Learning to Love and Accept the Flaws and Beauties of Yourself

Before I get started...I just want to mention a special guy in my post.

 

My friend Matt Dantone has began to write a blog on his life post PSU. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology and is one of the most motivated and driven people I know. If you enjoy reading my posts, I am positive that you will like his as well. I met him in my sports nutrition class that Dr. Kristine Clark taught the spring semester of my junior year. He sat right in front of me the entire semester and it wasn't until he got in front of the class and spoke about his experience in Las Vegas attending an ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) conference where I began to converse with him. He is an enthusiast of physical fitness and nutrition. We instantly became friends due to us having such similar interests in healthy living. Give him a read! He knows what he's talking about!

 

http://www.matthewdantone.com/life-after-college/

 

 

Did you know it's Love YOUR Body Week?

 

I am sure we all know someone, if not ourselves, that struggles to find something they love about themselves. If anything, I know more people who are harsh with their thinking towards their body rather than egotistical. Why is that? Tina Fey says it perfectly....

 

 

 

So ladies AND gentlemen....

WHY NOT ASK YOURSELF.....

"What do I love about me?"

 

 



 

I feel many of us have struggled with body image at some point in our life. It's funny, I look back when I first entered college, I was 25 pounds less and had much less self esteem then I do now. It didn't matter to me that I was a twig. I wasn't as confident as everyone thought I was. It was due to me being sensitive towards the criticism I received when I was in high school from boys. It truly amazes me that guys/girls do not understand that one statement can change one's perspective about themselves for the better or the worse. Girls and guys do not obtain the negative thoughts they have out of nowhere. Somewhere along the way, they heard it and either decided to believe it or used it to motivate them. I know so many people who struggle with diet and exercise and they come to me for help. Some I know need more help then I could ever give them. At the end of the day, it's about being comfortable in the skin you're in and wanting to live a healthy lifestyle and being the best you possibly can be.

 

 

 

Is it really the weight that doesn't make you happy or is it something else?

...Chances are...it's something else.

 

 

Sadly, at one of the three jobs I work at, I work with a girl who is very insecure. The first time I worked with her, she asked me about the other employers I had. I told her I was a fitness instructor for Penn State. Instantly, she began to tell me about how overweight she was and how she's never had a boyfriend because she's so "fat." Apparently her mom has been telling this to her all her life. Literally, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. This was the first time I met this girl and she just opened up to me. It's hard to find that inner strength and change your mind about something you've been told about yourself your entire life.  I myself get criticized for my body and I teach fitness classes. Everyone has their idea of what is "fit." So ladies and gentlemen, before you go telling someone they're fat, please just think. YOU DON'T KNOW what that person has gone through. You don't know their struggles. It's so easy to judge. They might just need someone to vent to or talk to. They've clearly been judged plenty already.

 

 

 

This also brings up another point though...

What about the people who strive to live a healthy lifestyle and get judged for it?

 

 

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/10/fit-mom-defends-controversial-photo-i-never-called-you-fat/

 

She was attacked for being physically fit. Tell me, what is wrong with THAT picture?!

 

If anything this woman works her butt off! I have so much respect for mothers who are in great physical shape. She's healthier then more than half of my college peers and has THREE KIDS! It comes down to your self conscious. Don't get mad at someone for wanting to pursue something they find important. She puts living a healthy lifestyle at the top of her priorities, so why do you care? She's not effecting you. If anything, she motivates me. Good for her! The best is how she reacted to the whole situation.

 



 



 

So go ahead, take a chance, love yourself. Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith. Accept challenges and be the best you can be.

 

 

 As PSU Fitness will be promoting this week...
"Fitness is not measured in inches"

Testing Tuesday

 Today there's a few topics I would like to mention. I want to talk about loving yourself, failures, and goals. 

 I was in the gym the other day, and there are a few scales throughout. Two thin girls I was walking behind decided to stop by. As walking by them, I overheard one say, "Oh my god I am so scared to weigh myself!" As she stepped on to it, you could hear the other girl say, "Me too!" Hearing this, I felt bad. Why do girls put so much pressure on themselves? These girls were clearly thin, yet they did not think so. CONFIDENCE LADIES!

It's inspiring to see how many people come to me to tell me about their exercise and diet regiments. Some say, "You're going to be so proud of me!" or others may just be super excited to tell me. All of you motivate me when you tell me about your eating plans or exercise habits because it shows somehow I inspire or motivate you. Maybe you know I will be the one to check in on you. I have a few examples of this...

Stephanie Grawcock

October 2

I see why people workout. Not only does it help you stay fit and healthy, it is a GREAT stress reliever.

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• You, KT Anderson and 15 others like this.
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  Paula Brady Grantham running too!!! go get em Forrest!!!

  October 2 at 11:26pm · Like · 1
• 

  Steph and my friend Katie decided to commit to running a few miles when they can squeeze it into their schedules. Katie the one night was so excited to tell me :) It's refreshing to hear that people decide to pick up on a healthy hobby. You got this girls! :)

 One year ago, I did my second body building competition. It was awesome :) I came in second place which was awesome. I have decided to take a break from it all just because it costs so much money! People don't understand how much money goes into these competitions  If you ever get the chance, you should go to one. There are many categories in body building and most people don't get that. Doing my first one was so intimidating. It was in New York, NY and almost all of the contestants were adults. There were women in these competitions that have had 4 + kids which I found SO inspiring. It was motivating to be in a room full of people who have the same dedicated mindset as you. Many people would think I was "crazy" for being on such a strict diet and workout plan. It teaches you discipline on so many levels and pushing beyond limits. There were many times I felt I could just give up BUT working out with my trainer really showed me how much I could do. I learned to do it on my own at school and waking up at 6 am doing my workouts and eating healthy despite living at college. Let me tell you, it's not easy. It's all mental.

 My friend Amanda who I wrote about in earlier posts is thinking of doing one! I really hope she gets support from her family :). One day we say we'll do one together. That would be awesome! Everyone had something that motivates them to workout and eat healthy. Mine was body building, others run marathons, some do tough mudders, others just do it for stress relief. Whatever it may be, keep it in mind when you feel like giving up or giving into temptation.

Shes made it this far...and she's still not satisfied!

 So go ahead...TEST YOURSELF. What do you have to lose? You may just surprise yourself with how much you can achieve. Take risks and learn from and losses you have. You can do it. I never saw myself doing a bikini competition years ago but hey I tried it. I learned a lot of from it. I know a lot of people who didn't agree with it but I did it anyways. What it comes down to is doing it for YOURSELF! Just do it. Do it for YOU. 

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore, Dream, Discover. –Mark Twain