https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:20:40 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490446 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:19:32 +0000 Ornella 490446@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We already have well established trend of posts filled with delight and awe when people discover YLF and its community.</p> <p>Let this one be a start of the new trend - the one celebrating our bodies for everything it does for us. We DO need reminding, very often, it is not just a hanger for clothes, but an amazing creation. Thank you for sharing your special moment (and what better place to do it than here!).</p> <p>p.s.<br /> I also hope you'll post more, but even if it's rare and with this kind of impact, it's still fine </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490402 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:49:19 +0000 AJ 490402@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda what an inspiring first forum post!! Thank you for sharing.</p> <p>As I get older and definitely since finding YLF, I've been less critical of my body. However, I still have my weak moments. The next time that arises, I shall think of the lovely way you turned a negative comment into a positive one: “My awesome wall climbing legs deserve a much better skirt”. </p> <p>You are even more endearing and awesome for having ephiphanies WHILE rock climbing!! You are FAB! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490397 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:17:47 +0000 Sara L. 490397@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, it's great to hear from you on the forum! Your posts were among the first that I read on YLF and I found them very inspiring. I found this post also to be inspiring and a good reminder to me to be grateful for everything my body can do. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490371 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:40:54 +0000 Isabel 490371@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just loved this Fernanda. Isn't it so true ? I love holding and looking at my mom's beautiful hands. They look so old and remind me of how hard they have worked cooking for us, sewing for us, combing my hair and so on.</p> <p>I am recovering from breast cancer and starting on my 5 year anti-cancer treatment. I am also just starting to exercise again and as I start to walk slowly on the treadmill I also think of how much body has been through and how it keeps on going and how ultimately strong it is...so are our minds.</p> <p>Thank you for posting this ! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490364 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 04:27:33 +0000 Suz 490364@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, thank you so much for sharing this story. You see how you have touched so many of us here. </p> <p>I understand absolutely what you are talking about. 18 months ago I couldn't run to the end of our block and could barely do one body-weight squat. Now I participate in cross-fit classes...and help my husband lift the snow tires. I am so amazed what this middle aged body is capable of, and so proud of it that I no longer think of it in terms of its "attractiveness." It's healthy, and for that I am profoundly grateful. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490338 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 03:31:02 +0000 Fernanda 490338@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow. I thought nothing would feel better that climbing the wall, but reading your responses is definitely the highest point of the whole experience. Thanks for sharing my relief regarding the cyst scare. I'm happy that it also ended up well for all of you who've gone through the same. I see that we're all prolific "cyst-makers" (this was not my first, but definitely the one it felt most suspicious and weird). And thanks for your sharing your stories. They're amazing. I now feel a hundred times more inspired.<br /> Thanks Coco for the link on your brother —I'm a fan— and Claudia for bringing up Thimbelina's post, it almost made me cry. Alaskagirl (that would be Una, right?), your Spanish rocks. I love how you summed up the feeling: covered in chalk and immensely grateful. Life is funny, uh?<br /> Angie, your eloquency is the reason we're all YLF addicts. Alllow me to me remind you that you've changed our lives through your posts.<br /> I could spend the night writing about how I relate to each and every one of your experiences. Seriously, I could go on for hours.<br /> You're all too kind for words. And brave, and warm and lovely. A million thanks again. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490299 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:08:09 +0000 Lantana 490299@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, your story touches my heart as do the responses from the forum. I am so happy for you that your diagnosis is positive. I empathize. I value my health and have worked hard to stay fit. Nevertheless my body sometimes has its own agenda. Most recently an injured back (now on the mend) makes it impossible for me to work in my beloved garden, my major creative outlet and source of artistic satisfaction. Ironically, being forced to rest led me to exploring different outlets for my creativity. I returned to sewing, trawling the Internet for inspiration. One day, I came across YLF and this extraordinary forum. As a result, my present creative journey is daily enriched. Thank you all. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490298 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 01:05:18 +0000 velvetychocolate 490298@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a great post! So glad you decided to share, and I can relate to finally feeling like this a couple of years ago, when my stepdaughter was getting married and no one would go to the gym with her. I was way out of shape, although I'd lost quite a bit of weight by that point. You know what? It was *amazing* to realize that in spite of a terrible body image I'd felt for years - there was an incredible difference in what I could do. Just three months into our five-days-a-week at five-thirty in the morning routine, the vacuum cleaner felt like a feather duster. I could run up stairs, hoist gigantic bags of dog kibble, and even build a new front porch railing! </p> <p>It was a crazy thing we did - but she was getting married, and I was the only person who'd join a gym in November (not January) as a complete newbie - willing to look and feel silly - not knowing how to use the machines or what to do with weights etc. The first time I tried doing a push-up, I ended up flat on my face, nose pressed into the mat. Just a few months later, I was able to do a whole bunch of push-ups, and even un-assisted pull-ups. </p> <p>I've not been keeping up with this stuff for the past two years - due to all kinds of stress/turmoil and upheaval in our lives. But, boy - I secretly miss feeling strong. </p> <p>I'm so glad you posted this! It's new inspiration to get going again, even if it means being terrible at it at first. </p> <p>Thank you! I'd almost forgotten what this feeling is like. The sudden realization that our bodies are worth taking care of and that we're a lot stronger than we think. It does make you feel a bit differently, doesn't it? </p> <p>Thank you again for such a great post! So glad you felt that feeling - an appreciation for what you can *do*, it's amazing isn't it? