Lovin’ your body
Hey everyone! How’s your morning going?? You’re probably thinking “wait, it’s not another guest post??”. Nope, it’s me 😀 With a very special post for ya’ll:
Today is National Love Your Body day….
(Source)
A day to appreciate, care for, and celebrate our bodies <3
About this time last year, I had an epiphany in which I realized that I only get one body, so it’s time accept it for what it is and be thankful for everything it enables me to do. I’ve found myself in so many situations where I was unhappy with the way I looked and would do anything to change it.
For years of my life, I sought a media-spawned perfection that doesn’t exist. Even after my weight loss success, which I did purely for myself to feel better, I actually felt like I could do MORE. I worked out like a maniac, counted calories every day, fawned over fashions, wore colored contacts, researched rhinoplasty surgery (and even had a consultation and started to save money for the procedure), and to be honest, it was exhausting. I felt like every day I worked so hard, it was never enough, and I went to bed many a night discouraged and frustrated about the things I couldn’t change. Why couldn’t I look like so-and-so supermodel? Why couldn’t I have legs like this girl (mine are short and far from Giselle’s long and lean gams), arms like this girl, abs like this girl (whose name is Jessica Alba, btw), and nose like this girl (I’ve always been uncomfortable about my “beak nose” as I like to call it.. I’ve broken it three times!). Randomly, after spending SO much of my time and effort (and my LIFE!), I finally sat down one day and realized that when I’m old, I’m going to wish that I wouldn’t have wasted so much time worrying about what I looked like. Life should be ENJOYED, not spent thinking about how things could be “better”. One can’t keep waiting to be happy and satisfied, or they’ll just end up an old unhappy person.
After my ah-ha moment, slowly but surely I learned to eat food I truly adore (rather than foods that had the “right” nutritional info but were laden with processed ingredients), stopped killing myself at the gym (I still work out a lot, but it’s the type of exercise I enjoy in lieu of past gym sessions I viewed as mandatory), and I started to understand that some parts of my body are going to have a little smush to them, no matter what I do and the “beak nose” is here to stay, unless I go under the knife which I’m really not down for. Instead of berating my body for not complying with what I wanted it to look like, I started to fully appreciate all of the things it enables me to DO. I can run, spin, Zumba, teach aerobics, train, yoga, play with my puppies to my heart’s delight, cook and have dinner parties, without physical limitations. Every morning, it really is a blessing to be able to get out of bed, get cranking on the day, and my body has never held me back from anything I wanted to do. And yet, I spent so much time abusing it instead of being so grateful for the freedom it provides me.
It’s funny, because the more I started to appreciate and be thankful for the healthy body I’d been given, the more it thanked me in return. I ran a half marathon and a myriad of other races (because I LIKED them! Who would have thought?!), started the Zumba program at our gym and taught quite a few spin and step classes, trained and educated clients on health and wellness, and was glowing from the inside out. My body actually started to look BETTER, the less I worried about appearance and focused on health and wellbeing in general. I’ve found that when you do what’s right for your body, instead of what you feel pressured to do or what you think others are doing, it’s amazing how well it will respond. Remember, you know what’s best for you, not what some book or silly blogger is telling you. Our bodies are always talking to us and it’s up to us to actually stop and listen to what they’re saying.
Of course, I am a human (not a robot) after all and definitely still have days when I don’t feel 100% or a little blah. I’ve realized that the more I’ve focused on health and what’s best for me rather than external pressures, the less frequently those days occur and most of the time, I feel pretty darn ahmazin’ 😀
This year, I think we should all take a second and think about how beautiful we are and all of the reasons why our bodies should be loved. And by “loved”, I don’t just mean accepting physical appearance, “loved” as in “nurtured”.
Not only do we need to be grateful for all of the physical beauty we each possess, but also take the time to take care of the one body we have. There are quite a few people out there, who look great externally but are unhealthy on the inside. They think “Dayum, I look good!” and then go outside and light a cigarette, skip the gym for the (insert number here)th day, ditch fruits and veggies, refuse to take time for themselves, and neglect the other healthy habits that nurture our bodies and give us the ability us to thrive.
We need to care for our bodies by not only appreciating them for all they enable us to do, but also by providing adequate nutrition and promoting mental health. Taking up yoga was one of the best decisions I’ve made for my health- both physical and mental alike. It sculpts and tones and at the same time reminds me to stay in the present and sloooooow down my often frantic mind.
Let’s start (and keep!) healthy habits now to love our bodies in the best way possible: by taking care of ourselves mentally, physically and nutritionally. Hop on that yoga mat, grab an extra salad, hit up the gym, go for a walk and very importantly seek advice if you need help on your path to better health.
