She's come under a lot of fire (and support) after posting this photo on her personal blog. Those are her three adorable kids. The youngest being only 8 months old.
Those are her abs. They have definition.
Those are her legs...don't see any cellulite from here.
Those are her arms...kind of easy to explain when you see what she's carrying around all day :)
As a mother, and as a blogger, I've spent some time over the past few days forming my opinion on this. Am I a "hater" who bashes her for posting this half-naked pic with her 3 boys making statements that, by human nature, cause the reader to feel immediately challenged?
What's your excuse?
Look at what I accomplished with 3 kids only 8 months post-pregancy!
Your kid is 3.
What the hell is wrong with you!?
(That is where women's heads go with statements like that...)
Or am I supportive, you-go-girl, wish I had those abs after 3 kids?
I'm kind of both.
I ABSOULTELY am in awe of her ability to bounce-back after baby. 13 months after having MD, I'm feeling pretty damn good, but there are still areas of concern for me that weren't an issue before I was preganant.
I'm NOT going to bash her either.
I would say I fall more along the lines of, what did you expect would happen!?
Blogging is a huge freedom.
1st Amendment, thanks fer that 'Merica!
But with it comes a very large level of responsibility & accountability.
I can post whatever the hell I feel like on this blog, but it is public, and it is viewed often, and all of my words. Ever. Single. Word. is subject to public scrutiny.
Every picture.
Everything.
Should I let that stop me from writing and posting whatever I want, HELL NO!
BUT, should I come under fire/controversy/hater attack for something I write, I also should not be surprised.
Taken aback.
Shocked.
Upset.
It's going to happen.
Maria Kang has EVERY RIGHT to post that picture on her blog, with that caption, but she also has no excuse to complain about any reaction she gets.
It's the double-edged sword of blogging.
Of the 1st ammendment.
Of Life.
The other "hard" thing, is that women are already really hard on themselves.
We always think we aren't hot enough, smart enough, good enough. It's in our blood.
It sucks.
When I got preganant, I had a LOT of body issues.
I couldn't deal with the growing stomach, arms, legs, butt, face, ugh!
Then I had MD.
I had to get used to the post-baby body.
I tell ya what...it can be quite terrifying at first!
It's like you were a balloon...and then someone popped you.
And left you like that.
It can be terrifying.
And then we see celebrities all like, Yeah I had a baby 5 minutes ago, but check out my killer abs and legs and boobs and I'm wearing a mini skirt with stilletos, and it's all because I breast feed and craved SALAD!
So then, even rational women, feel like...damn. I suck at this. I'm horrible at looking good.
When in fact, we're doing fine.
We just GAVE BIRTH.
So Maria Kang is awesome for looking that great, but it doesn't make ME feel awesome seeing her look that great, and then saying "What's your excuse?"
A commentor on one of the stories regarding this "controversy" compared her photo to a corporate executive walking into a homeless shelter and yelling out, "I make millions of dollars a year and live in a mansion and drive a jaguar....what's your excuse?"
Yeah...maybe not that dramatic, but kinda similar.
Then again, I'm from Minnesota.
We don't believe in showing off your assetts.
We're more into modesty.
Pretend you don't have something even though you do...because heaven forbid you make someone else feel bad for not having it :)
MY excuse is that I hate working out. And I love junk food. And I'm lazy. And I was born with a high metabolism that I've used to excuse away any form of exercise for my entire life.
So readers, what's YOUR excuse? :)
XOXO
Laurel