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Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Yoga in the buff

I was going to use the "N" word, but then I thought all the spammers would die and go to heaven with reading that. So I had to be creative.

Speaking of reading things, That Man is probably going to read this and say, "Man! I wish I'd been home for that one." Yeah, you know it. Your loss.

Actually I did NOT do yoga in the buff. I've read that it's supposedly this cool thing, but well, given the population of my house, I think not. However, I almost could have. Yesterday, I made the mistake of doing yoga in my jeans. OUCH. I didn't want to miss anything, plus my workout pants were in the laundry (note to self: do laundry today), so I just took them off. Definitely the bonus for doing yoga at home.

Today, I was wearing workout pants and a sweatshirt. And *gasp* I actually broke out into a sweat. Help me! I'm mentally ill. Anyway, I was hot, so I took off my shirt. I learned why people do yoga in sports bras. Fortunately, they were doing a super hard pose, so I took off my regular bra, put on a sports bra, and did yoga in my sports bra. Yes, I know, many women exercise in just a sports bra. I do not.

So I guess, between yesterday and today, I did do yoga in the buff-sort of. At least, I did do it in my underwear. Half and half. LOL.

Why am I telling this story, other than to take away any doubt in your mind that I am a complete dork? In my underwear, I noticed some "flaws" in my body. I realized I have way more cellulite than I'd ever imagined possible. I have stretch marks the size of the grand canyon, and since I'm letting it all out, I might as well admit that I've got lumps where I didn't think I was supposed to have lumps, and valleys where I'm supposed to have bumps.

We can all have a collective ICK about now.

But then I realized a cool thing. God made all those things I was "icking". He designed me. And when He sees those imperfections, He thinks they're beautiful. I'm also pretty lucky because despite all those "flaws", That Man is going to be sitting at his computer, saying, "I missed seeing her in her underwear?! That stinks!" So why should I care about things in my body, that at my age, and having borne two children, are irreparable unless we talk surgery (NEVER!)? It's a part of me, God made me that way, and I need to just accept it.

The guy teaching the yoga class yesterday and today (the instructors vary) kept emphasizing that you need to have a sense of humor about your yoga practice. You're going to fall on your face, but you need to laugh it off, get back up, and try again. I realized we have to have that attitude about our bodies, too.

As I looked down today and watched parts jiggle that I didn't see jiggling on the tv people, I had to stop, laugh it off, and realize that it's okay-it's not about what I look like in comparison to anyone else, or how I wish I looked. I'm beautiful just as I am. And hey, not everyone's belly and booty can jiggle like mine. I've got talent. ;)

So I dare you-next time you're home alone, try it. Or at the very least, go stand in front of the mirror, in the buff (or your underwear, whatever), take a good look at all the things you think are wrong with you, and realize that God thinks all those things are beautiful. And you should too!

7 comments:

Camy Tang said...

I do it all the time. Well, the half-half anyway. But I don't quite see my jiggly parts as beautiful. It's a deep-seated self-esteem thing that I've been aware of for years but don't really have the energy to do anything about, so I just reach for another candy bar.

Camy

Cheryl Shaw said...

My Man just walked by, saw the title and asked 'What in the heck are you reading?!' LOL!

I'm with Camy, I don't quite see the jiggles as beautiful, but I haven't thought of it in the idea that God thinks its beautiful. But, like you, I am blessed with a Man who thinks I'm hot when i'm so not! :)
Cheryl

Angela/SciFiChick said...

good for you!
grr.. i need to get better at working out..

Jana said...

Um...no. Not yet anyway. Maybe when the lumps and bumps aren't quite so huge. LOL

That's a great philosophy, though. I wish I COULD practice it. I used to excercise in my undies all the time. Or, a sportsbra and shorts, anyway. I just made the point of never looking down. hehehehe

Danica Favorite said...

Camy, just remember that God does think they're beautiful. Trust me, I know all about the self-esteem thing. I'm working on it, though. :)

LOL Cheryl!

Angela, just start small and work your way into it. Some is better than none, even if it's just a few minutes a day. :)

Jana (and actually this is a good reminder to us all)-that beautiful woman is Song of Songs, based on the values of the culture at the time, was probably more your size than Jennifer Aniston's size.

All those beautiful women of the Bible-they weren't skinny girls!

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed reading this post. And I'm glad you're sticking with the Yoga--maybe one day in the very near future, I may have to attempt it. If nothing else to give God a good chuckle. Because, uh, he skipped gracefulness with me as well. '-) It's somewhere with patience.

I'm also laughing at "That Man". One of the authors on the board said one time that men don't care what we look like as long as we're naked. My guy loves me despite my flaws, which is why he can never leave me and if he does, he has to come back here every once in awhile and make the itch go away--lol

Keep getting jiggy with it!

Bailey Stewart said...

Good point. There's just more of me now to love, that's all. LOL