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The final Stefon sketch from Saturday Night Live.
The Stefon bit was one of my favorites. I’m gonna miss him
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Me for the past three days!
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Paleo Banana Bread
After starting the paleo diet, I started craving the exact foods I wasn’t allowed to eat. This is my first...
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Apologies for the terrible image quality - I’m lacking scanner access at the minute so I had to take these photos on my phone
I was...
I was thinking about this quote as it relates to the concept of ‘beauty’. Some women are so (rightfully) angry about the pressure to fit into a beauty box, that they reject the idea of ‘beauty’ all together. (they tend to get irked when messages state “you’re beautiful” or something similar).
There IS something wrong about the way we collectively see beauty: it’s crazy limited! When I say all women are beautiful, it’s true (at least to me). The same way beauty can be found in flowers, a sunny afternoon, or a plastic bag a la American Beauty. It’s not the concept of beauty that’s problematic. The idea that we all have to look a certain WAY or have certain characteristics in order to believe we are beautiful… that’s what’s messed up.
Rather than reject the notion of beauty, why don’t we open it up a little? Why not allow the idea that beautiful comes in many shapes and sizes? Why deny beauty because we’re mad about how it’s been defined when we can ALWAYS define it for ourselves? (and DUH, there’s WAY more to life than fitting into a beauty ideal. But you don’t feel nearly as pressured to do so when you already know you’re inherently tote BEAUTS).
Freedom = getting rid of the box. :)
Well, that’s one way to put it. :)
Dove, Real Beauty Sketches
Dove has released its newest campaign/experiment, and it might make you re-think how you see yourself. (I WISH, we could do this in real life!).
A group of women were asked to describe themselves to a forensic sketch artist, then describe how they saw each other to him. The comparison sketches bring a few women to tears and highlight the fact that we don’t always see ourselves as others do.
See all the videos and a side by side of each portrait here: http://realbeautysketches.dove.ca/
It’s a show and tell, nothin’ to hide, body pride kind of a day, so posting this pic for a reader who messaged me about how ‘abnormal’, ‘gross’ and ‘ugly’ her stretch marks were.
She said she didn’t know anyone who had them on their thighs, butt or boobs like she did. I thought I’d put an end to that.
Hi. I’m Chichi. Nice to meet you. These are my thighs/hips. And some of my stretch marks. I’d show you my boobs, but FB gets weird about that. I pinky swear, their stretch marks look similar. I also have scars, cellulite, a big birthmark on my belly and a horrible, ill advised playboy bunny tattoo on my low back. I was 16 and thought it was ‘cool’. These all used to be things I hated about myself. I decided that didn’t work for me anymore and now I’m pretty cool with ‘em. No shame.
My body doesn’t need me to apologize for it. It’s wicked.
I have no story behind these marks. They aren’t tiger stripes, or battle wounds. At my biggest, I was a size 12-14. My boobs are smaller now, but I had the marks pretty much out of puberty. This is just my bod. I didn’t do anything to earn it. But I’m down with it.
I don’t know what your body looks like, but I can guarantee ‘most’ of us here have stretch marks or cellulite. Or will one day. You might have more marks, less marks, lighter marks, darker marks or none at all. But no matter what your body’s own brand of quirky brings, know that there are millions of beautiful women in the same boat. It’s normal. It’s beautiful. It’s not gross.
So here. Check my legs out. I’m not everybody, just somebody. And I have awesome legs and stretch marks. Bam.
(PS- Fit Mama Training started an avalanche of awesome earlier. Click on the link for the most amazing post ever.)
(via ohshitgottagetfit)
A quick list of things you can work on this year, that will bring you nothing but ‘awesome’. And none of them have to do with weight loss, losing ‘flaws (always in quotations), or changing your appearance. Those are bonuses and things you can ALWAYS work on of course, but unless those changes are made with LOVE (not hate), they aren’t likely to stick OR make you feel better.
This is about being mother f*cking at HOME in the body you are in, whatever it’s shape. You deserve it. You do. Trust me & thank me later.
Here’s some ways you can START your body love journey.
#spreadthelove
1. Put down the magazines. Scroll past that site. Don’t indulge in hours of ‘ideal body’ pinning (and pining). Want to feel better about your body? Stop feeding it unrealistic expectations.
2. Re-examine your relationship with the scale. Does it make or break your day? Does the thought of missing a weigh in stress you out? Ditch it. Nothing should have that power over you.
Excerpt from “I’ve Started Telling My Daughters I’m Beautiful” (via Offbeat Mama)
“I see it behind their eyes, the calculating and impression. I see it behind their shining brown eyes, how glad they are that I believe I am beautiful. They love me. To them, I am love and guidance and warm, soft blankets and early mornings. They have never doubted how wonderful I am. They have never doubted my beauty. How confusing it must have been for them to see me furrowing my brow in the mirror and sucking in my stomach and sighing.
