Invasion of the Body Snatchers

I did a bad, bad thing today. I had to run to Target at lunch to pick up a birthday present for my dad, plus cards, gift bags, etc. But of course I got sucked in to the clothing department...oh Target, how you distract me from my actual purpose in your store! I decided to see if they had any cute bathing suit tops that I could pair with a bottom I already have. And then I saw a one piece that I decided to try on.

Okay, wow...obviously I forgot that you either have to buy the bathing suit at the store so you can try it on in the privacy of your own home, OR you can go into the changing room, under horrid lighting, and risk it. I risked it. And it was not a pretty sight.

Long gone are the days when I would head to the mall with my friends to find the perfect swim suit, walking out (willingly) to model whatever bikini I found and moaning and complaining about how imperfect my twenty year old body was.

Cue Cher: "If I could turn back time..."

Fast forward seven summers later...my oh my how things have changed. I went from having the metabolism of said twenty year old to gaining five pounds every time I looked at a carb. I went from my mom wondering if I had an eating disorder because I was too thin to people not recognizing me because I was too big (that's kind of an exaggeration, but you know). I went from never exercising and eating McDonalds several times a week to three times a week torture at Crossfit, eating Paleo-riffic, and just saying no to all white foods and sugar in my Starbucks.

Unfortunately, I can't blame my troubles away on a pregnancy because, duh, I don't have kids. I have to blame them on ME. Me being irresponsible with my health and me not noticing the signs until it was too late and then wondering when the body snatchers came and replaced my svelte figure with what it is now.

I will never look the same as I did when I was twenty years old. I have stretch marks. My body composition is different. I will eventually have a baby which will throw everything out of whack - again. But this twenty-seven year old body can do things its never done before. It can dead lift 220 pounds. It can hang onto a plank position (even if it's ugly) to complete an exercise. It's on its way to being able to do a pull up.

So body snatchers? Thanks. You may think you have ruined me, but just wait. I'll be back better, faster, and stronger than before. Holla.