My Meadow Report

the juice is in the journey

  • Home
  • About
    • About Renée
    • What is My Meadow Report
  • New Here?
  • Offerings
    • Practical Astrology:
  • Work With Me
  • Collections
  • Connect
You are here: Home / Life / I May Have a Great Body. But I’m Not Lucky.

I May Have a Great Body. But I’m Not Lucky.

November 10, 2017 | Renée Fishman

body image

I eat all the time. Sometimes, dessert is dinner. I still fit into clothes from over 20 years ago. I have a great body. But I’m not lucky.

How People Comment on My Body

Throughout my life, people have apparently believed that the fact that I am tall and thin gives them a license to comment on my body.

Specifically, they seem to believe it’s acceptable to say things like:

  • You must never eat.
  • Do you live on lettuce?
  • I bet you don’t eat dessert.

I know that people who say these things intend their remarks as a compliment. We can discuss, some other time, why this intention doesn’t make it ok.

By now, I’ve learned how to brush off most comments. But there is one that really pushes my buttons:

  • You’re so lucky.

Let me assure you:

This is not luck.

Yes, there may be a certain amount of genetics involved. But I cannot eat “whatever I want” without consequences. I learned this lesson in college. I learned it when I started my career as an attorney, and learned it again when I started my real estate practice a decade ago. That lesson returned when I turned 40. Genetics alone aren’t enough.

Here’s what you don’t see

I start every day with fitness first. No matter what. I haven’t missed a morning workout in over 4 years.

Most days, I do another physical activity in the evening. Twice a week I have flying trapeze practice. I also swim. I do yoga, pilates and a variety of other fitness disciplines.

In between, I am often on my feet and on the move. Like many New Yorkers, my feet are my car. If I can walk, I walk. My next best option is the NYC subway. I walk almost everywhere. If I have a choice between the escalator and stairs, I take the stairs.

Last year, I started tracking my steps. I have hit at least 10,000 steps a day for the 542 consecutive days (as of the date this is published). That’s not an average of 10,000 steps a day.

Many days, most days, it’s a lot more.

To say I lead an active lifestyle is an understatement.

The other night, I hit the gym at 10 pm for my second workout of the day, after a long day of sitting and deep work. As I moved the stagnant energy through my body, the echoes of those comments rang through my mind.

You’re so lucky.

Ummm. No.

It’s not f*cking luck.

I started my day here. I’m closing the place down. I’m not on the couch scrolling Instagram or watching workout videos on YouTube. I’m actually working out.

The other echo I heard in that moment was all the people who ask me about how to create a fitness habit.

This is not a habit.

Do you think I just automatically put on workout clothes and sneakers and walked over to the gym? At 10 pm?

I assure you, I did not.

Whether it’s the morning or the evening, a workout never just happens.

Also, this is not discipline.

This is a commitment. To my physical fitness, and also to my mental and emotional fitness.

Let me assure you that I’m far from perfect.

Every day I disappoint myself in a million ways. Except for this one.

I was there, pushing hard, because I knew that when I rested my head on the pillow, after completing my evening journaling ritual, I would know that I kept my commitment to myself to take care of my mind, body and spirit.

This has nothing to do with goals or habits or discipline.

It’s certainly not about luck.

How “Lucky” Insults Me and Sabotages You

When I was younger, people told me to brush off the comments. They said people who made stupid remarks about my appearance were just “jealous.” Maybe that’s true. (It doesn’t make those comments acceptable, by the way.)

Maybe you don’t want to exercise. That’s OK. Some days, I don’t either, to be honest. What works for me may not work for you.

When you call me “lucky” you undermine the work I put into maintaining my health and fitness.

Worse, when you call me “lucky,” or when you attribute any person’s success — in any area — to luck, you send a message to your subconscious: This is out of reach for me.

And that’s a lie.

My results didn’t come from luck. They come from dedication, commitment, and persistence.

You have those qualities too.

Isn’t that infinitely more empowering than ascribing my success to luck?

I’ve been thin and weak, and thin and strong. Most people just see thin. But it’s not about what you see, or even about what I see. It’s about how I feel, during and after my workout. I put my body to the test every day. And every day, it rises to support me. Hard to feel anything but gratitude and love for that.

