Thread about body image, fitness, flat stomach myths, etc. I've been meaning to do this for ages and hope it's helpful! :)

TL;DR I'm the fittest I've ever been. My stomach has never been flat. I'm learning to embrace that.

Cw: body image 1/n

Ever since I was a little girl, my stomach has "stuck out a lot". I've always been self-conscious about it, though it is NOT a reason why I exercise - that doesn't affect it and I don't try to make it so. 2/n

Since I was a teenager I've tensed basically all the time because I'm self-conscious about it, but the behavior is so engrained into muscle memory that I don't think about it anymore, I just do it. It feels weird to not tense and I have to force myself not to. 3/n

And I realise that in a way, I'm painting a false picture for anyone who sees me and every photo that I'm in. It's not my "natural" state - the pic at the start of this thread is. Recently I'm trying to not tense habitually and it is HARD. 4/n

I'm also the fittest I've ever been. I ran a marathon 2 months ago (and looked less toned than I do now). I exercise at least once per day because it makes me happy, and not for any other reason (although other reasons are valid). 5/n

I have basically no stomach fat, but whenever I eat I EXPAND. It's just my guts, I guess. It's totally normal, but society and body ideals make us think a different way sometimes and it's just not true. 6/n

Anyway, I guess the message is: body image ideals run DEEP. What you see in other people doesn't reflect the truth. Flatness cannot be achieved for everyone and we shouldn't pretend that it can.

Love yo guts :)