07/30/2026
This photo popped up on my phone today. ❤️
It was taken almost two years ago at the top of Fansipan in Vietnam.
Back then, I almost deleted it.
Not because of the memory...
But because all I could see was my belly.
I remember thinking, "I look six months pregnant."
Even though I understood the science, I still judged myself.
I knew that declining estrogen during perimenopause changes much more than our menstrual cycles. It influences appetite, muscle, metabolism, and even where our bodies are more likely to store fat. As estrogen declines, many women notice a shift from storing fat around the hips and thighs to carrying more weight around the abdomen.
I knew all of that.
Yet I still looked at this photo with criticism instead of compassion.
Today, almost 54, I see something completely different.
Instead of asking, "Why does my belly look like that?"
I find myself asking,
"What has this body done for me?"
This body has carried me through nearly 54 years of life.
It has climbed mountains.
Worked long days caring for patients.
Walked beside my husband.
Laughed, cried, healed, learned, and kept showing up every single day.
And yes... it has adapted to changing hormones the best way it knows how.
Today, I don't look at this picture with judgment.
I look at it with appreciation.
Not because I no longer want to be healthy—I absolutely do.
But because I've realized my body deserves my partnership, not my criticism.
I hope that when we look at ourselves in the mirror, we don't just see a changing body. I hope we see a body that has adapted, protected us, carried us through life's highs and lows, and continues to work tirelessly every single day.
They deserve our respect, our support, and our gratitude.
