The headline sounds like a gimmick in an advert, but it’s really what you should be doing this summer. Going to the beach or other outdoors events, you’ll feel tempted to put on less clothes to cope with the heat. But some of you won’t because you’ll be insecure. ‘How will my thighs look in these shorts?’, ‘How will my arms look if I wear a spaghetti string dress?’, My butt is too big and fat for a bikini’, ‘Short skirts are only for skinny girls’, ‘Does my tummy look weird with this crop top?’. Questioning yourself like this will mean dressing differently to how you really want to. Long or half sleeves to hide the upper arm area, dress or shirt to hide the naked midsection. Swimsuit instead of bikini…the list goes on.
As a lifelong student and master of training and everything fitness, I say: don’t be ashamed of your body. Love your body as it’s meant to be loved. Be happy it can walk you, run you, dance, skip, hop and roll. Celebrate that you can move, you can do anything you want to (with some practice and patience). We all look different and any body (type) should be celebrated. Why should we only let the models in the magazines wear thong or g-string bikinis, short shorts, miniskirts, spaghetti string dresses and crop tops?
I say if you feel it, wear it! And tell your judgemental friends and family to help celebrate the bravery of the free choice of clothing for everyone.
We could all probably do with a little more activity, a little better food and more time sleeping. But life is life and sometimes we get busy. That shouldn’t keep us from enjoying the summer to the fullest.
And yes, I have been judgemental too and thought to myself: ‘Why wear THAT dress with bare midsection, when you have tummy fat?’ As years and experience – and perhaps a better love for all kinds of bodies and their stories – have passed, I’m now at the point where I tell my friends that, ‘She probably knows how she looks and she’s wearing it anyway. I think it’s really cool of her’.
Today at the beach was such a day, and my friend who commented, turned to me and said, ‘Yes! You’re right! I never thought about it like that’.
So regardless if you’re training or not this summer, give your body the positivity and love it deserves and respect other bodies.
If you enjoyed this little pep talk about body-love and respect, but are missing some exercises to show your body some love, let me know in an email or via Instagram. I’ll be happy to use next month’s column for a reader wish.
As always: Comments, Questions are welcome at taniaskitchenfitness@gmail.com or via Instagram @trainwithadane
