We're Already Beautiful, Thank You

If you have children — or even if you don’t have children, but you sense that something’s not quite right with the self-image and body-image messages the kids are being bombarded with these days — have a look at this powerful short video.

My web developer friend Guilherme (Zo’C) brought this video to our attention, and it’s really heartening to see the enlightened male viewpoint here and in his previous post, Dove Evolution, both about the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty.

Actually, you can be too thin

Meanwhile, in the news…

The Montreal Gazette just yesterday ran a story with that headline — Actually, you can be too thin — sparked by the organizers of this year’s Montreal Fashion Week who “have scored one small point for sanity in Canada’s fashion industry, by barring girls under 16 and overly skinny models from its catwalks.”

Organizers say knobby knees and protruding ribs and shoulder bones are out, which is sensible enough. The mystery is how they ever got to be in.

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4-Week Walk: Wrap Up

September 2007 calendar Can you believe this is the final day of the 4 Week Walk for Weight Loss?!

In one way, those 28 days seemed to take forever… but in another way, they just flew by! And I like it that the program ends with a good long steady walk.

It was a wonderful hour on the woodland trails, birdwatching and admiring the colorful autumn leaves and thinking about what’s been accomplished here this month.

Here’s what walking has done for me:

First, it has been empowering!

For whatever reason, I normally find it hard to sustain any daily program for any length of time — so the fact that I was able to follow through on this entire walking program is a real accomplishment for me. It’s good to feel like a winner!

Day 28:
5 – 10 minute warm-up
45 – 60 minutes walk at level 6
5 -10 minute cool-down
stretching

Second, there are the physical benefits.

I’ve dropped more than 10 pounds just by going for a walk 6 days a week. I’ve had to start buckling my favourite belt on one knotch tighter, with more than an inch off my waistline… And there’s just a lot less “jiggling” all around, if you know what I mean!

There’s no doubt that my overall fitness level has improved. I find that I can keep up a physical activity for longer without getting tired or out of breath — whether that activity is raking leaves or walking the dogs or cleaning the house, whatever.

Third, I’ve found that regular exercise is a brilliant stress reduction method, and helps me to “stay on the sunny side” when Life starts throwing up obstacles and frustrations and worries…
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4-Week Walk: Day 25

September 2007 calendar Wow, this morning’s fitness walk has got to be the most intense on the program yet!

I’ve never had a big problem with shin splints — wasn’t even sure what a shin splint felt like, in fact — but I think I’m feeling it firsthand today.

Wikipedia says that shin splints have a couple of possible causes. As I understand it, one cause is a tendency to overstride so the foot slaps down on the ground too hard, stressing the muscle that serves to flex the large toe.

Yes, yes, I know that it’s important not to lengthen your stride when you pick up the pace — but it’s hard to remember to take short quick steps. And it feels like taking short fast steps would look like a speed-walking duck…
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4-Week Walk: Day 24

September 2007 calendar So close to the end of the four weeks of walking to which we’ve committed, it can be all too easy to figure that “it won’t hurt to skip a day” or tempting to just take a quick stroll around the block…

Today’s program calls for a short walk — it’s no more than half an hour, including the warm-up and cool-down stroll along at a gentle pace — so I’m going to suggest just taking a few minutes today to read up on all the good things that walking can do for your body and your health — and how to get the most benefits out of the exercise program.

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