hello friends,
Michelle and I have been doing pretty good about getting back into our goals that we set for ourselves in terms of our workouts and our new eats (always changing for us, haha). When Michelle got back on Sunday from her Chicago trip we have been non-stop. We have been getting our butts kicked again with our Strong is Sexy Fitness Challenge. Our bodies are a little sore.
Sunday was our day off from working out. We got right back into our groove on Monday. My motivator lately is getting in shape for my wedding. I feel so good after my workouts and have been enjoying my fruit based post-workout smoothies afterwards, especially on these hot summer days.
Besides workouts Michelle and I have been getting some blood work done which we hope to share our results and our conclusions sometime next week. Hopefully we can get some answers we have been looking for.
The last time I was in the doctors office waiting to talk with the doctor about my results, I was browsing through this fitness magazine and came across some interesting information. I guess polls really.
These polls really stuck with me and I thought they were very interesting… what do you think?
I must say I am happy to see that flaunt it is number one – that means more people are having better self-confidence, right? Although I do not like that envious is second on the poll…why do we have to be so judgmental and cruel to each other?
Shouldn’t we be at the point in our society that we support one another and not bring each other down?
For me, my abs are one of my best physical features so no covering up for me… I work hard to get them so is showing them off a bad thing?
What is it so wrong to workout hard to look good and not be able to show off your work? Everyone does it or wants to do it, right? Isn’t that just one benefit from working out… to look good?
I do admit, I wish I had the cleavage to flaunt, so again it is my abs or arms for me.
What do you think of these polls? Do you agree or disagree with them? When is it the right or wrong time to flaunt your stuff? Does that mean you are cocky or just self-confident? What body part do you like to flaunt? Where do you draw the line of what is considered flaunting and self confidence?
Is saying to someone that has low self-esteem, “you are beautiful” the same thing as saying “you have great abs” ? Or are they different things?
Do you like to see people’s progress pictures on their blogs, facebook, etc.? Does it bother you when people show skin? Muscle?
Please share your thoughts!
For both Michelle and I, we are happy to see someone’s success in their fitness goals. We all have different fitness goals. We think saying you have great arms is a great way to boost self-confidence, it sure has for us. As we have mentioned before on our blog, we have struggled with self-confidence, eating disorder, etc, so having someone compliment me on my physical appearance makes me smile on the inside and out.
Being strong physically helps me to be stronger mentally.
Strong is sexy!!
There is a line of being cocky and self-confident, we feel it is the way you carry yourself and how you interact with others is the determining factor. We do feel there is a grey area in this topic. Sometimes it can be a tough call.
Till next time,
Lori
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with you about the envious on the first poll- not necessary! Why be jealous of what other people have? I do think that there is a difference between flaunting yourself and being cocky and flaunting yourself and being self-confident. To me flaunting and being cocky has a different air about it – like “you wish you could look like this” verus being self-confident is more I feel comfortable with myself and how I look so I feel good showing it off. I think if you work hard for what you have and you feel comfortable showing it off then you should do so.
I think that saying to someone that has low self-esteem, “you are beautiful” is not always the same thing as saying “you have great abs”. I feel that when you identify something that you notice is really great about the person pointing that out can actually be more effective because it zones in on one thing. Saying “you’re beautiful” is great but is sometimes much more general.
I love to see peoples progress- it is inspiring and I get really excited for them. It helps to motivate me as well because if people I respect can find healthy ways to get fit I know I can to and will also be able to achieve my goals. That’s one reason I love Daily Mile too because I can see how others are doing with their training goals and I love to provide and receive feedback and encouragement from other.s
Lindsay yes seeing others progress is helps inspire us as well! We like to see others achieve their fitness goals!! And yes feeling self-confident is about feeling good and comfortable with what you got – well said!
great post girls! i wish more people would dress for their bodytype. if you have enormous jugs, please don’t let us see nearly everything…tasteful cleavage goes a long way! i’m not even jealous because i really like my small chest! i say flaunt what you got in taste. there are far too many women parading the streets in clothing way too small for their size!
obviously i think nothing of showing progress as evidenced by my blog. that said, i am a constantly evolving person in all aspects of my life so i view it as a growing and/or renewed self confidence.
also, it shows that i’m human and that hard work & discipline in eats/exercise can end in results BUT it takes time! anyone that takes the time to leave a positive comment makes me happy whether it’s about muscle or saying a general comment about clothing being nice. i think we spend far too much time being overly critical of ourselves so it’s nice to take a step back and just receive something nice you know?
well said Melissa! we totally agree! and yes it is nice to step back and receive something nice and it does take time and hard work to get results!
I wish there was a section of the poll to answer “motivated”! When I see someone with a fit body, it motivates me to eat clean and work out harder!
Very good point Claire, we are the same way
Love the post!