In celebration of Love Your Body Day, let’s list of some things we love about our body physically, and a step we’re going to take today to nurture our bodies and promote good health.
I’ll go first:
I love my calves! They’re muscular from years of dancing and look banging in heels.
Today, I’m going to do a yoga podcast and have a salad beast for one of my meals 😉
Your turn. 😀
Later today: another awesome guest post! Get ready!
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Great post! I love my shoulders and triceps because they are super strong and I love the look of them in tanks. And right now I’m about to drink a green monster. 🙂
Gina, this is a fantastic post. I think, while it really sucks that you’ve had those negative thoughts about yourself, that it’s refreshing to other women to know that EVERY woman has them, regardless of how we view them. You’re gorgeous, girl, inside AND out!
THANK YOU for this post!!! I can relate to how you used to feel – always chasing an ideal of perfection and striving to improve something about myself. I am finally starting to see that no matter how hard I work out or how well I eat, my weight/body tone seem to stay within a very small range, but mentally I have been obsessing for a long time. I tend to freak out about a missed workout day, but so many times I am missing out on other things in life in order to get to the gym or go for a run. I printed out this post and I’m going to refer to it to help me love my body as it is and focus on HEALTH! You rock Gina!
I love my legs because they are long — I have a 34 inch inseam.
Today, I’m actually starting to blog about my new experiences as I explore raw foods.
I love this post, Gina!!! You’re completely right about looking better when you stop stressing about it. I actually lose weight when I’m not obsessed with calories eaten and calories burned. It’s so important for us to remind ourselves that this is the only body we have. You are gorgeous and I’m so glad you see that. 🙂
Great post! I love my long lean legs, which I have acheived through many years of diligent (but not crazy!) working out and my new yoga practice — I love summer and wearing shorts/skirts bc of it! 🙂
Today I am going to take a day off exercising to let my body recover, along with eating healthful foods that keep me going!
GREAT post! I am really lucky because I managed to escape all the body hatred that consumes most women. I have always known that my body does what I need it to do and that is enough! But I hear my favorite people in the world, my female family members and friends, berating themselves for not being ‘perfect’ and they constantly equate eating certain foods (chips, icecream, etc) with being BAD. It isn’t BAD, it is just food! Enjoy life! Like I always say: I drink my green juices, eat my cupcakes and enjoy myself in the gym! My body is phenomenal just the way it is, thank you.
I LOVE your blog!! Thanks for the awesome post!!
I love my toned arms and shoulders!! Today I’m going to take PiYo at lunch 🙂 And I’ve learned to be kind and listen to my body – this morning I really wanted to run but my leg was bothering me so I backed off and did something else instead.
Thank you so much for this post! It is exactly what I needed today. Recently I realized that I began my quest with weight loss and physical perfection at age 16…now at 26 I am still unhappy with both. So nearly 40% of my life has been spent agonizing over my “outer beauty” which I now find extremely depressing. I don’t want to reach 50 and realize that I spent my life hating my body.
So I’ve begun a new quest, one of physicaly health. I still want to lose weight and look great, but the priority is physical health. Thanks for the awesome post!
Love this post! I love my shoulders and arms, I work hard in the gym to be healthy and happy and I feel like that shows.
i started to cry as i read this post…you truly are an inspirational lady!
i actually decided to quit smoking today, no ciggy yet and no craving or need, i can do this…today is the first day of the rest of my life…i’m going to have a “salad beast” as well today and a kelp noodle salad…very high raw day for me today…
i’ve been transitioning to very healthy slowly…i’ve already accomplished the vegan…it’s been about 6 months…and now the no smokey!!! yay! now i need to join a gym…
anyway…i adore your life letters to us all…i look forward to them daily…
take care gina! and thank you from the bottom of my heart!
=)
great post about lovin’ your body!
jenna
Awesome post 🙂
I love my arms and my back – both are muscular and strong, and help me enjoy all my favorite hobbies.
Fantastic post! I was so happy to read it this morning.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much time I waste thinking about the various ways that I want my body to change. I certainly don’t obsess about it, but still, I wonder if all the minutes that I’ve spent thinking about it could fill up a whole day. Now that’s a scary thought!
I still have my moments, but I’m so happy with how far I’ve come in both health and exercise. And I’m going to go ahead and say it, my rear is pretty fab. Ahh, awkward, haha. But that’s the one body part of mine that I’ve always embraced. 🙂
Gina, I have been lurking here for awhile. It’s amazing how much you are on my mind during the day (lurker not stalker..lol). Today’s post was perfect! Thank you!!
