I never have, nor will I ever, post a picture of a super thin, muscular and oiled up woman with no butt and her hips sticking out. I don't do this because I look down on women that look like that or think it's an unattainable goal for myself, but because that's not the one defining image of healthy I want to project. Women have butts, thighs, hips... NATURALLY! They can still be healthy and have softness and curves.
While I try to be positive most days, today I am posting some images I hate in hopes that you will also realize that you don't HAVE to look like that to be sexy. Don't be so hard on yourself and be healthy for YOU and not for others.
#1- Fat Lasts Longer Than Flavor- This is outrageous and also a total lie. You know what I like better than working out and getting rid of my "fat?" Food. I love food. Food and I have had a 28-year relationship that I would hate to see go to waste. This meme gives the message that healthy food can't taste good. And, that you have to eat unhealthy food to find flavor. Wrong. So wrong. In fact, many times healthy, fresh food tastes WAY better than processed food. There are countless cookbooks that focus solely on delicious AND healthy food. You only have to look as far as the internet, folks. Remember: Healthy food CAN be delicious AND you don't get the guilt afterwards that you would get after a #3 at McDonalds. Don't let crap like this image fool you. It's nonsense.
I found another picture that I would DEFINTIELY use that portrays a better message about food. It's simple and gives a great message. Yes, you HAVE to eat to live, but you don't have to live to eat.
#2- Um... ? Seriously, WHAT is this girl doing?! Yes, she has great body. Yes, it's clear she's worked hard to be that toned. But that come hither look she's got going on says, "I'm sexy." Yes, you are, TO SOME. Truth be told, her body isn't 100% realistic for most women. It CAN be, sure, but if you have tons of time and eat totally clean. That's not realistic for 90% of the women I know. They have kids that want macaroni and jobs that require them to work long hours and sit most of the time. But, women look at this and think, THAT IS SEXY. You know what I think? It's confident. And that's the sexiest thing about this picture. Going into the new year, where the inevitable #1 resolution will be to get in better shape, I'm concerned about women setting goals for themselves to look like this girl and then get discouraged 2 weeks in because you don't yet. You CAN look like this if you put in the work, both with fitness and your diet. The better option for this one is the image below. Your only comparison should be to yourself. Imagine that.
#3 Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. Guys, PLEASE, if you get anything out of this entry, take this (and I'm talking to myself here as well), skinny is not the magical cure that will make you happy with your body. I PROMISE you. Yeah, if I could fit into my jeans from college, I'd be happy about that. I'd be happy if, when I waved, my arms didn't jiggle like a lunch lady's. I'd be thrilled if I could wear a bathing suit confidently. BUT I also know skinny people who would be happy with those things, too.
If I lost the amount of weight that I want to lose, I would still have hips and a butt. Guaranteed, y'all. I weighed 110 pounds when I graduated from high school and I had hips and a booty. It's just how I'm built. I will never look like the girl in the picture. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's Kate Moss, a SUPERMODEL. It's giving me, as the viewer, an unrelaistic view of healthy. Here's something better: Nothing looks as good as healthy feels. Super skinny NEVER looks better than a healthy woman. Remember that. Also, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.
