“Your body is in a never-ending state of burning, stoking, fueling, respirating, healing, aging, detoxing, eliminating, growing, cycling, and consuming. It will never be stagnant. There is no end point, ever, until you die.”
– Jessi Kneeland
I have spent about 6 months here at COR and have enjoyed getting to meet everyone. My favorite part about the job is getting to talk to the clients. I love it when people open up and share about their daily lives and about their sweet babies. Sometimes I hear self hating comments about our bodies. I think this is especially common in women, but we shouldn’t be doing that!
Some of ya’ all don’t give yourselves enough credit! You are doing amazing!
I am so impressed at how far our bodies can be pushed. Our goal is to be at our best health. When you look in the mirror what do you see? Does your eye immediately fall to the flaw, the imperfection, that gnarly scar? Are you disgusted with yourself? Perhaps you are not disgusted with yourself, but you try to avoid looking at certain angles of yourself.
One complaint can be our bellies. Jessi Kneeland, a personal trainer in New York, says we should not look at our curved bellies with disdain, but with appreciation. Society puts a demand that women need to have flat abs. Jessie explains that flat abs can mean that you have not eaten or that you have gone to the bathroom. We need curved stomachs to breath properly. Stomachs are meant to relax as we exhale. It is how we are made! That should be celebrated. Another aspect that should be celebrated is the fact that those bellies held life (I’m obviously still speaking to the ladies)! Be realistic and let go of the idea that the stomach NEEDS to be rock hard. Doing so will allow you to be radiant, present, and receptive.
Getting into shape is a very good thing. It is profitable and fun. The problem is when you self-hate. Admire those things people compliment you on instead of telling yourself they are wrong. Celebrate what your body is as a whole instead of focusing your mind on that problem area. Impress yourself at the gym. Push yourself so that you are mentally aware you will see changes on problem areas. Let yourself appreciate your body as a whole. If you believe you will begin to allow yourself to have self-love when your body is perfect, then you are wrong because perfection doesn’t exist. Appreciate the power house your body is. Read up on all the things that your body does to keep it running! Knowing such will help you to care about making your body work more efficiently without self hate.
I’m not saying we should all grab a bunch of donuts and forget about boot camp! No! Keep striving for a better you. Keep working hard and sweaty on your goals, just make sure you are being kind to yourself.
Written By: Jenna Migliaccio