A Merry Life

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Exposed: Why I Love My Body

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I hate being a copycat, but for this I will do it.  I mean, it is National Love Your Body Day.

I firmly believe the first step to losing weight/finding a healthy weight is loving yourself.  Just that one little spark where you decide to at least work to love yourself and believe you deserve good things is what can carry you through the hard work to come.  If you don’t think you are worth it you won’t get very far.  So no matter how unhappy you feel in your body you must find some value in your body to start changing it and making it stronger.

So what’s my point? Well today my good friend MizFit posted about National Love Your Body Day. Which is TODAY of course!  Her post led me back to Mish’s amazing post called Exposed, which led me to Esther’s original post called The Naked Truth, and finally a tweet sent me to the awesome exposed post from Roni.

They all had the courage to do something I’ve never thought I would be brave enough to do.  I don’t even wear bathing suits without shorts, for crying out loud.  But today, on National Love Your Body day, I’m going to stop hiding.  I could write a post about all the things I still want to change, to make look better, but I won’t.  Instead, I’m going to honor the body that I have right now, in the stage that it is currently in.  I am going to love it now, accept it, and still look forward to more positive changes

Why I Love My Body

So my answer to the “Why do you love your body?” is this:

  • Strong
  • Capable
  • Despite the abuse, still functions well
  • Throws hard punches
  • The tummy dance
  • Helps me climb
  • Snowboards every winter
  • Carries me all day, every day
  • Keeps going

There are a lot of reasons that I love my body. Most of all, I love it because it’s mine.

My body is not perfect.  In fact, it is probably farther from “perfect” than anyone who has done this yet, but I’m comfortable in it.  And I love it… because it’s mine.  No one else’s.  So if I think it is beautiful, then it is.

It’s taken a lot of tears and lots of practice to get to the point where I love my body.  I’m still working on it.  Some days, I don’t do as well as others.  This blog is an outlet for that process.  I want to continue my journey and hopefully inspire some of you as well.  You don’t have to look like a model or even be thin to love your body.  Think of all the things it can do and how it moves and feels.  It’s your body.  It is a beautiful thing.

Exposed Movement Examples

The exposed movement is super body positive and awesome. Check out these great examples of people showing their love for their bodies!

roni weigh exposed movement

Ronis Weigh

authentic emmie exposed movement

Authentic Emmie

noshtopia exposed

Noshtopia

Why Do You Love Your Body

So I’ve shown you my thoughts and examples of the exposed movement.  I’ve let you know where I am and what I think about my body.

I know positive self-image and positive body image is hard in our society when we are constantly being told we aren’t good enough. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when you are constantly bombarded by advertising messages that have to convince you of your flaws in order to sell you new products. Fix those wrinkles! Lose some weight! Your skin isn’t the right color! Your hair should be shiny! It seems the messages never end and we always feel that we aren’t quite good enough.

Despite those messages we all need to cultivate positive self-worth and positive body image within ourselves. Start now, start today. Think of the reasons why your body is amazing and why you love. Don’t think about the supposed “flaws”, just dwell on the amazing features and qualities of your body.

And now I want to know the same things the others wanted to know….

Why do YOU love your body? What do you love about it?

Comments

  1. Ahhh, you are exposed, brave, that totally awesome (as if I haven’t said it enough). YOU! My, dear, inspired me!!

    My stretch marked tummy has carried 4 beautiful babies. My Flintstone feet love to sprint, jump and kick (so what if they can’t wear heels with grace!). And my trouble-zone inner thighs can put an opponent in a head lock.

    Ahhh, that was soooo liberating! For real

  9. WOW. I love your courage and honesty here…what an AWESOME post. Truth is, I don’t love my body…not yet. I’m getting there, but I have a long way to go. I love how your legs “keep going”. I wish I were brave enough to “expose” myself.

    Not yet.

  11. YOU ARE AMAZING!!!!! I don’t know what else to say!!! This is what I wrote over at Miz:

    I love my body today because it has muscles & is strong in the face of all else. I love it for being stronger now than when I was younger which means I am learning & I need to keep on learning… How to get there… keep working on yourself & never give up!

  12. Our bodies are our homes. They are where we live every single day. They make everything we do in the world possible. Everyone we meet sees our home before they “see” us inside. (Imagine if everyone you met saw your living room, or office, or bedroom!)

    Our bodies are amazing, intricate, resilient, ever changing. If we love and respect them, they will do even more amazing work for us than we ever realized. It took me a long time in my life to realize this.

    A client of mine came to this conclusion, which I’ve always loved: “You can love your body and, at the same time, PREFER that it was a different size.” That was a big beginning for her in her weight loss journey.

    It’s inspiring to see that you have come to love your body, Mary.

    Pat Barone, CPCC, PCC
    “America’s Weight Loss Catalyst”

  13. The fat mentality – the thought that you can’t do something simply because you’re overweight – is what keeps a lot of men and women from living their lives. It’s because we’re quiet about our shame, we cover it up.

    So thank you for uncovering and showing who you are – in all your beauty. Okay, yes, I still may have a different goal for how I hope to look in a year, but that doesn’t mean who I am now isn’t beautiful. I read your blog because I love the wisdom you provide, and your willingness to uncover, as one might say.

    Thanks for representing us overweight gals who love our bodies, and showing that there’s nothing to be shameful about. We are beautiful as we are.

  16. Focusing on the positives will help keep you from building walls that will impede your success on this journey. You’re right… you’re not perfect. Few of us are though, but we’re improving ourselves every day. For me, that’s what it’s all about.

