Showing posts with label body image. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body image. Show all posts

Friday, March 16, 2018

I've got the blues....


Blue porcelain pottery


Tumbling bunnies


lilting lyrics


Artist and porcelain maker Harumi Ota gave local artist Robert Amos lessons.
 Robert has created a whimsical line of vessels.
This one was a gift from our darling daughter Jennifer.


The two bowls shown here are by Harumi Ota.
I have had them several years.
For those of you reading this post who may be local 
they were purchased from a local gallery in Oak Bay called Eclectic.
 Harumi Ota frequently sells his work at The Moss Street Market on Saturdays.


Here's my new swimsuit...
also blue and white.

Finding a "flattering" suit was quite a challenge.
First off there was a limited selection in my price range
and 
coming to grips with my ample figure "weighed heavily"
I wanted decent support and good coverage...
needing to camouflage the "wobbly bits" as much as possible.

I ended up at a bathing suit specialty shop...
where they have many sizes and styles and expert fitters.

While in the change rooms I overheard many women's conversations 
 ALL of which were lamenting that they were FAT!

They were mostly young women and teenagers...
I was the eldest by far!

We are sensitive and critical of our bodies...
not everyone can be the same size or shape
we all have "problem areas"
no one is perfect.

 I am overweight
I know that I should slim down and get back to my WW goal weight.
 I have a serious conversation with myself about this regularly...
and its not really working.

I eat healthy
I try not to indulge in chocolates or sweets.
I walk every day and swim once a week.

I look around at the pool and there are women of all shapes and sizes.
There are some who would be considered morbidly obese 
in swimsuits much bigger than mine 
participating in the Aqua Fit classes...

How do they feel in their own skin?
Do we all have negative thoughts about our body image?
Is this a healthy way of thinking?


Here's my healthy lunch.

I AM going to try harder, starting right now, 
TODAY!

How about you?

Are you struggling to lose weight?
How do you feel about your body image?

Have you been swimsuit shopping lately?
Are you shocked by the swimsuit prices?
(many that I looked at were over $200)

Its a lovely sunny day and I am heading out for my second walk.

Thank you for reading my humble blog and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this issue.

Hope you have a fabulous weekend!

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~


Saturday, June 3, 2017

The bathing suit...

I recognized a lovely young woman pushing her child in a stroller at our local Marshall's store in the mall.
Smiling, vibrant and gorgeous...her name is Leah.

We see each other frequently on Oak Bay Avenue...
she is a fabulous teacher that I worked with at a local Middle School and I think that I can safely say that she is "adorable"...the daughter of an acquaintance.

Leah is one of those energetic and enthusiastic teachers that can inspire and engage students...these are the teachers that we love for so many reasons.
Young and impressionable students' minds need more teachers like Leah.

We exchanged news...
I told her that we were investing in a quarter share of a waterfront cottage on Pender Island. The resort has two pools, a children's play area and there is a marina for our boat.

We are hoping to get the children and grand children over to the cottage for the 2 week summer holidays and we will use it in the off season on our week each month.
Leah mentioned how much she appreciated having a cottage for their family holidays when she was growing up and now that she has two children of her own they are spending time with her parents at the cottage...
making many happy memories.

Leah asked if I had any luck finding anything in the store.
I did!
and I proceeded to swing a garment in my hands high over my head and said with a smile on my face that I had found a swimsuit!

Swimsuit shopping is quite an event...and when it is successful its a win win!

In my experience swimsuit shopping has never been easy...
one needs to try on quite a few to find the best option.



This is the first suit in more than a decade that has not been black. 
I have 2 suits in patterns of black and white...both have seen "better days."


~ Maxine of Hollywood ~
(sounds rather glamorous)

I have never seen this brand of swimwear.
Understandable as there has been a drought of swimwear shopping...
do not even bother to ask why!


How telling...

Obviously other shoppers have similar thoughts
otherwise why would they print a label that speaks to so many of us?

It must be a challenge for the designers of swim wear.
The suits need to fit, cover the "wobbly bits" and make us feel comfortable while wearing them.


