I'm Sexy and I Know It!

It's all about perception.

A few tidbits over the past few months have gotten me thinking about how important perception is to exercise and losing weight.  My progress and my body image are relative to how I think about them.  Consider the following:

Back on Easter, my mom asked if I was skinny.  Now, to me, skinny is not something I aspire to be.  Trim?  Yes.  Fit?  Yes.  Look good in a bikini lounging on the beach?  Absolutely.  But skinny?  Never.  Skinny to me implies ribs sticking out and an unhealthy sort of look.  Think MaryKate and Ashley Olsen if you get the picture.  But, when I tried to answer the question, I realized that it was a question of perception.  To a person who struggles with their weight, I am probably fit and skinny!  To a person who has been an athlete her whole life, I'm probably still a bit on the pudgy side.  And they are both right.


Because body image isn't a matter of a number on a scale or a number on a clothing label.  And it certainly isn't reflected in BMI or my body fat percentage.  It isn't even about how much weight I can squat or how fast I can run a mile.  Body image is very personal and completely about perception.  On a good day, I can perceive myself to be smoking hot and awesome looking in that string bikini.  And, on others, I can look in the mirror and see nothing but cellulite.  Which is the real, true, objective image?  Neither...because it's all based in perception.


Body image and "sexiness" isn't what you see in the mirror.  It's very intangible and results more from your own personal confidence and mental image than anything else.  Having a great day?  Everyone knows it and your attitude shifts and changes as a result.  You automatically seem more attractive because it is your positivity that is attracting others.  Having a crappy day?  That negativity rubs off too.  


No matter where you are in your body's journey, keep it up.  Whatever your goal is -- focus on the process and stay positive.  That positive attitude and self confidence will enable you to reach your goals -- no matter what your personal daily perception happens to be.

Fitness Defined

"Fitocracy's mission is to make fitness a more fun, more addictive experience.  Play Fitocracy to beat challenges, push your boundaries, and show your friends who's boss.  Get addicted to your fitness." (taken from the Fitocracy.com website mission statement)  I have spent over six months getting completely addicted to my fitness -- running, lifting, cycling, swimming...heck, I've even hiked and playing raquetball by choice.  The more time I've spent on the site meeting new people, the more ideas I've gotten about how to improve my own level of fitness.  I learned this week that fitness is a relative term, but it shouldn't be.

For me, fitness isn't about looking "swole" or "hot" or the admiration of others.  (Ok...maybe a little for that last one if I'm honest!)  But, fundamentally, fitness is about being able to run around with my kids, carry two baskets of laundry up the stairs, and live to a ripe old age with my husband.  It took me a long time to be able to say the words "I am a runner" with any conviction.  Less time with the label of "lifter."  As for "swole,"   I think I'm too old to really understand what that word means and I'm ok with that.

I watched a new friend be castigated on the site for her views that cardio (running specifically) needed more points.  Now, yes...it's an internet website with fake points for real workouts so the argument goes "who cares..."  But, as a user of the site, I have been consistently frustrated that my all out PR runs do not gain nearly the points as my warmup sets in any of my lifts.  In fact, ten minutes of lifting will get me roughly the same points as a four mile run.  Ridiculous?  Yes.  But, it finally brings me to my point.  What is fitness and how does a person get to be "fit?"

I learned this week, that for some, the only way to get fit and be healthy is to lift heavy weights.  That sounds as ridiculous to me as saying the only way to get fit is to run.  Personally, I believe a good mix of the two works well.  But, heck...I'm the one who is trying to lift heavy and train for a half marathon.  And, as I've been told, the training methods for those are not complementary.  I enjoy lifting.  So, I lift.  I enjoy running.  So, I run.  It is not my place, or anyone else's, for that matter to tell someone that what they are doing to enjoy their fitness is useless and a waste of time.

So...if you like to run..GO RUN!!!  If you like to life...GO LIFT!!!  If you like to mix it up and do what you feel....GO GET TO IT!!!  It doesn't matter what you do as long as you challenge yourself to get up and do it just a little bit better/faster/harder every time you do it!!  

As for getting "swole," that's just a happy bonus.