(Psssst! If you’re “late” to the challenge and just getting started, that’s OK too! Just go at your own pace! Start with this blog post and scroll to the bottom, and make sure you have what you need to complete the challenge and fill out the 10 questions you need to fill out before you get started. Then you can take it day by day at your own pace!)
Recap
Hiii! Welcome to Day 16 of the Love Your Body Challenge! Yesterday was, obviously, Day 15 and the the reason to love your body was,
“Because it has put up with all of my antics and it still thrives.”
I was super open about how I’ve abused my body in the past, and many of you reached out with your own stores. Here is one of my favorites:
“My body has put up with all of my antics and it still thrives. And for that, it deserves love.”
My body has been through a lot and keeps on ticking. I remember going on “low carb” diets when I was 9 or 10 and being too weak to do anything, holding in a ton of stress as a kid, being a perfectionist, keeping myself so task oriented when it came to exercise that I never really learned how to just play.
I have put my body through decades of constant, negative self-talk, poisoned myself with excessive amounts of alcohol and drugs, binged on junk food, or when I was trying to “do better” I stayed on cardio machines and ate “low fat” diets. Then I did excessive amounts of HIIT to try to work out in what I thought was a healthy way, only to find out that even though I lost 50 pounds I burned out my adrenal system and damaged my metabolism.
Through all of that, my body has stayed healthy, with no surgeries, major diseases or long lasting problems. It has healed itself from alcoholism and addiction to drugs, food, excess of every kind and in particular is now healing itself from all of that negative self-talk. It carries me faithfully through life and allows me to share myself with others, to help others and to have fun and love.
I actually wish I could be half as loyal as my body has been to me. I’m pretty lucky.”
So much to be grateful for! And now, Day 16.
Reason #16 To Love Your Body
16. Because it looks amazing in a dress and heels.
We’ve already talked about loving our body because it’s beautiful, which is incredible, but it’s also very broad. Today I want to touch on something a little more specific — a dress and heels.
Wearing a flattering dress and a sexy pair of heels makes me very beautiful. Working in the fitness industry, I spend 95% of my time in yoga pants and a workout top, so when I get to dress up, it’s a special occasion. Now this might not be the case for you — maybe you feel that you look your best in workout clothes, or maybe it’s a pair of jeans that fit you just right… whatever you have in your closet that makes you feel like a million bucks, that is the subject of today’s focus.
**Another thing to note is that it’s quite obvious that my body type is different than a lot of my friends, but I’ve learned to embrace it and rock my dresses and heels anyway.
Yes, I realize that today’s reason might seem a bit superficial to some of you, but I assure you, it’s not. There’s a reason that taking care of our outer appearance gives us an internal boost. When you feel like you look nice, and when you take pride in your appearance, it can change your whole attitude.
You know as well as I do that there’s a whole different air of confidence that you have when you feel like you look amazing, and that’s something to be grateful for.
Mantra: “I look absolutely incredible when I wear <insert item here>, and that makes me feel good. “
Repeat this (to yourself or out loud) 10 times right now, 10 times during your action step, and 10 times before bed.
Action step: Take a second to write down the things that you have in your closet that really flatter your body and make you feel very confident. Then figure out why they make you feel so confident? Do they should off your muscular shoulders or your tiny waist? Do they make your legs look like they go on for miles? Does the color brighten your face and flatter your skin tone? Figure out what you like so much about it, and picture how good you feel when you wear it.
Remember, when you feel confident, you’ll glow from the inside out!
That’s all for today! See you tomorrow!
Molly Galbraith is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Coach who has dabbled in both Figure and Powerlifting competitions. She is Co-Founder of Girls Gone Strong and J-M Strength.Her life's mission is to help women give themselves grace and compassion when it comes to their bodies so that they can discover and accept what their best body looks like.
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