There’s a little bit of back story to this post..ok more like 10+years.
Esther is a high school friend of mine. I vaguely remember driving in her car to a local grocery store on a fuel tank that was empty. Anyways, I have lost over 100lbs and she Facebooked me years ago asking me how I did it. I told her and then she got picked up by WeighWatchers after she Youtubed her weight loss and then got an ad in Times Square (I guess I’ll take some credit for it ;).
Last week she posted this blog post and video where she discussed her true feelings about her body, especially since having a baby.
After this post I decided that I wanted to do something for myself, that shows who I really am. I can/could write all of the things which I hate about my body: wish I was stretch mark free, didn’t muffin-top, had a six pack. However, I have this body..in the stage that it’s in. I have to love it, accept it for what it is…and look forward to its positive changes.
This is me.
This is me Exposed.
I have had this picture sitting on my desktop for a couple of days thinking to myself ‘Can I really post this online? Can I be as brave as Esther?’
Yes.
Yes, because I am not perfect.
My body will probably NEVER be what I want it to be.
However, I have come SO far in loving who I am, shedding 100lbs, enduring the notion of Cancer being thrown around, toying with emergency surgery last year in Japan…and RECOVERING from an emotionally draining relationship where what you see above was not good enough.
It may not be perfect, but I am ok with that.
~M
eatingjourney.wordpress.com 
Awesome Mische…good for you.
this is an awesome post, I think you look great. And btw, I am totally jealous of your long torso!
I am so proud of you! I am bookmarking this post for the next time I look in the mirror and say something disparaging about my body.
I hope Caitlin finds a way to work this into Operation Beautiful!
I FREAKIN ADORE THIS.
may I link to it?
Yes.
I can’t wait to be where you are! Congrats on rocking your body! You look awesome!
Great post! It is a great reminder to love our bodies every day!
I HEART your post for your honesty but above all for seeing what your body CAN DO and how wonderful it is. Hurrah to you for loving it! The body truly is an amazing thing!
This is an amazing tool. I wish that every woman would take a digital pic in their bikini and show what a success that every part has made them. A literal map of their success!
Great post- definitely a great reminder to be proud of the body we have and cherish it!
New to your blog, but this is freakin’ awesome. I love this. You rock my face off.
smiling. I love it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Wow, this is amazing. Good job, I freakin love it and the way you think.
Brave and beautiful, wonderful, you!
Michelle……..sometimes your posts bring me to tears; you are so amazing and beautiful, and I am thankful for the years I have known you. I know I come from the opposite end of the spectrum, but I too have struggled over my body as well over the years. Your (and Esther’s) insights help me so much – especially currently almost done with my 3rd pregnancy, I am having a difficult time watching my body be destroyed for a good cause 🙂 You are truly incredibly beautiful, inside and out, and I love everything about you.
It makes me SO sad when women (not you Jackie) beat themselves up after giving the beauty of life to a human being. I love what you wrote, because your child–the finger painted ‘what is that’, the tears, the laughs, the firsts of everything is worth every single stretch mark. I hope you find the beauty in that Jackie.
That is AWESOME! I am so glad you were brave enough to post it.
Inspiring post. Thank you. I think your body is bangin’…especially the salsa hips. Caliente!!!
What an amazing post. love love love it.
I love that you not only posted an ‘exposed’ picture of yourself, but the positive, wonderful things your body can do.
Beautiful!
You are a BEAUTIFUL INSPIRATION!
This is amazing. And you have accomplished so much, and I love your positive outlook on life and on your body!!
Yes, well done you. And you look great.
I think we all have things we don’t like about our bodies. I know I do. But I think with age we become more accepting. I am mostly happy with mine these days – just relieved that bits still work and aren’t falling off.
As long as we are healthy that is all that really counts.
xx
I love the notion of seeing what your body can do instead of what it isn’t.
I love what you put on your tummy. LOVE it! And, girl, you look/are great! I am glad you are seeing/knowing that, too!
This is a beautiful post. You go, girl! 🙂
Good for you. I wish I was half as brave as you are
Mish, this is awesome. Just awesome. You are gorgeous inside and out. Never forget that.
Love you!
Michelle, this post made me cry. I’m so proud of you and everything you’ve accomplished!
Thanks love. Remember to instill that in your kids that you’re teaching. 🙂
Ohhh my God… You are a role model girl! This is the most amazing, REAL post I’ve seen in so long. It so positive… You have made an incredible journey and have overcome so much… that’s something to be so very proud of! You’re gorgeous! And SUCH an inspiration ! 🙂
Thank you.
It is perfect to me ❤ You are amazing.
are you absolutely amazing. and such an incredible inspiration!
This brought tears to my eyes… how wonderful!
Just found you from MizFit and I have to echo everyone else in saying: I love it!!
I would kill for your stomach area!
What an inspiring post! Thank you for reminding us all that we don’t need to be perfect to love ourselves, and be loved 🙂
I followed a link from A Merry Life and found you. This is fabulous! Thanks for being courageous enough to do this.
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!!
Wow! Thanks for this.
Wow! That is amazing! I LOVE it! Thanks for being brave and for being you!
it’s so interesting that people call me brave. I didn’t ever intend to evoke this, i just wanted to be honest. Thank you for stopping by.
Awesome post!! Thank you for posting this.
thank you for stopping by.
Oh my goodness! You are beautiful! It’s wonderful of you to post this! Very brave! 🙂 you look fantastic, and congratulations on losing over 100 pounds.
I have lost 120 pounds so far, and I don’t know if I can be as brave as you and post an “exposed” picture, but now you’ve got me thinking about it.
Thank you. I sometimes can’t believe that I have actually done what I’ve done. Amazing job on your weight loss..you should be SO proud of yourself
Lovely! Honesty shines through 😀
Great post Mish! More women need to accept their body the way it is !
And actually — you ARE perfect. Because what does ‘perfect’ really mean? In my eyes, and those who really love you, see you as perfect just the way you are 🙂
it’s so true about the idea of being perfect.
Great post – it wasn’t until after 4 kids and I was on a really long run that I had the revelation that I darn well should *appreciate* what my body has done for me. Will ‘expose’ this week and link to you if that is okay?
Melanie, first of all what an amazing thing–FOUR KIDS. I think that we as women need to stop, and appreciate our bodies. I truly feel that we would have so much less issues with body image if we did that. Link away and let me know when you’ve one it please. I would like to stop by and see what your thoughts are.
Wow….
You exposed makes me feel so much.
I know that I dont have the balls to do this; although, I do wish I did. Congrats to you and many blessings to go along with your persuit.
Amazingly Beautiful!!
I just received your comment and popped over here. I saw this Exposed posting going on – but did not submit my own. I should have. I particularly like “lifts bales of hay” mainly because I have too 🙂
Thank you for your note; it really meant a lot.
This is an inspiration – you were nervous about posting it, but you did it. Thank you for doing this. It’s helped not only me but all of those names above mine in this list.
This is so beautiful. I always cringe when my friends start berating and picking apart every bit of their body when we should be CELEBRATING our amazing bodies! This was inspirational and amazing, I might just do it myself. Thank you VERY much!
you’re welcome. if you decide to post it..please PLEASE let me know 🙂
Fantastic post. I always admire people who are willing to expose themselves (perceived flaws and all!) I remember when Jamie Lee Curtis did a photo shoot in a sports bra and tiny shorts after gaining weight. I really liked her before, but I had a new respect for her.
It’s freeing to tell the world that I’m okay with who I am just as I am.
This effort should be shared
This effort should be shared on Facebook.
i love this post and the exposed series. it is amazing,and you are all beautiful!! thank you for being so open on your blog!
🙂
You are beautiful! Thanks so much for posting this – it’s such a great message.
This is brilliant.
A sincere thank you, from someone who is a little more appreciative of these hiking legs 🙂
You’re really beautiful!! Thanks!! I agree with Jenelle here above: “great message” (for men and women!).
Cristina, an italian woman really similar to you!
(sorry for my bad english)
Thank you for stopping by 🙂
I LOVE THIS.
Read about your success story on Tim Walker’s blog and am so happy to see this posted. Good inspiration for all of us to treat ourselves more kindly…..best to you!
i love your skin and your flesh is very sexy. I especially love the way you think and hope that soon enough we’ll all be freed from the “barbie-obsession”
I cannot tell you just what reading this means to me. I have struggled with myself since I was a very young girl. My mother and grandmother always made me feel as though my body and looks were all I had going for me. If it wasn’t for those no one would ever love me including them. As a child growing up my weight would fluctuate I would chunk up just before a big growing spurt. But they never saw it that way. So I found solace in eating as a way to show love to myself since I knew no one was going to love me anyway. I went from a weight/beauty abusing mother to a man who did the same. And then another and yet another abusive relationship. In my early thirties I decided to change myself or my appearance. I went from 300lbs to a extremely thin 120lbs. I met a guy and the new thin me was not good enough for him either, my boobs needed to be lifted or as he preferred a complete boob job and not to mention the tummy tuck to hide the stretched skin. He even went as far as to research ways to hide my stretch marks.
Now I am looking forward to the day that I will be happy inside my skin and happy with me. Until then I will stick with my dog as he does not judge me by my appearance and is always happy to see me and be with me.
Thank you so very much for this entry it tells me that I will be happy with me.
Thank you for sharing your story. I to had a relationship where ‘I have a problem with your weight’ and ‘I don’t think I could continue dating you because I am afraid you’d gain all the weight that you lost (120lbs) back’. I get it. May you continue to embrace the beauty that you are from your soul outwards.
wow i cant believe u can actually FIND such a**h***** that call themselves men. couldn’t they at least feel ashamed of just SAYING that?
and btw, do u really have to look like a model to be sexy?
and ARE models really desirable? (for me, not really)
I’m jealous! I wish my thighs were that small. Beautiful post and so are you!
Just read about this on MizFit – this is wonderful. I love it. So glad to have found your blog and the blogs of all the other inspiring people who joined in to expose themselves. You guys rock!
I am glad that you stopped by and hope that you’ll come back again 🙂
This is so inspiring!
This is WONDERFUL!!! YOU are wonderful!!! What an inspiring thing to do- I’m sure you have positively impacted many people today without even knowing it.
Oh wow. This is awesome. I have some before and after pictures of my weight loss. They are similar to this shot (I am in a bikini and my head is not visible). I have wanted to post them to show my journey, which has been so successful, but I just can’t. They are too personal. I am not ready expose myself yet…
Oh man do I know what you mean. When and if you’re ready…let me know 🙂 First congrats on your weight loss. If you decide, we’d love to have you as part of the family.
You go girl! Learning to love and accept our bodies is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves!!