Let's go to school; my body and how I view it vs. other's opinions

So I'm one of those skinny folks in the world that doesn't like being reminded that I'm skinny. In fact, as I've gotten older, I hate it. Just like (I really don't like using this word) fat people generally don't like being called fat, I don't like to be called skinny. I look at my body everyday, lived in this thin skin for 29 years so I kinda know how I look by now. I don't need a constant reminder. But I had to look at the people that were dishing out the reminders. People who weren't happy in their own thick skin. Yeah, I said it. Now, I can make fun of myself; I know my body, the quirks & things that generally make me look odd. Other people doing it though, I can't say I love it too much. I think it's because the place that some people come from with their criticism is a mean spirited place to tear and/or wear me down. Criticism is ok but coming from people that don't have to live with the results OR aren't happy with their own selves so they take it out on people who are happy with themselves and their bodies is comical but sad. Why put me down? If I haven't said anything negative about your body why say anything about mine? And if you're not happy with your body why take it out on me? Here's a tip, honey boo boo: do something about it!

I've decided, rather than tear down these individuals as they tried to do me, I would educate them, take them to school. I can show better than I can tell, so I decided to turn what they tried to deem as ugly, awkward and negative into something beautiful and positive. And look at me now! I'm healthy and I'm in fitness modeling, and my "skinny" body is actually appealing to some people. Who knew right?

I don't want this to sound like an angry post or come off as condescending and braggadocios. It's more of a teaching tool. You have no idea how long I've had to live with people who have told me my skinny-self wasn't much and I needed to eat more meat. Well, I do eat but I eat healthy and in moderation. 

At the end of the day, I use all criticism to push and motivate myself that much harder. I never thought I would become a teacher but I guess I am. It's a grueling job and my pay may not seem all that great but my reward is turning the ignorant into conscious believers. Life is a lesson and class is definitely in session. 

It was fine as long as I was drinking beer and eating burritos...

When I first told my parents about my fitness modeling journey it was over breakfast.  I had waited a few months before I decided to tell them and at that moment I just blurted it out "I'm going to be doing fitness modeling.  What do you think?"  My mother nodded her head and my father murmured something inaudible.  I looked from one to the other, shrugged my shoulders and I went on eating my eggs.  Deep down, I know they care but because it is so out of the norm for them (they're both very old fashioned; bred from the south, smothered and covered) they're not sure how to react.  They figured if it's not something I studied in college and took an interest in earlier in life why should this be something they should take an interest in now, while I'm in my late twenties?  In their defense, I've never stayed on board with any other hobby, always quit.  But that's because it was never something I wanted to do.  This is something that I  can say, as an adult, that I'm not being thrown into, that I love and that I'm good at.  So now when I visit my parents, they always have to ask what can I eat instead of what do I want to eat.  I just tell them to have enough chicken, fish and veggies in the fridge and I'll supply the rest.  I have to travel with my supplements, protein shakes and other food items in a cooler.  All my parents can do is shake their head.

I wasn't just getting this reaction from my parents though.  Pretty soon, most of my friends that I would hang out with caught wind of my new lifestyle and soon started to slip away.  I'm not going to lie, in the beginning it bothered me.  All the hangouts and cookouts I once were invited to became far and few.  But then I started posting pictures of my progress on Facebook and Instagram.  Now, all those friends that mocked me were suddenly telling me how good I looked and they never knew how much my body had changed.  I had a few supportive friends and I was happy for them but the ones that turned from me when I started on this new journey were ones that had my attention.  I couldn't understand why everything seemed to be ok when I was drinking and eating as badly as they did but as I turned over a new leaf I was removed from their inner circle.  I slowly came to realize that misery indeed loves company.  I had always heard that phrase, understood the meaning but had never encountered it in my everyday life.  It's so funny how certain things in life turn into a lesson.