  17. My Mary: You are perfect in Gods eyes and mine, I love you more every day, and I can appreciate you more also, for standing up and not letting all those negative voices keep you down. I should have stood up many years ago and you would not have to do so much now. I love you so amazingly much! I can’t wait to see you in December. Hey I love the pumpkin also, put it on my screensaver at work. Ha, so scary. I chose the lighted one. Mom

  20. As someone mentioned above – you are far better to realize and change now then let half your life pass before you get to the same conclusion. I am proud of you.

  21. What a fantastic post! I love it! I love that my arms are strong enough to carry anything that I put into them. I never want to not be able to lift things.

  25. What a great post. You’re a brave and classy lady.

    You asked “Why do YOU love your body? What do you love about it?”

    And I have to say the answer is my bodies ability to grow and birth and care for 3 beautiful daughters. And that’s the same motivation I have for getting healthy. I want to have a chance to see them grow up.

    Thank you for the reminder.

  27. you go girl.
    major major kudos for this post. just wow. you are an inspiration!
    just loved this.

    <3 <3 <3

  28. Thank you so much for your comment on my blog :) I love this post and I keep saying I am going to do one so I just need to do it! My favorite thing that you said was:

    “Just that one little spark where you decide to at least work to love yourself and believe you deserve good things is what can carry you through the hard work to come.”

    That is so true! And that can apply to so many people in my life, who just need to give themselves a little more love and a little less criticism. Thanks for sharing your story!

  31. OH my Gosh, so many posts!! This is a totally brave and awesome post.And I LOVE the picture with the comments. It was so delightful and poignant!

  35. Wow Mary! A big ditto to what others have said here. You are courageous and brave and right love your body! Thoughts are definitely swirling in my own head about my true feelings about my body…thanks!

  36. This entry was wonderful, and your mom’s comments made me tear up a little. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.

  37. Mary one day we HAVE to get together. You are way too cool to remain only an online friend.

    I feel the same way about being COMFORTABLE with my body. That is key to loving ourselves, I think.

  50. Mary… heck, saw your body photo, you just have one little roll around your tummy. I counted you as one of the “almost finished”… nowhere near “unfortunate”! you look great :) Actually, it was your post that prompted me to do this as well!

  51. I just wanted to thank you for this. I’m right in the middle of this whole learning to love my body thing. You brought tears to my eyes tonight with your courage, your strength and your beauty. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. *Hugs*

  53. You are absolutely beautiful (I’m assuming the above picture is you). You are so very brave to expose yourself to the world like that. I admire you. I am always so self conscious of myself and it’s a shame because my body works so hard for me and never let’s me down. Thank you for inspiring me to love myself and not beat myself up.
    Thanks for all you are doing.
    Hugs

  54. Recognizing I am a man venturing into what may be considered a women’s world, I
    nonetheless, just felt it essential for me to place my opinion in this discussion. I recognize fully that many of you will scoff and think I am making this up, but I will swear to you that all I state here is my truth.

    I love people, not just one type, one color, one gender or one anything. I think that all people are beautiful and I am very tired of looking at the rags that line the shelves of checkout lines and seeing such things as the “Top ten sexiest men, or women.” Who cares? is the first question I have. I am now 68 years old and still get a lot of looks or
    statements that say; “You sure are handsome.” my immediate reply is; Why thank you, I made myself this morning and I thought I did an exceptional job.” Hey it is a combination of genetic factors that make me or anyone what they look like. Sure we
    can lose weight, or strengthen or bodies or whatever, but basically we are what we are
    and that is it. I am far from a prude so exposure of anything or everything by any gender is fine with me. It is my body and I will decide just how much of it I want to show to the world. Finally the things that turn me on are the eyes and if the person is blind then
    the way they feel about issues and other people becomes far more important then anything else. I have no earthly idea why some men seem to like to want women who are top heavy or who look like they have been on a desert island with nothing to eat for 6 months. I know the stereotypes both male and female. I am who I am in the body that was created when two people made love or other means where sperm meets egg. I could go on, but I hope that the people who may read this understand that not all men
    desire the skinny person with the perfect (whatever that is) body. Now I am far from perfect, if there is something to see I am a visually orientated male and I will look, not with lust but because I am curious and want to see.

    Thanks for letting me air a part of my views on the need for a women’s rebellion against what the clothing designers (including all clothes and shoes) seem to want you to wear to be fashionable. Your thoughts and actions toward others makes you beautiful.

    Richard

  57. This is so incredibly awesome! You are leaps and bounds above where most weight loss people are, congratulations! I usually have to spend MONTHS getting people to say what you just said.

Trackbacks

  7. […] I write about trying to live a healthy life, about dealing with my body image issues, and I even occasionally take my clothes off for a good cause.  It’s been an evolution in personal development more than anything, but has also created […]

  8. […] & proudly joining the ranks of these gutsy beautiful inspiring strong WOMEN (I tried, to no avail, to  get Ren Man to join […]

  11. […] YOU are all brave and amazing! Mish, MizFit, Roni, Kate, Heather, Ron, AJ, Manic Mama, Mary, KatieP, Cynthia AKPC_IDS += "3204,";Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponEmail this […]

  14. […] Michelle and her exposed movement really outlined this for me.  That is why I had to be a part of it.  My body although it is not perfect and I’ll never wear a bikini allows me to run races and hold up my back post surgery when no one thought I could.  I’m so happy that I saw that post and that it has gone so far and has gotten so much press.  Check out some of the other bloggers who have joined in. […]

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