Part of what makes me quite a happy person is that I like my body. I am a woman of 31 (nearly 32!) and I'm ok with what "ma mamma gave me" as they say in some popular music towards the hip hop genre. Not that I am too familiar with popular music, though. I am more fond of slightly less mainstream music.
Regardless of music choice, though, I like what I got when it comes to arms and legs and what they are attached to. I doesn't happen to many people, especially women, and at the moment (fresh from food-filled time in Europe) I feel a little like there's a bit more of me to like that I would like, if you get my drift, but I know I can lose those extra areas without too much worry.
But I have a very healthy appreciation for my body, and one of the things I love is that I am well and truly flexible. I have danced all my life, and I do yoga, and the gym is a fun place I visit happily quite a few times a week. It gives me a smug sense of satisfaction when I am the only yoga student in the room who can do a tricky pose and hold it. You gotta get your self-esteem from somewhere, right?
My body also has this amazing ability to mend itself very quickly. I know most bodies mend themselves, thank goodness, as a lot of us are accident-prone, myself included. But I just keep being amazed at how quickly my body can hide the evidence of my clumsiness. Thank you, body!
Also, I just love to dance. I have done ballet most of my life, and have a good sense of balance, which has helped me out on so many occasions. It's wonderful to know that your body is your most wonderful tool and you are in charge of it.
So I like mirrors. Why the hell not? I'm not vain. But I like seeing that my butt is round and not flat of too flabby. It's not tiny, my butt, it's normal, and it's nice looking because of my own hard work at the gym. That makes me feel good. Going to the gym and seeing the results makes me feel great.
You know when I felt super smug about my body and its abilities last? A week ago. I do this quite challenging class at the gym called CXWORX and it involves quite a lot of core strength, balance and stamina. Last week this massively muscly man came and joined the class for the first time. He looked strong, you know, like he would totally dominate the class. But he could barely do a few repetitions of any of the exercises, more than half the class he was on the floor doing nothing but looking miserable. Of course, I wasn't doing it whistling with my eyes closed while texting on my phone either (nobody can except our hunky instructor, although I have never seen him do it whistling with his eyes closed while texting), but I managed pretty well. I found smugness was totally acceptable there.
I try to teach the kids I care for that bodies are amazing, how they repair themselves, and why they are able to make you go fast, to jump, to dance, to stretch, to climb and dangle. And that it's up to you to make sure it can keep doing that. I ask them what it takes for their bodies to be able to keep doing these amazing things. They quickly realise that it's nutrition and rest. One needs to sleep enough and to eat right for your body to be in perfect condition for adventures and fun. To put in the right fuel, so your body can be a rocket.
Food is such an important part of life. I won't dive too deep into my philosophy on food quite yet, but it all comes down to this: enjoy what you eat, eat consciously, eat in good company whenever possible and make sure you don't eat too much or too little of anything. Know your food, and know that the younger you start eating right, the longer you might live. I will dedicate more time to write about food for kids and cooking together, recipes and such, but I have seen with my own two eyes that babies who are fed varied, healthy and wholesome foods turn into kids that are not very fussy eaters. I have also learned that kids who are involved with cooking, growing and preparing food will be less likely to turn their nose up at food or refuse to try things. And of course, they learn to eat from their parents/carers. So eat healthy yourself if you want your kids to eat right.
I am a lucky person having a wonderful, healthy, fully functioning body. I can do things I enjoy with ease and grace. I can run, jump, climb, dance. There are people out there who have to deal with a body that is not able to do everything they might want. But most of those people still manage to be happy and enjoy their life and develop parts of their body to make up for the parts that might not work. Bodies are amazing like that.
Regardless of music choice, though, I like what I got when it comes to arms and legs and what they are attached to. I doesn't happen to many people, especially women, and at the moment (fresh from food-filled time in Europe) I feel a little like there's a bit more of me to like that I would like, if you get my drift, but I know I can lose those extra areas without too much worry.
But I have a very healthy appreciation for my body, and one of the things I love is that I am well and truly flexible. I have danced all my life, and I do yoga, and the gym is a fun place I visit happily quite a few times a week. It gives me a smug sense of satisfaction when I am the only yoga student in the room who can do a tricky pose and hold it. You gotta get your self-esteem from somewhere, right?
My body also has this amazing ability to mend itself very quickly. I know most bodies mend themselves, thank goodness, as a lot of us are accident-prone, myself included. But I just keep being amazed at how quickly my body can hide the evidence of my clumsiness. Thank you, body!
Also, I just love to dance. I have done ballet most of my life, and have a good sense of balance, which has helped me out on so many occasions. It's wonderful to know that your body is your most wonderful tool and you are in charge of it.
So I like mirrors. Why the hell not? I'm not vain. But I like seeing that my butt is round and not flat of too flabby. It's not tiny, my butt, it's normal, and it's nice looking because of my own hard work at the gym. That makes me feel good. Going to the gym and seeing the results makes me feel great.
You know when I felt super smug about my body and its abilities last? A week ago. I do this quite challenging class at the gym called CXWORX and it involves quite a lot of core strength, balance and stamina. Last week this massively muscly man came and joined the class for the first time. He looked strong, you know, like he would totally dominate the class. But he could barely do a few repetitions of any of the exercises, more than half the class he was on the floor doing nothing but looking miserable. Of course, I wasn't doing it whistling with my eyes closed while texting on my phone either (nobody can except our hunky instructor, although I have never seen him do it whistling with his eyes closed while texting), but I managed pretty well. I found smugness was totally acceptable there.
I try to teach the kids I care for that bodies are amazing, how they repair themselves, and why they are able to make you go fast, to jump, to dance, to stretch, to climb and dangle. And that it's up to you to make sure it can keep doing that. I ask them what it takes for their bodies to be able to keep doing these amazing things. They quickly realise that it's nutrition and rest. One needs to sleep enough and to eat right for your body to be in perfect condition for adventures and fun. To put in the right fuel, so your body can be a rocket.
Food is such an important part of life. I won't dive too deep into my philosophy on food quite yet, but it all comes down to this: enjoy what you eat, eat consciously, eat in good company whenever possible and make sure you don't eat too much or too little of anything. Know your food, and know that the younger you start eating right, the longer you might live. I will dedicate more time to write about food for kids and cooking together, recipes and such, but I have seen with my own two eyes that babies who are fed varied, healthy and wholesome foods turn into kids that are not very fussy eaters. I have also learned that kids who are involved with cooking, growing and preparing food will be less likely to turn their nose up at food or refuse to try things. And of course, they learn to eat from their parents/carers. So eat healthy yourself if you want your kids to eat right.
I am a lucky person having a wonderful, healthy, fully functioning body. I can do things I enjoy with ease and grace. I can run, jump, climb, dance. There are people out there who have to deal with a body that is not able to do everything they might want. But most of those people still manage to be happy and enjoy their life and develop parts of their body to make up for the parts that might not work. Bodies are amazing like that.
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