I personally don’t like attention and the older I get, the less I like it. Call it the mom in me I guess
so although I wear a bikini at the beach, I actually don’t want people to look/stare at me in it…but men are men and most of them will always look. It’s the staring and ooogling I could do without!
I could go on and on about all your other questions, too! Great post!
thanks Averie! I know we could go on too with this topic.
I love seeing people’s success – I think it’s a great motivator, but only when it is used in a positive way. If you start comparing yourself to others and it makes you view yourself negatively than I don’t think it’s healthy – but as long as you are using others as a motivator I think it’s great!
If I had your abs – I think I’d want to flaunt them all the time! lol xoxo
I think if you work hard (or just blessed) with a great body there is nothing wrong with flaunting it – as long as it’s kept classy
aww thanks girl! xoxo
You know, I don’t think of “envious” as a bad thing in a poll like that. I mean, if I see someone on the beach with an absolutely stunning body– I’m gonna feel envious!! The same way I’m going to feel envious of Gisele when I flip through a Victoria’s Secret catalog
It doesn’t have to be mean-spirited or bad though…truth be told, I think jealousy is a part of life, and it can help to come to terms with the fact that there is always going to be someone who has something (a body, a job, a relationship) that you’re a little envious of. I think those jealousies can actually motivate you to work harder and push yourself in the direction you want to go!
Anna, that is a great way to see another side of envious. Very true that it can be looked as a motivator to work harder!
I’m a writer, so forgive me for the quibble but while the emotion of “envy” is not positive, is being “envious” necessarily cruel or judgemental? Personally, I have seen someone else looking good, envied them, and used that envy to push me into action.
I find it interesting that there is only one positively phrased answer in that poll (and it came in first). There’s no option for “motivated” or “supportive” or even “eager to get tips”. It’s an interesting bias that shows in the authoring of the poll itself.
This is my favorite quote:
“Ultimately, you can’t weigh or measure anything about yourself that really matters. Your vision, integrity, passion, intelligence, and kindness will not register on a bathroom scale.”
Truth be told, we all wish there was something about ourselves that we could change. However, or flaws make us unique and who we are. Weight or how we look does not determine the person you are. Society however is so fixated on this “perfect” body, and there is definitely more pressure for women. Love the movie, Eat, Pray, Love…life is truly too short to think about all of it too much. Eat great, take care of your body and be confident and happy to be alive!
Crysta, we said!!! I am reading that book and excited to see the movie one day!
perfect timing of this post… because i wanted to do a post soon about working out on vacation, and i have a few recent pictures that i would post of myself, but wasn’t sure if it would come off as me flaunting and being cocky + for attention. but at the same time, i work hard for what i have and would love to flaunt it in a proud way, and be an inspiration for others! whenever i see others post of themselves i’m never jealous, i immediately think how hard she must work for it and always find it motivating!
Post them Felicia, show off your hard work and yes motivating others to be their best
I think if you’ve got it – flaunt it! Especially at a beach. I’m pretty conservative when it comes to dressing otherwise, but if I’m on a beach, I’m wearing a bikini!
Love this!!
I am all about if you got it, flaunt it! But tastefully…like Melissa said! Before having Ella I was proud of my progress and how hard I worked to be healthy and fit…so I bought things to accent my best features. For someone who hid in baggy clothing or a lot of her teenage years because of poor body image I thought it was a great step to finally feel confident! I am no where near where I was but for 3 1/2 months post baby I think I am doing OK and like to share my progress to help motivate others
The most important part of it all is to be positive, even about your flaws because they make you beautiful too! That’s the attitude I try to have.
love you Laury!! You help motivate us, you are amazing! Wish we could come to HLS and hang out with you
This is such a great post, and it definitely hit home with me. Even though I have a much healthier relationship with food and fintess than I did a year ago, I’m still not on great terms with myself. Being a competetive person as well as having low self-esteem, I’m quick to get jealous and go hard on myself when I don’t ‘measure up’ to other standards. I know there is no quick and easy fix to getting rid of these self-depricating thoughts, but I have to say – seeing posts like these around the blog world really do make a difference. Judgement will always be there in some form, but we have to learn to live above it, and the blog world is helping me do that.
So thank you!
I really agree with your final point, I think so much of it comes down to how you carry yourself and in the way in which you interact with people. I tend to find the people that come across as over confident and cocky are actually just over compensating for their own lack of confidence which is a shame really. Same with people that put others down when they are flaunting it! This week I actually got the nicest comment from another member at my gym, a total stranger complimented me on my ‘toned arms’ and it made my day! I love seeing peoples progress pics on their blogs, I think its good to see the results of what they are doing, as well as being motivational for me!
I think strong IS sexy. And I do agree, flaunt it! Confidence is beautiful! I just wish ALL body types were more widely appreciated. I do struggle with comparing myself to every other girl, and I end up driving myself CRAZY. So I guess what I mean is, I wish we could ALL flaunt it
Yes Liz we all deserve to flaunt it because we are all beautiful in our own ways
done!