True Beauty

What is this obsession we have with weight? I know I talk a lot about the importance of exercise and nutrition for a healthy lifestyle, and my main goal when I decided to get a personal trainer was to get into shape. But maybe, just maybe, a tiny little piece of me was doing it just to look good in a swim suit. I can blab all I want about health and nutrition but it always come back to the same place; everyone wants to look good and feel good about their body.

Research shows that stress plays a major role in weight gain. So, to test this theory I’m going to try something no 18 year old college girl has ever tried. I’m going to stopping stressing about my body! If being a biology major has taught me anything, it’s that your body shape is largely due to genetics. Meaning there is nothing you can do about your big butt if it’s in your genes. (Note: I saw the opportunity for a bad joke there and resisted. You can thank me later.) So why worry about what you can’t change? In the words of the zen, I’m going to treat my body like a temple. By focusing on getting into shape and accepting the body I have, I’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of good health without the stress of obsessing about the “perfect body.”

Throw away your scales, stand naked in the streets and declare you love for your own body! Ok, so maybe don’t go that far. But it is important to remember that you are not a number and there is not one definition of beauty. My favorite ad ever is the dove campaign for real beauty. So, let’s all take a lesson from the women who stood proud in front of America in their skivvies. Love who you are!