That's Fit

Do you avoid the camera's lens? Do you avert your eyes when you walk past a full-length mirror? It's time to take a look and learn to love what you see.

One writer over at College Candy says the season is ripe for muffin tops -- not the actual tops of actual muffins, but the excess skin that hangs over the tops of shorts, pants, and skirts when these items of clothing are just a tad too small. This problem, coined the One-Size-Too-Small Syndrome by said writer, affects lots of college-aged girls (one might argue it affects more than just college girls) and should not be mistaken for an overeating problem at all. It's clearly a size issue. You can be a size four and still have a muffin top. All it takes is a size two piece of clothing to cause this all-too-annoying problem.

This female writer from NYU knows what's it like: "I'm definitely not a tiny girl by any means, and I completely understand the battle with body image," she says. "I get a little unhappy anytime I have to purchase something in a large instead of a medium, but if the medium makes me look like a sausage trying to escape its skin, is it really worth wearing? Is it really going to look like you're a size medium to anyone but yourself? Of course not! I may groan when I have to reach for a size larger in that cute little dress or jeans but if it lays just right and fits as intended, so be it."

NYU girl draws from comments made by Stacy London of What Not to Wear when she makes these points: (1) The only person who sees the size of your clothing is you. (2) What matters is the look and if you can pull it off. (3) If you must go up a size to look like you can breathe (or to actually be able to breathe), then bite the bullet and do it.

I get it -- I'm all about feeling good in my clothes. And as for breathing: It's a must have for me. How about you?

Kim Cattrall has no problem showing off her body as Samantha Jones in Sex and the City, so you might assume that she has a naturally fabulous figure and that keeping her body perfect would be the most important thing in the world to her. However, the star shared with Good Housekeeping her best beauty secrets, and you might be surprised at what she had to say.

Her secret has nothing to do with painful treatments or fancy workouts. Instead, the 51-year-old star says, "I've exercised and dieted most of my life, because I'm a big girl -- I'm not a tiny little thing. But I've realized that the most important thing I can do to look good is just treat myself well ... Having my priorities in order has really helped me look better, fresher, and more relaxed."

Kim had more to say about age and the SATC movie. To read more, check out the Good Housekeeping article here.

The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty has been based upon the idea that, while our bodies might have flaws (real or perceived), we're all beautiful. It's a good message, and they're looking to boost the self-esteem of females of all ages, starting with young girls. I'm all for it -- it's important that women realize that they don't need to be able to trade clothes with their favorite actress or be stalked by paparazzi in order to be beautiful.

However, some discussion has recently surfaced saying that the women in the Real Beauty ads were retouched. Premiere retoucher, Pascal Dangin, told The New Yorker that there was a great deal of retouching done on those ads, "But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone's skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive."

What do you think about this development? I can't say I'm surprised -- I appreciate the fact that Dove still used women of different shapes and sizes. I mean, these are regular women being photographed and filmed in their undies! I can't say I would object to a little digital help were I in their position. But, others feel that it destroys the message -- they're not showing "real" beauty if there's retouching. What do you think?

When I need a little pick-me-up, especially in the self esteem department, I try to remind myself of all that great things I've accomplished with my body.

Like pushing out two whopper baby boys and enduring a miscarriage. Like running miles and miles and dropping a few pounds with an overhauled diet and more strenuous exercise plan. Like climbing a rock wall in college when I so wanted to give up and back myself right down to the ground. Like mowing our up-hill yard last summer, trying to keep a self-propelled piece of machinery from running off what seemed like nothing less than a steep cliff -- I should mention I'd never before touched a lawn mower. Most of all, I try to remind myself that no matter how much I eat, or how much I exercise, or how much I weigh, my body has conquered something both fierce and deadly: Cancer.

When I really think about it, I realize that my body rocks. It's powerful, strong, capable, and on a good day, it doesn't look so bad either. Sure there are some things I would change about it -- and one thing I will change on April 23 -- but for the most part, my body serves me well. Yours likely serves you well too.

Think about it. What has your body done for you?

Join me as I search my soul for direction regarding my latest pursuit: A tummy tuck. Will I go through with it? Will I "Tuck It In?" Keep reading. Keep coming back. And you'll find out.

March 16, 2008

Gosh, many thanks to all who have left comments on this Tuck It In feature. I knew going into this journaling venture that I'd be offered both support and criticism. That' exactly what I've gotten. And I'm happy for it all, really. Every word shared is helping me in my search for answers regarding a surgery I want badly and fear intensely.

