I ditched the diet "rules" and body image "rules"

I streamed some vegetables this morning as I like to keep them in the fridge to make custom soup quickly. Along with the veggies I keep a variety of cooked meat and usually some steamed white rice. I use them along with chicken broth and spices and customize the amount of macro's according to my needs for the day or meal. It's easy to pack in a thermos if I need to leave the house.

Some people might not like this method because they want it "more fresh". This works for me because I'm very busy and many times feel I need to make the meal fairly quickly so this way I'm basically just heating up cooked items in the broth.

Other people might want to give you their food rules.

Don't worry about other people's food rules.

Make your own rules!

Don't let people say you must eat vegetables raw or with this or with that.

If you like them raw fine. Do it.

I like mine cooked (but some are okay raw too).

I'm still super healthy.

I eat white rice 'cuz I like it.

I don't eat a lot of processed sugar because it makes me feel like crap, and it "feels" addictive.

I eat cookies and desserts on occasion as a treat, but only when I DECIDE.

No one else gets to decide for me.

I own it.

It is a struggle sometimes because Randy would like me to put on a little more weight. But at the same time, he LETS ME OWN IT. He tells me his opinion and lets it go. I had to fight a bit to get to this point with him. But Randy and I have been married 26 years and we never "fight". We respectfully have our own opinions sometimes. So the "fight" was just within me and a bit of loving communication with him over the years to reach a point of mutual agreement.

I don't think there is any best way to build your body. If you want to be skinny great, if you want to be curvy great, if you want to be toned great, if you want to be lean and muscular great. The look you want is determined by the body fat level for the most part. Girls don't get big muscles when all natural even when they lift heavy. I'm pretty small and my muscles only added at the most 4 pounds to my overall small size. If I let my body fat come up a bit more then I'd be more curvy or "toned" or whatever you want to call it.

It the end all that matters is WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR OWN BODY. It doesn't much matter what anyone else thinks. You are the one who has to live with your own self 24x7.

I like being lean and my doctors say it's fine. I'm healthy as can be. I don't have eating disorders and never have.

But I do struggle like everyone else. I deal with stress hunger like everyone else. I love food like everyone else. I wish I could just eat what I want like everyone else.

But no. I have to constantly remind myself I can have more next time.

I have to constantly be aware and ask myself WHY do I want to eat extra? Is it to fill this void of insecurity or anxiety about whatever is going on in my life. A lot of times it is. Sometimes I walk away from the food and other times I'm not so perfect.

We move on. We do the best we can.