Amanda Trusty

So excited, so excited, so excited, wait, what? Wait, is that really me? Holy shit.

Show up to work. Know your shit. Watch your words. Use a filter when words come out of your mouth. Show a little compassion. Wash your hands. Know people's names. Look at their medical records. And pay attention to cause for concern.

As we move forward in this body image war that plagues so much of our country, how amazing would it be if we showed up to an event and someone told us that we are stunning, instead of how we look stunning?

I can't help but wonder, what could be different if I start teaching my little girls at a young age what the muscles are under all those body parts that the magazines will be so quick to label as flawed in a few years when my girls start reading them?

Kiss her slowly, touch her face, gently tug on her hair — before you even make your way down to her breasts. Many women with body image issues are most self-conscious about their stomach, so when you get to her waist, hold on to her tight and bring her closer to you.

The fact that a woman's body may have changed after birth has been heavily capitalized upon by the diet and fitness industry, and we have been taught that every single mother desires to return to her previous body as soon as possible. We have been brainwashed, we have been inundated with it, and though it seems like many of us realize that it's a fictional story by now, the majority of the country still sees it as fact.