How confusing it must have been to have me say to them, “You think I am beautiful, but you are wrong. You are small and you love me, so you’re not smart enough to know how unattractive I am. I know I am ugly because I see myself with mean eyes. You are my child and I love you, but I will not allow myself to be pretty, for you. No matter how shining you are when you watch me brushing my hair and pulling my dress over my head. No matter how much you want to be just like me, I can’t be beautiful for you and I don’t know why.”
It’s working, a little bit. I’ve even stopped hating myself, a little bit.
I’ll be what they see. They see me through eyes of love. I’d do anything for them, even this.
I am beautiful.”
Stop comparing. Redefine what beauty means to you.
RE-FRAMING COMPARISON
Just because she’s __________ (pretty, smart, thin, attractive, charming, funny) doesn’t mean you’re NOT ___________ (awesome, amazing, loved, worthy, unique, special, wicked, badass).
We notice differences among us: it’s not a bad thing. But internalizing what those differences MEAN (i.e. feeling ‘less than’ by comparison), is where the trouble starts. You ARE in control of how you let those messages bounce around inside your head.
Try re-framing how you compare yourself: what you have to offer is delicious to the people you care about MOST. :)
An interesting thought when it comes to comparison: nothing can make you feel inferior without your permission.
It’s a very powerful thing to own your beauty. It’s freedom. It means that just because she (or an altered image of ‘she’) is ‘beautiful’, doesn’t mean you’re not. Or that you’re not worthy of all the things you think she’s worthy of. Or that you’re not ‘enough’ in some way.
Photos from “Athlete” by Howard Schatz
Excerpt via Re-Examining – And Re-Defining – The Athlete’s Body
First, don’t get suckered into defining something as broad as “athlete” – especially when “athlete” can refer to everything from gymnastics to sumo wrestling – by marketing that never even mentions a sport. It’s disrespectful to and discounts those who don’t fit that visual description – it excludes them from their rightfully earned title of “athlete” because they don’t look the way an uninformed public says an “athlete” should look – and doesn’t give them the credit they deserve.
Second, these are extremely – extremely – successful athletes. There are Olympians in this photo set. If they’ve got what you consider to be amazing bodies? Guess what – they’re not taking pills to get them. They’re putting in work. The only people who believe you can get “something” for “nothing” are those who have nothing. In fitness, you have to work. You want that body? Let’s see several hours a week – maybe even several hours a day – of commitment toward achieving it.
Lastly, if you can see how foolish society’s standards are for fitness…. then the logical question must be “where does this standard come from?” If you can’t answer that question immediately, and be satisfied with your answer… perhaps you should question why you hold yourself to such a standard in the first place.
Just a thought.
Want to see more? Book: Athlete, by Howard Schatz
(via teenytinythighs)
Confidence is sexy!
Ever changing beauty standards are trending towards ‘THIN IS OUT’ these days… which SHOULD mean a greater range of body types making their way on the scene. But apparently, in some cases, the same thin bodies are being used… then manipulated to look larger or ‘fuller’.
Reverse airbrushing: the practice of making a model look ‘fuller’ (more busty, more/less muscled, ‘softer’ etc.).
I’m NOT down with the skinny vs. curvy war that’s oh-so popular to trot out. All women are real. We come in different sizes, which includes very small ones, short ones, muscled ones, tall ones, voluptuous ones (and more). But I am a body love warrior asking for fair, diverse and realistic representation: and that means seeing more than two body types in the mix. Airbrushing a thin model to look larger because that’s ‘IN’ right now? Not a step in the right direction.
And there are PLENTY of ‘real’ women to choose from, it’s not like there’s a shortage! I could throw a rock down the street and hit one right now.(I won’t, lol).
What are your thoughts on reverse airbrushing?
Healthy Hair: 10 Foods For Strong Locks
Check out the top 10 superfoods that can strengthen you from head to toe. They’re all healthy options that double as hair follicle strengtheners. Note: just because you fry up some salmon for dinner tonight, it doesn’t mean you’ll see results right away. It can take up to six weeks for food and your hair to finally tie the knot.
Read the full list here.
Salmon
When it comes to foods that have a beauty punch, it’s hard to beat salmon. Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, this high-quality protein source is also filled with vitamin B-12 and iron.
Dark Greens
Spinach, like broccoli and Swiss chard, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, which your body needs to produce sebum. This oily substance, secreted by your hair follicles, is the body’s natural hair conditioner.
Eggs
When it comes to healthy hair, it doesn’t matter whether you like your eggs scrambled, fried, or over easy. However they’re served up, eggs are one of the best protein sources you can find. They contain biotin and vitamin B-12, which are important beauty nutrients.
Carrots
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which promotes a healthy scalp along with good vision. Since a healthy scalp is essential for a shiny, well-conditioned head of hair, you’d be wise to include carrots in your diet as snacks or toppings on your salad.
‘Physical Culture’ Magazine Covers, 1910s
(Gallery via Retronaught)