I want to address a few things that have come up regarding my quest for a tummy tuck. First, I want you to know that I don't suffer from poor body image. Sure there are days when I'm critical of my body when I should instead love it. But it's not body image that drives me toward plastic surgery. It's comfort. I want to feel good in my skin. Right now, I don't. The skin on my tummy is loose. It doesn't allow my pants to fit well. It's uncomfortable when I sit. It's a hindrance when all else with my body is pretty fine-tuned.

For almost one year now, I've been overhauling my diet and transforming my level of fitness for optimum health. A bout with cancer three years ago is my motivation for these lifestyle changes and I must tell you, I'm pretty happy with my results. In fact, I think I've done just about all I can do in these areas and from now on, maintenance is my goal. One stumbling block remains, however. Loose tummy skin.

The skin on my stomach is clearly going nowhere, despite my best diet and exercise achievements. This is why I'm considering surgery. I'm not sick with body image issues. I'm not avoiding hard work. I'm not trying to minimize the importance of health and fitness. I simply desire to trim the skin and fix the damaged muscle that lies underneath so that all my body parts allow me to live comfortably. I have no hidden agenda. And while I've been the happy recipient of counseling in the past, loose skin is not something therapy can fix.

I also want to assure you that this site is no less of a health and fitness site than it was before I began blogging about tummy tucks. If anything, this series is about a last ditch attempt at diet and fitness success. I've done all I can do in these areas. And now I wish to tidy up the mess left behind.

Finally, for those who wish me peace: I promise you, I have peace. It's the exact thing that affords me the quiet moments to reflect on this tummy tuck business.

NOTE: Abdominoplasty is recommended for those whose skin and muscle cannot recover on their own as a result of significant weight loss, pregnancy, aging, heredity, or prior surgery. It is not a substitute for weight loss or an appropriate exercise program. For more information about this surgery, click here.

Sabrina Bryan, former Dancing with the Stars hopeful and member of Disney's Cheetah Girl singing group, is committed to fighting childhood obesity and promoting health body image among young girls. How exactly is she doing it? With a hop-hop fitness DVD, that's how.

"My opportunity with the project was to bring a health-conscious topic up in a fun way for girls," says Bryan whose three-part workout (called Byou: pronounced Be You) was a team effort with Healthy Kids Challenge, a nonprofit that focuses on creating children's nutrition.

Bryan, 24, remembers clearly body image issues she experienced during her adolescent and teenage years.

"I went through this whole, 'I hate my body,' thing," she said.

Becoming active in sports and dancing was key for Bryan who practices balance in her adult life.

"It is good to have balance," she says. "Anything that is too one way or the other is where you end up doing binge kinds of things which is not what we want in the minds of young girls."

For more on Bryan's dance outreach, visit the official Byou site.

You'd think gyms and fitness centers would help minimize the growing problem of obesity. But they don't.

A new UK study shows that if current obesity levels continue, about a quarter of all children in the UK will be obese by the year 2050. Sixty percent of men and 40 percent of women will fall prey to the same problem by this target date. These statistics hold true in spite of the whole fitness industry. Why? There are three reasons, says Dr. Jennifer Smith Maguire, author of the report Fit for Consumption: Sociology and the Business of Fitness.

Gyms are geared toward people with spare cash, people who can afford the monthly payments but are the most likely to be inactive and obese, Maguire says. Another problem is that gyms and fitness centers are generally presented as locations of leisure.

It never hurts to do a little review on a topic that affects so many women, and some men too. The topic: Anorexia.

Anorexia Nervosa, a type of eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and leading to a restriction of food and dangerous weight loss, is one serious disease -- between one and two of every 10 cases of anorexia leads to death from starvation, cardiac arrest, medical complications, or suicide.

Anorexia can halt the physical and emotional growth of teenagers and can lead to premature osteoporosis, infertility, increased risk of miscarriage, and low-birth-weight babies. Anorexia may be especially deadly for women with insulin-dependent diabetes if they omit or under-use insulin to control their weight.

FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

You know that sinking feeling you get in your gut when something happens the way you don't want it to happen? Ever felt completely deflated because things just don't go according to plan? I have. It may be a not-so-pleasant interaction with someone, a job disappointment, or a family insecurity that dashes our spirits and leaves us feeling a little lifeless. Sometimes it's our very own body image that puts us in a spirit-less mood.

My spirit has been dashed on many occasions. And I admit, sometimes it's body issues that send me spiraling downward. I know it's not just me. People everywhere, and especially women, have long battled with shame related to their appearance. In fact, body image is one of 12 areas author Brené Brown has identified as the most vulnerable for women. She calls it a "universal trigger," so powerful and so deeply rooted in our psyches it affects the shame we feel in other areas, like sexuality, parenting, and health. The sad thing is that body image is just that -- an image. Our pictures, thoughts, and feelings about our bodies have little to do with our actual appearance, says Brown, who has interviewed nearly 400 women about the topic.

