A Letter From A Woman In Her Workout Clothes To Other Women in the Grocery Store

[Note: A few days ago, I read this article titled A Letter From A Working Mother to A Stay At Home Mother (and Vice Versa). It was a great read that really nailed on the head a lot of things women don't wanna say to each other...or maybe do...or maybe it's just stays unspoken. But either way, conveyed much respect and love, and I enjoyed it. So much so, it inspired this post below...with a slight variation on a slightly different topic.]

Dear Other Women in the Grocery Store:

I see you glance over at me in the Harris Teeter. First of all, I know right now all you see are sweet potatoes, bananas, cabbage, romaine lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers. Because, well, they are what's visible on top of the cart. But I am not the "only health food all the time" mom that you may think I am. Come a little closer, and you will see the Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish, the Easy Mac, the Cheddar Chex Mix and the croutons at the bottom of my cart. You just don't see them because of the way I navigate through the store. Inner aisles first, outer aisles last. Not trying to hide them. Just have my system.

I know I am wearing stretch pants, my Zumba tank top, and my hair is in a crazy sweaty ponytail. I don't look like this because I want to brag to everyone that I just worked out. I look like this because I have 28.2 seconds today to squeeze in all my errands, and this was my next stop. No time to go home to shower and change. That will happen later, after I make one more stop at Target and before I have to run to my kid's Valentines Dance and then to my other kid's birthday party.  Working out was something I had to schedule in today. In fact, I have to schedule it in most days. Because life is busy, I get busy, but I know it's something that needs to happen. So, it gets added to the calendar and then subsequently gets checked off the To Do List.

And I do kinda enjoy it.

I didn't always enjoy it. In fact, for a looooong time, I didn't even do it.

I tried a few things. Found a few things I didn't like, or I guess I should say, things that didn't really EXCITE me. And then I found the things that I did like.

I used to look at women in the grocery store and think "Really?  Could your pants be any tighter? Could you not have gone home and changed?"

And the best excuse I had for myself: "I can't workout before going out today, because I won't have time to shower and what if I see someone from high school at the Teeter today? I cannot look all nasty and sweaty."

But, then I realized I didn't care. I didn't need to care. And I didn't want to care anymore.

My health was more important than whether or not my eyelashes were curled or I was wearing my cute new boots while running my errands in public.

So, Women in the Grocery Store, who is staring a bit too long and comparing our carts and our attire. Please know, I was you two-ish years ago. I had all the excuses in the book. Memorized, cued up, and ready to use.

But, guess what? I only have 24 hours in the day just like you do.

But I learned how to make the most of those 24 hours.

And I have more energy than I have ever had. I eat better than I ever did (Vanilla Cupcake Goldfish aside). And I don't freak out when I run into someone I know when I am "less than presentable." Because, honestly, I am sure they saw a picture of me wearing make up and those cute boots at some point on Facebook anyway.

I'm rooting for you, Other Woman in the Grocery Store. I know you are just at the start of your weight-loss/healthy living journey. Make that leap to the next level. No judgement from me. All love and support. We women have to stick together because we are raising the next generation of women. And it's our job to stop the judgement and encourage the understanding.

And let me know if you wanna come shimmy and shake with me.

There's no judgement there either.

Love from the produce aisle,
Woman In Her Workout Clothes