The questions and speculation about my eating habits bothered me for years. But I’ve learned to let that inappropriate behavior roll off my strong, muscular back.

I have only one request:

Please don’t insult me, or yourself, by calling me lucky.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: body image, commitment, discipline, fitness, fitness first, habits, luck, rituals, self-sabotage

Trackbacks

  1. The Most Crucial Habit for Success is Not a Habit | Renee Fishman says:
    November 15, 2017 at 7:00 AM

    […] over four years, I have maintained a daily practice of “fitness first”: my workout is the first thing I do each day. I wake up, I lace up my sneakers, and I move my body, either at the gym, if one is available, or […]

    Reply
  2. How I Built a Daily Blogging Ritual | Renée Fishman says:
    February 28, 2018 at 7:00 AM

    […] walking 10,000 steps a day […]

    Reply
  3. How I Learned to Love My Body | Renée Fishman says:
    August 8, 2018 at 7:00 AM

    […] me is body confidence issues. People generally look at me and consider me “lucky.” Of course, it’s not luck. I exercise daily, often more than once a day, and I maintain a very active lifestyle. I strive to […]

    Reply

Love it? Hate it? What do you think? Don't hold back...Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The journey is better with friends!

Join a growing tribe of wisdom seekers who are committed to a life of meaning and purpose, and embrace a new paradigm of productivity.

I take your privacy and my integrity seriously. I won't spam you or sell your info. You can unsubscribe at any time.

WHAT’S EVERYONE READING?

  • The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
    The Missing Piece to Rumi’s Quote About Finding the Barriers You’ve Built Against Love
  • Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
    Reflections On Turning 44: Transforming Double Death Into Blessing
  • 3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
    3 Ways to Work With the Energy of Mercury Square Neptune
  • 7 Tips to Improve Your Time on CrossFit’s DT Workout
    7 Tips to Improve Your Time on CrossFit’s DT Workout
  • 5 Reasons Why Having a Vision is Important
    5 Reasons Why Having a Vision is Important
  • 5 Tips for Alchemizing the Challenge of Mars/Saturn Opposition
    5 Tips for Alchemizing the Challenge of Mars/Saturn Opposition
  • Venus Conjunct Chiron Teaches How to Heal Your Deepest Wounds
    Venus Conjunct Chiron Teaches How to Heal Your Deepest Wounds
  • Venus Square The Lunar Nodes: An Invitation to Transcend Your Fear With Confidence
    Venus Square The Lunar Nodes: An Invitation to Transcend Your Fear With Confidence
  • 5 Essential Elements for a Tight Five Comedy Set
    5 Essential Elements for a Tight Five Comedy Set
  • Sun Square Saturn: Your Hero’s Journey
    Sun Square Saturn: Your Hero’s Journey

RECENT POSTS

  • The Mindset Behind “Stacking Days”
  • The Wisdom in Distraction: Why You Should Follow Your Curiosity
  • How the Background Soundtrack Influences You
  • Meditation Is Not What You Think It Is
  • Jupiter Square the Lunar Nodes: Escape the Binary Keeping You Stuck
  • The Upside of Disruption
  • What’s the Pace You Can Sustain?
  • Time is Not Money: How to Value Time for What It Really Is
  • Innovation Requires More Than a New Idea
  • How to Break Your Phone Addiction Without Deleting All the Apps

Archives

Categories

Explore

action ADHD astrology beliefs business change coaching communication creativity emotions energy fear fitness freedom goals habits healing holidays learning lessons life meaning mindfulness mindset nature personal development personal growth planning practice presence process productivity purpose rest rituals seasons self-awareness strategies success time time management trust vision writing yoga

Disclosure

Some of the links in some posts are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.

Connect with Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • Threads
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Vimeo
  • YouTube

Get the Insider Scoop!

Not everything is on the blog. Sign up to receive ideas and strategies that I reserve only for insiders.

Thanks for subscribing!

Copyright © 2025 Renee Fishman · BG Mobile First · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in

%d