When I first saw the title of this piece -- Black, White Women Differ on Dieting -- it really picqued my interest. "What exactly does color have to do with weight loss?", I wondered. Basically the results of a study conducted in Philadelphia showed that while both black and white women involved in the study were concerned about how they looked, body image was a bigger influence in wanting to lose weight for white women than it was for black women. In addition, white women were more likely to seek help from an outside source in their quest to get into shape.

I think the most important issues brought up by the article are, first of all, that black women trying to get to a healthy weight are may likely to try programs offered within their community, but there are not enough of these available where they can seek help. Secondly, the article says that neither white or black study participants listed health-related worries as a main reason for wanting to drop some pounds. If your health is being negatively affected by your weight, I think that should definitely be a number one motivator. What do you think?

I know a lot of things have changed in the 15 years since I attended Jr. High (fashion included, I don't think I ever see young teenagers wearing oversized plaid shirts anymore). Apparently though, one thing that hasn't changed is the link between looks and self-esteem.

When I was 13 I hated how I looked and, as a result, I felt pretty bad about myself in general. It didn't matter that I excelled in school and had lots of friends; the only thing that I cared about was that I wasn't cute or pretty. I know I can't speak for everyone, but I'm willing to bet I wasn't alone.

According a study conducted with seventh-and eighth-graders, kids today feel very much the same way. Those who liked how they looked were overwhelmingly more likely to admit to feeling good about themselves as well. The only group for whom there was not a link between looks and self-esteem was males of African decent (and the article gives possible reasons for this). Am I the only one that finds it sad that for whatever reason, these young adults don't seem to equate anything other than how they look -- intelligence, musical skill or sports ability, for example -- with how they feel about themselves? Why do you think this is?

For those of us who live in places that get chilly -- or even downright freezing -- during the winter, summer is a lovely and much-anticipated change. Unfortunately with all the good -- barbeques, outdoor adventures, work lunches outside -- comes the bad --wearing a bathing suit after months of hiding under bulky sweaters. Right now the thought of wearing a bikini makes summer the most terrible time of year for many.

The good news is there's still plenty of time to shape up in time for the beach. A good balance of cardio (running is my personal favorite and here are a few great tips) and muscle training (I'm not a fan but feel it's a necessary evil so give these a try) should show some results fairly quickly if you stick to a good routine.

Keep in mind though that nearly everyone has hang-ups about their body and those who you think look perfect by the pool likely spent ages agonizing over whether their thighs look big. And they're probably sucking in their stomach too. I guess what I'm saying is that while toning up a bit before you go swimsuit shopping is never a bad idea, it is a bad idea to panic, go overboard, get worn out and end up frustrated. Go slow, appreciate whatever results you accomplish, and enjoy the added confidence that comes with knowing you worked hard and look, but more importantly, feel better about yourself for it.

A couple of UK sources took on the challenge of surveying 25,000 young people between the ages of 17 and 34 and discovered the demographic is pretty "hung up" on the way they look. No surprise there. However, a disturbing trend that young women admitted to doing was skipping at least one meal in order to lose weight. Nearly half of the women had conceded this.

And how could more than 10% of all the females who were surveyed say they hated the way they look? Apparently there is a lot of pressure to get down to celebrity-sized waistlines at any cost. It didn't just stop at women though. Over 30% of the men admitted to taking protein shakes in order to beef up their bodies and gain more muscle.

So where did this perception of perfection come from anyway? Chances are the skinny-trend could have started to gain momentum around the time when ultra-thin models hit the scene. The article references one woman from the 1960s named Twiggy who weighed in at an appalling 91 pounds. It isn't likely that the quest for zero body fat will end any time soon either.

"The power of positive thinking." That phrase comes to my mind when reading about the power your body image has on your weight loss and fitness plans. Negative body image equals negative results, and so the opposite applies in that a positive body image will have a positive effect. The media today doesn't help anyone when it comes to fostering a good body image, with rail-thin models and actors everywhere wearing styles that only look right on specific body types. But I will say that I've heard more lately from the media about the media in relation to this negativity problem, so maybe it will start getting better in the future... (positive thinking!)

But "maybe in the future" doesn't help us now, today, does it? Plus, some people would be fighting negativity with or without that extra help from the advertising world, and sadly that bad body image is not only detrimental to your physical appearance but also your emotional health. So if you don't feel so great about you, try these suggestions to improve your body image, inside and out: