Happy Love Your Body Day!

A Birmingham blogger I follow, Jennifer at Stellar Fashion and Fitness, used this week leading up to Valentine's Day to celebrate why she loves her body. Each day she posted one thing about her body that she loved - and it converged into today's post on her blog.

Inspired by her project, and celebrating the fact of this point in my life where I am trying to live my dating life as a strong single woman and not dwell on the fact I won't have flowers delivered to me or a significant other waiting at home for me today, I would love to share a list of things I love about my body.

• I love how healthy and shiny my hair is...I constantly get compliments
• My usually-green-but-sometimes-hazel eyes...also a source of compliments and self-esteem boosting.
• Newly peaking through collarbone...tells me I am working hard and becoming leaner than my former self.
• My broad shoulders that make me an awesome swimmer.
• My shrinking tummy, that is smaller than it once was.
• My hips and waist that give me a shape.
• My lower back that doesn't spasm since I've lost 100+ pounds. 
• My strong hamstrings that allow me to bike up hills and run triathlons and half marathons.
• My defined calf muscles that support my ankles the best they can to help me stay active.
• My ankles, as delicate as they are, who will heal quickly when I abuse their weakness. 
• My feet that provide the canvas for two of my four tattoos....including my new favorite one.

I don't celebrate my progress from these last 4 years enough. Honestly, as I have lost weight my body image has gone down, dwelling on what's not "perfect" and I'm in progress of how to deal with that. One thing that has helped is my bi-weekly gathering with Body Baggage for Misfits. It's wonderful to have an outlet to speak freely and openly about what is stirring in your head. For this outlet I am most grateful!

I hope you will join me in celebrating where you are at, where you have come from, and limit dwelling on the negative today, and every day!