Oh…..more pilot pics please 😉
Fabulous post – one of my all time favorites! I love my shoulders – they are strong and level. Today I took a yoga class, brought helathy food for my lunch and will take my pug on a long walk when I get home. Thanks again for all your support and inspiration.
LOVE this post!! I love my skin – years and years of religious moisturizing has made it super soft and smooth.
Great post, thanks! You are an inspiration. I love my abs 🙂
Today, I went to the gym, had a morning smoothie with spinach, and a salad with lunch… I was good today.
I love my arms — they’re not small, but they’re toned, and they let me lift heavy things (like my 20-pound cat). I love seeing them in photos, because they make all the pushups and tricep dips worth it!
I’m going to blog about this – this is such a wonderful idea! Today, I’m going to love my body by practicing yoga wholeheartedly and mindfully feeding my body nourishing food!
Aw! I think you are so pretty- nose included! You wouldn’t be you without your nose!
My goal is to see the same beauty in myself that I see in other people I care about. I’ve noticed that a lot of things I consider imperfect about my appearance are things that I would find striking or endearing on other people. I’d really like to get to a place where I see my body as a friend, instead of something to be criticized and perfected.
That being said, I love my cheekbones.
Today I am coming to terms with the fact that my body may not be able to carry me through the marathon this weekend. But I love it anyway, and I’ll focus today on the fact that I love how my legs are strong and muscular…and less on the fact that they are injured. Oats and Stretching!
Beautiful! I actually reposted this on my facebook..well the “let’s all celebrate National Love your Body day!”. It is certainly a message that all of us should take to heart and teach our children!!!
Great post Gina! I really enjoyed reading it, and may just print it out for my inspiration binder I keep 🙂
As for me, I like that I have long legs because it means that not only can I pull off some great dresses, but also that it means I get to keep up with my boyfriend when we go running. And today I am having another vegan dinner made of 100% vegetables!
Have a great day,
Emily.
LOVE THIS POST!!!
Lately I’ve been feeling a lot more body love. It’s challenging after you lose weight to see the “new you” after seeing yourself in the mirror for so many years. I have really come to embrace my new body and am very proud of all that I have accomplished.
Tonight I’m going to celebrate with a bellydancing class by wearing a crop top, because I’m proud of my body.
Thanks Gina, you rock.
Great post. You might be interested in this Love Letter to My Body on Christine Kane’s blog.
I’m speechless…utterly SPEECHLESS! This is such a refreshing post, I’ve almost got tears in my eyes! I too have lost a lot of weight, ad even gained some national attention for it this past year, but I still struggle wiht body image and the thigs that I wish I could change, You are so spot on! I’m going to celebrate my body and what it can do, ad those things that I look at as imperfections, I’m going to look at them as things that mke me ME!! Thank you so much Gina, I hope this post reaches and touches others as well.
Now for what I like about my body…well I too, love my calves and my guns (lol) they are very toned, muscular, and I think I could give Michelle Obama a run for her money!
Enjoy the rest of your time in Cali!
http://www.stacietotheg.com
God knows I spend WAY too much of my time obsessing and stressing about my body and what others may think of me. Thinking of all the places I haven’t gone or activities I haven’t participated in only because I didn’t have the right clothes, or was skinny enough breaks my heart. But, in celebration of Love Your Body day, I will say that I love my eyes, my skin and my heart for never giving up on me in spite of what I’ve down to it. Fantastic post girlie! Thank you for reminding us of what is important.
This is a great post! I love my strong legs and how powerful they make me feel! Today I’m going to love my body by enjoying healthy foods and fitting in a quick workout after I get home this evening!
LOVE this. I hated my legs for years. They are SUPER muscular and I always felt like they looked so strange in dresses in skirts. Now I realize them enable me to do all of the incredible things I do like teach group fitness classes, run, walk, live my life! They are beautiful 🙂
Gina, this post ia a keeper, for sure! 🙂 I love my little biceps – my arms are relatively puny but I get a kick out of lifting weights and seeing the definition in my arms that wasn’t there a year or two ago.
Today I am going to celebrate by eating a multitude of bananas. Hehe.
Thank you for this post!!!! I love my upper body and I think my feet look nice too. 🙂
Gina, this has to be my all-time favorite post! You are such an inspiration 🙂 Loving our body seems like such a simple task, but I know I always have a way of finding something I don’t like. Thank you so much for reminding me that I’ve only got one body, and I should love it and make the most of it!
