health. faith. art. life.

Fitness: Is “Healthy” the New “Sexy”?  – Yes!

Throughout most of my life, from childhood to early adulthood, fitness and staying fit has been as inherent as my DNA. As a young girl, I was willingly thrust into competitive sports and athletics and truly never gave it much thought, or effort.

From gymnastics, to track and field, tennis and volleyball captain for several years I casually exhibited a toned, well-trained physique and associated myself with others (friends, classmates, peers) with similar interests and competitive edge.  Because of this training, early on, even shortly after giving birth to my three children, I would remotely jump right back into my fitness routine of combined cardio and weight-lifting.

However, the word “fitness” has, indeed taken on new meaning over the course of the years, beginning with the content of today’s fitness magazines and the overall media perception of “good health”.  “Fitness magazines don’t help us get fit. Gazing at images of caricatured breasts, buttocks and biceps gives you the impression this is how a fit body should look, that every fit body needs to be shaped in the same vein. Fitness magazines use exactly these images to “inspire” women to look this way. Yet most of us can’t identify with what we are looking at because we don’t believe ordinary us could ever be them.” (Reno, 2014)

Having been a bikini bearing swimsuit model for a short while, several years ago, I remember swinging between extremes of not taking myself seriously, to binging, then overexerting myself (sometimes for hours on-end) to work the calories off.  Even so, over the years I, too, have had to step-it-up, in the game due to the natural process of aging, (I went there!), and what’s more I have been directly affected by loved ones who have struggled with their weight and eating disorders, and this has naturally altered the way I now look at health and fitness.

As the face of fitness for decades changed from “healthy” to “sexy”, as every image displayed in fitness magazines has become one suggesting women are dressed and posed for the bedroom and not the gym, tanned and lightly oiled glutes for sheen and properly lifted through, wearing stripper shoes; I cannot help but empathize with the hundreds and thousands of men and women who are not only struggling with their weight, but whose assessment or reality of fitness has been altogether hijacked by such imagery (for lack of a better word).

Still, while exercising routinely is a key component in “staying fit”, there are other, equally essential elements that have to come into play in one’s overall ‘fitness’, such as mental and emotional well-being, faith/spiritual growth and transformation, ingesting clean and life-sustaining nutrients, and nurturing positive relationships that encourage us to grow. – And these components have marked a significant shift in how we now define “healthy”, and subsequently “sexy”.  Furthermore, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Tenacity: Triumph over trials…

Exercise and physical activity in general can often seem daunting to some, and rightfully so. It takes extra effort and motivation… that extra oomph to inspire you to get going; get moving. I know we’ve all heard and read this before, but it certainly bears repeating – ‘exercise has multiple benefits, not only on the physical, but also on the emotional and mental level as well.”

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain. Endorphins also trigger a positive, “feel-good” sensation in the body, that helps reduce disorders like depression and anxiety. A lack of exercise, on the other hand, will produce a sluggish attitude which will negatively impact the way you view life. Moreover, a lack of physical activity will cause, among other things, bones to lose density with age, and lack of weight-bearing exercise plays a role in osteoporosis, or brittle bones. Your body responds to the demands you put on it, and if you do not exercise, your muscles and bones weaken with time.

Becoming healthy can mean different things for different people. For me, becoming healthy meant I would have more energy, clearer thoughts to be creative, glowing skin, restful nights, less anxiety and I no longer wanted to suffer with migraines and digestive issues! I feel energized, radiant, focused, in control and… Sexy!

​Healthy is the NEW SEXY!

 Wake, pray, slay!