I'll be dipping my toes in this pool soon.
I love swimming laps and I find it very relaxing.

It feels so good to tick a big item off the "to do list"
The swimsuit was my least favourite on my list, 
but fortunately it was not that daunting after all.

Summer is just around the corner and I am gathering up some summer reads.


I am almost finished The Madwoman Upstairs and it is an interesting story.

What is on your summer reading list?

Thank you for stopping by The Humble Bungalow Blog.
XO

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

The "battle of the bulge"...a group effort.

"Women of a certain age" frequently find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to their changing figures.

Many of my over 60 friends have been commiserating about their thicker mid sections and those persnickety "wobbly bits." Several of my friends who work out regularly at the gym have complained about their "muffin tops" and "back fat."

It would appear that these areas become problematic as we advance in age...


Our bodies change...
we must graciously accept these changes and press on.

Making the best of what we have
accepting our limitations
working at maintaining our health
mindful of the foods that we eat to fuel our bodies
enjoying meals that are attractive, colourful and full of nutritious elements.
I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to opt for a happy balance.

While we are focusing on slimming down...
we might need to reassess our clothing choices.

Dressing in flattering clothes definitely makes us feel better about ourselves.

Consider looking at "camouflage dressing" to disguise our figure flaws.
We may wear a bright scarf at the neck to draw the eye upward...
or wear the same colour separates on both the top and bottom for a longer line.

It is important to choose clothing that is not too sheer, too tight and does not cling. Opting for heavier fabrics with more "body."

I prefer denim, bamboo and crisp cottons and linens in styles that follow the curves of my figure but are not too tight or too baggy.

Light cottons, sheer knits and some silks are not that forgiving as they tend to be on the clingy side
Make sure to buy the size that fits and flatters...
ignore the tag...
if you get all hung up on whether you think that you should be wearing a certain size you might be choosing a garment that is going to reveal more of those wobbly bits than you would like.
Check in the mirror...and do not forget to look at the front and the back views.

We cannot expect that our bodies will stay the same as they were when we were in our youth and we need to gracefully embrace the changes that come with age...

Keeping active is important for many reasons...
maintaining flexibility
bone density and heart health,
lower blood pressure and warding off adult onset diabetes.


Weight gain is inevitable when our metabolism slows if we keep eating as we did prior to menopause we will naturally put on weight.

I read somewhere that estrogen is stored in fat cells
and that is why nature adds the fat to protect our hearts...
I cannot remember what publication this was or even if it is backed by scientific evidence...perhaps one of your readers knows more about this and can comment.

We must be proactive if we want to keep those extra pounds from piling up.
Mother who is 89, eats smaller portions and avoids cakes and pastries and walks for 20 minutes each afternoon.

My hypothyroid condition that results in a sluggish metabolism is an issue that affects my weight and a constant reminder that I need to take charge of my eating and exercise habits.

Weight has crept up on me while I was turning a blind eye...

I was much more successful when I was actively attending Weight Watcher meetings and counting my points.

So I am back to tracking my daily WW point allowance and amping up the walking. Many of you are joining me on this journey and I hope that you are starting this process with a positive realistic and optimistic attitude.
We can succeed if we put the effort into the project.
My goal is to lose about 1 pound each week...the first week we may see more weight loss but it usually slows a bit after the initial phase.


My morning indulgence is a cafe creme.
Espresso coffee and foamed skimmed milk.

Breakfast 


1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese and a cup of berries


Lunch is a salad with about 3 ounces of protein and a light dressing.

Dinner
3 ounces of lean protein and lots and lots of vegetables.


Daily brisk walks of about 45 minutes to an hour along the seafront
provide me with plenty of fresh air and movement.
The scenery is quite lovely 
so while I walk I soak in all the beauty and as a result I feel joyful.

If you are following along on this journey to improved health please feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts.

How is your week going?
Have you had cravings?
Are you walking or working out?
Do you have any tips for the group?


My journey may be very different from yours...
happiness and contentment within each of us is very personal 
what works for one may not work for another.

~ Be Well and Be Kind ~