I am tall but I’ve got curves, and I like them! I also love my feet(I treat them very nicely with pedicures)! Today I’m going to zumba again(!) and resisting my urge to indulge in sweets this season, I usually go overboard for the holidays because… Well, it’s the holidays! This year I’m going to make some “healthy” sweets — maybe some Gina-‘roons? 😉
Thanks again for an awesome, inspiring post!
Your post could not have come at a better time! I am 8 months pregnant and just got lectured by my Doc yesterday for gaining 6 lbs in 2 weeks. She was VERY rude and harsh, asking me “how” I gained the weight (what did she expect me to say?). I was humiliated and worried for my baby…but when I wasn’t having any negative symptoms of preclamsia, I knew my baby was happy and healthy in her little cocoon. I realized that my body is lovely and amazing; it can create a baby (well, with a little help from my husband)!! The female body is incredible and we should all do our best to appreciate our capabilites and beauty.
LIFE IS GOOD!!
Awesome post! 🙂
I love love love this post. Your approach to life is so refreshing! I really love my legs because they are rock solid from cycling. And today I’m going to do my body a favor and take an OFF day – no bike, no yoga, no pilates. My muscles are angry and I need to make them happy 🙂 The super hemp protein, 1/2 bag of spinach smoothie bowl I had for breakfast this morning is also makin me feel pretty awesome! Thanks again for being an inspiration 🙂
Great post Gina!
I love my stomach because it is flat, a little muscular but ultra feminine and curvy. I also love my butt because it gives JLo a run for her money. And I also love my legs because after a few years of really running (many races and two marathons) they are super muscular and can take me, well, at least 26.2 miles but most likely a lot more!
I’m going to have a green monster today, I have spinach that’s about to go bad and maybe a salad beast with some avocado! YUMMY!
I love my upper back! It’s sexy and toned, and makes me feel like a strong woman whenever I catch a glimpse of it in the mirror.
This is a lovely post and has inspired me to start treating my body better. I eat fairly well and exercise consistently, but I know I bring myself down with negative talk and that needs to STOP! Thanks Gina for being such an awesome inspiration, as well as honest with your readers!
I heart you! You’ve just encouraged me to get back to blogging — something I quickly abandoned because I don’t have it all together, as it seems all the other bloggers out there do! I get so caught up in what I should be doing based on what others say or do, I have to shake that mentality!
I love my backside. It may be verging towards more of a ba-dunk-a-dunk right now, but it’s still nice and curvy!
Awesome post, I really needed to hear this.
I like my arms, calves and butt. I used to hate my “bubble butt” but now it’s my most favorite asset. 😉
A to the Men!!! I’m picking two assets: my biceps (rock hard baby) and my abs. The fact that my stomach has been stretched out to the size of a watermelon and back and that I still have definition is a miracle of God (or intense hard work and a clean diet…)!
Woo hoo for this post! I love my arms, and not just because you said to pick something I love on my body. I mean like I admire my arms every day, regardless. It’s automatic by now. I kinda love it! Yeah it takes maintenance, but I love what you said about growing older and not wanting to think, gee I wish I hadn’t hated on myself so much back then. I’m still pretty young and already I have cultivated amazing habits that allow me to do things like change the water cooler in my office (usually, haha). Some coworkers who aren’t that much older than me can’t handle it! And bonus for eating so well–that only adds more time onto this life I’m not going to spend hating my body. 🙂
I love my… BODY! All of it. I care for it and it cares for me. And it’s better this year than ever before!
Too risque?
http://runningbetty.com/wordless-wednesday-love-your-body
What a wonderful holiday! I didn’t even know about it and I woke up this morning looking my legs and my arms! I’ve change some of my workouts and haven’t been over training myself. I feel wonderful.
LOVE this.
The last thing to go from my anorexia has been body image. There was a time when I couldn’t look in the mirror without crying.
Like you said, I feel like I’ve been wasting my life away worrying about calories and how my body looks in the mirror.
I LOVE my legs…they are super long and muscular thanks to years of track and cross country. I also love my hair – again, super long haha!
Thanks, Gina. Your blog has always been inspiring, but today definitely stands out.
I love my defined abs and STRONG legs! I juiced this morning and am drinking a V8 now! I also ran today (love) and am teaching ballet tonight (love love love)
awesome post gina!!! it’ always great to see how far and much better people feel about themselves!! love you!
thank you thank you thank you! amazing post, amazing blog 🙂
Ahem girl!! Fabulous post! I love your blog and the enthusiasm that comes across in each post and today was definitely no exception. Thanks for encouraging everyone to slow down and love what they have! 🙂
Woops, totally meant amen!