That Time of Life

It's hard to believe but I'm actually googling "menopause" these days. And why? Well, I finally realized that perhaps there was a reason for the combination of symptoms that included heat flushes, hair loss, difficulty sleeping, belly and upper arm fat(ter), and so on.  At first I thought that some of this especially my weight re-distribution was because I wasn't working out hard enough or not eating enough veggies.  This realization reminded me how often as women we blame our health issues on our inability to do things whether it's exercise, maintain a healthy weight, eat my veggies, etc. Yet the reality is that whatever that may be ailing me could be out of my control and can well be just part of life.

Of course it doesn't mean slacking off from doing what is healthier. Then I read an article by a menopausal woman who said she hasn't eaten a carb since 2009 because of the pressure to have a flat belly. Really? Frankly I've chosen a long time to get over and give up on such a goal decades ago in order to maintain a semblance of balance in my life.  Much of my youth and my twenties was about trying to lose weight especially that belly.  No more.

So, I accept my body for all its changes while doing what I can to be strong and healthy enough to pick up a box, play with my nieces and have a leisurely walk with a friend or two.

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