.
Such a good and true blog. Thanks for sharing. I think so many people need to read this.
I love this, Emily! What a great way to look at all the ways God uses our bodies. Praying for you guys!
Emily – you are amazing on how you explain things with your writings. I have enjoyed everyone of them and look forward to hearing when you are home again. That should be within a couple of week. No matter how your body may have changed, your heart is still the same.
I hope the transition back to the USA will be easy for you. Prayers continue with love from Gramma??
PREACH SISTA. I could go on and on about this topic – I’ve become very passionate about it and this is SO WELL WRITTEN!! Amen!!!
Hi, Emily, Thank you for this beautiful grace filled message. We are much more than our body image! I love what the Word says about our eating habits, “everything in moderation”….so good. Praying for ease of travel for you and the squad and lots of FUN in your last days in South Africa. Love you so much!
this made me tear up. thank you for this :’)
I love this
“They have since the moment of conception, and they will until the moment of our resurrection. It’s how God made us, and He called it good. Let us trust Him about this thing, too.”
So real, raw, and true. Thank you for this, seriously.