When I was taking my certification class for CrossFit Kids/Teens, one of the instructors came up to me and complimented me on my physique . . . saying that it's great to see someone walking the walk. Then she asked me . . . "Did you ever imagine you'd look like this?" 

To her surprise, I replied: "Not only did I never think I'd look like this, I never wanted to look like this." To her perplexed expression, I continued: ". . . you see, I always wanted to have a body like Audrey Hepburn. Once I realized that was impossible, I knew it was time to embrace the body I was given."

The truth is that we don't get to go to the store and pick out the body of our choice.

Just like we learned in high school health class, there are body types . . . of which we fall into in some varying combination:

1. Ectomorph: Lean and long, with difficulty building muscle
2. Endomorph: Big, high body fat, often pear-shaped, with a high tendency to store body fat
3. Mesomorph: Muscular and well-built, with a high metabolism and responsive muscle cells

I'm predominantly a mesomorph...and yet due to some childhood slights, was pining for the ectomorph frame.

If you too are yearning to have a body type that is nowhere close to the one you have, then I am the bearer of bad news.

However, once you accept the body type you have, the good news is that you can start implementing eating and exercise strategies for your body type that support muscle gain and fat loss.

Then the gradual transformation occurs and you no longer view yourself as being too thin, too big, too muscular. Instead . . . you actually feel just right . . . possibly even beautiful . . . for the first time in your life.

-Coach Rebecca