Being Everything

Just a note: This gets a little ranty, and I don't care...Enjoy!

I am SO SICK of seeing all these articles about how this star-or-that lost their post-baby weight and "have their body back". Why do we as a society allow this lie to persist? Real women, living in the real world, with jobs and families and relationships; not to mention cooking, cleaning, raising your children and loving your S.O.; can't possibly live up to this standard.

It is just one of the many ways women are expected to be everything. Be successful, but not more so than your man. Be strong, but not bitchy. Be sensitive, but definitely don't cry (like, ever). Be happy and level-headed, cram some pills down your throat to keep an even keel. Be classy but also a freak. Be smart, but stay quiet. Let the boys be boys, and don't nag. Be independent, but not so much that you'll emasculate the men. Fight for your believes, but don't call yourself a Feminist. Smell dreamy, keep a smile on your face even when you're exhausted, exude love and patience and understanding, and put everyone else's needs ahead of your own. Be a caregiver first, even when your career is exploding, or all you want to do is take a GD nap. And the best, worst, expectation facing mothers everywhere: look the same post-pregnancy as you did pre-baby. Um, WTF?

There is this insane idea out there that because stars (who frankly, are paid to look good) can lose their baby weight crazy-fast, that regular women should be able to, as well. Google the term "celebrity baby weight loss", and there pops up article after article of celebrities who have lost 10 pounds in 10 days, 20 pounds in 3 weeks, 60 pounds in 5 months...What nutritionist in their right mind would advise losing more than 2 pounds per week as safe? That is 8 pounds per month, max. Even going to the grocery store is an assault on the self-esteem of real women. Literally every single magazine has on their cover some sort of blurb about losing weight. This has got to stop. Good for the celebrities who can quickly maintain their pre-baby bod so they can continue to book gigs and make money. But how about helping the rest of us out instead of making women feel like crap for having priorities other than our outside appearance?

I would lovelovelove to hear your stories and see your pictures of true beauty, post-baby. The only way we can combat this is to be the change we want to see.

XOXO,