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490291 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:55:23 +0000 catgirl 490291@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, gracias por sus palabras muy importante (hope that's correct, my Spanish is rusty) - what a beautiful post! I am SO glad you are healthy. Your post is especially timely for me as I've been feeling down about my own shape recently and how little I appreciated my body back when I was younger and didn't have to consider shapewear as an option. </p> <p>And how cool that climbing a rock wall was part of this realization. As a rock climber, I can tell you that I feel most like myself on the wall, in my holey shirt and climbing pants, covered in chalk and sweating my way up a challenging route. No worries about whether my apple tendencies are showing or my boobs are too big, just joy and gratitude that my muscles can allow me to have that much fun. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490281 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:17:44 +0000 Angie 490281@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>AMEN, Fernanda! I am so very proud of you that my heart aches with happiness - and tremendous relief that your cysts are nothing serious. </p> <p>Our bodies are a compilation of straight lines and curves in all sorts of sizes and shapes. None of it is ever wrong - it's just YOU. And YOU is always right *if you believe it's right*. Here at YLF, we'll help you believe that your body is right.</p> <p>Sorry about that not sounding as eloquent as I had hoped that it would sound :(. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490275 Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:03:07 +0000 Michelle 490275@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a wonderful post and responses, and what wise words. These really resonated with me, since I've spent the past 10 years at least in a state of extreme body-iamage crisis. This is a wonderful perspective that I suspect I'll turn to in my ongoing battle to conquer this once and for all. Thank you all so much.<br /> And Fernanda, an official welcome to the forum, where you've already had more of an impact than you know! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490259 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:40:30 +0000 Di 490259@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is so perfect-- thank you. I couldn't agree more. And I'm so happy that you got good health news. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490255 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:31:04 +0000 lyn* 490255@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for posting Fernanda! I am very happy about your cyst news as a fellow cyst-y person, it is such a scary event! </p> <p>I was thinking about you the other day, even though I don't know you very much, from the series of posts that Angie did. I remembered your fabulous purple top that you wore on TV and thinking wistfully one morning, "I wish I looked TV ready like Fernanda!" I previously thought you were very fab already - I feel closer to you now; thank you for sharing! </p> <p>&lt;3 </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490253 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 23:20:47 +0000 Claudia 490253@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, thanks for sharing this in a very wise post. I am glad that what you experienced was just a scare.</p> <p>"Why our bodies are awesome by default," reminded me of something another YLF member wrote earlier this year that has stayed with me and I hope it's okay to include it on this meaningful thread you have started, too:</p> <p>Thimbelina wrote 8 months ago: </p> <p>"I have had several bodies: a youthful underweight body which could wear almost anything because it all hung as if from a clotheshanger on my perfectly straight frame; then more of an hourglassy voluptous nursing mother with IT tendencies; and finally now this body I like to call the athletic crone: big shoulders, the ruins of what was once an enviable bustline, a squishy zone where there is virtually no waist and slim hips without the benefit of any supporting cast in the booty department, all ending in legs that regularly fool UPS men half my age into sneaking another look... In 15 years I have no doubt I will peruse these forum pictures and think damn, I really didn't appreciate how good I looked!... and so it goes... we are such moving targets for our whole lives. What interests me now is appreciating how my body works. It is such a veteran. It has produced live animals. It has walked for countless miles. It has harvested bushels of vegetables. It is has cooked vats of stock. It has moved me through bad days at the office and good days at the beach. It has helped me carry the caskets of people I loved on their journey to locales where bodies are no longer needed. And now that it has decided it can no longer bleed with lunar tide, I'm going to get mad at it?? That just makes me sad. Its like a war veteran, my body. And it is faithful like a dog; it still wants to get up with the sun, and run in the morning fog, and enjoy a glass of wine with me tonight. So I just try as much as possible to once and for all stop being mad about sizes and numbers and goals. I'm much more interested in finding things that make me look and feel good right now, this moment, this day. Cuts and colors and tricks of the eye that make an older and more seasoned body feel loved and celebrated.</p> <p>Sorry this got long... these menopausal gals can really go, eh? I really didn't mean to preach here. Buy some cute clothes; you deserve them."</p> <p><a href="http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/feeling-ok-with-a-changing-body" rel="nofollow">http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....nging-body</a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490248 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:50:47 +0000 Mo 490248@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for taking the time to share this with us by posting! We can get caught up in the way our body looks and forget what our body *does*. I love the stories of how being physically active makes each of us a better more well rounded person as a whole. I feel the same. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490241 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:37:13 +0000 Inge 490241@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, thank you so so much for this beautiful and touching post!! (and it's absolutely wonderful to see you on the forum, of course!).</p> <p>I'm so happy and relieved to hear everything turned out fine. (The waiting and uncertainty are nerve-wrackingly awful too). Every word you wrote here really resonates with me. Our health is so important and the millions of things our bodies can do are absolute awesome. And we all look awesome too, so silly we forget that sometimes:-)</p> <p>Congratulations on climbing that wall! Of course you should brag about that, it's pretty spectacular!-) I'm glad you seized the moment and celebrated the good news with such a fun (and impressive) adventure. I felt elated just reading about it.</p> <p>You are an amazing, wise and super gorgeous lass, Fernanda, thank again for sharing this with us. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490238 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:33:09 +0000 Nakidra 490238@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>How wonderful for you to try something new. It must have felt so awesome and scary at the same time! You're right, our bodies are super amazing! Earlier this year, I donated a kidney to my mother. It's crazy because she almost instantly felt better. I also ran my first marathon this year - another example how amazing our bodies are! I don't actually think we're meant to run 26 miles at a time, but I did it and felt awesome afterwards!<br /> I'm glad that your heath scare turned out to be only a scare! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490234 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:29:13 +0000 Janet 490234@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, I'm so glad you posted this! I loved your feature in Angie's blog.</p> <p>I've been through the very same thing -- both with cysts in my breast and my ovaries (the doctor at the radiology clinic called me a cyst-maker!). Its incredibly stressful and scary, but I'm thankful you and I had good outcomes.</p> <p>This year I celebrated my body's health and ability by starting a running program. At age 45 I'd never considered myself athletic in the least little bit, but I've now run my first half-marathon and I'm signed up for my second one in March. Now my "too big" thighs are instead strong legs that can carry me through 13 miles of (mostly) running. I never thought I'd tackle such a thing, and it's been good for every part of me, including my body image.</p> <p>Thanks for sharing your story with us! I hope to hear more from you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490232 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 22:25:35 +0000 Transcona Shannon 490232@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda - it so nice to see you post. We feel like we've known you forever too! I'm so glad your health scare turned out to be nothing - what a tremendous relief for you.</p> <p>Your sentiments about how marvellous our bodies are really resonated with me. I'm someone who has struggled with up and down body weight resulting in some very unhealthy loathing of my body. But like you, I'm healthy, I can move about and enjoy so many things because all of my parts work - thank you for reminding me that we are amazing creates and that we should celebrate our accomplishments every single time! Congratulations on your climb - who knows what's next for you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490217 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:46:22 +0000 CocoLion 490217@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, what a relief to hear it's just a cyst. As someone with a fibrous chest, I know the feeling of being scared by finding "material" in that region.</p> <p>Your post couldn't be more timely. Just last night I was standing in front of my boyfriend in my underwear, complaining about my aging mid-section. He said, "well, you aren't 25 anymore." That did not make me feel much better. I have to remember, my body still works! Today I drove by a guy in one of those motorized wheelchairs, he was driving it down the highway to get to a supermarket. There, but for the grace of God... go I.</p> <p>If you are interesting in climbing, I have to put a plug in for my brother's recent ascent of Meru, never climbed before, and ranked as the #1 ascent of 2011 by Rock and Ice.<br /> <a href="http://rockandice.com/news/1732-top-10-ascents-of-2011?start=10" rel="nofollow">http://rockandice.com/news/173.....1?start=10</a></p> <p>He is 49 years old, the man in the middle. (Conrad Anker)</p> <p>It really is amazing what our bodies can do! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490212 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:41:08 +0000 Aida 490212@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Aw this is a sweet story, thank you so much for sharing! (And yay for posting ) I have been appreciating my body the last couple weeks because it's been sick, and it reminds me how well it usually treats me. We should definitely keep in mind how much our bodies can do for us, and treat ourselves nicely. I love the way you are reframing how you think about how clothing looks on you. And of course, congrats on making it up the wall! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490208 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:36:49 +0000 Parsley 490208@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda, What a wonderful and inspiring first post!</p> <p>You are so right; our bodies deserve to be celebrated for the wondrous machines that they are! Having a health scare really reminds you not to take it for granted, doesn't it?</p> <p>Thanks for posting this, and I hope to see more from you here! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490205 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:35:44 +0000 anne 490205@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fernanda thanks so much for delurking and sharing this with us. I am so glad your lump was only a cyst and congrats on the rock climbing wall and new perspective on clothes and your body.<br /> And am now going to take my awesome legs out for a 10k run! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/the-reason-our-bodies-are-awesome-by-default#post-490201 Sat, 17 Dec 2011 21:31:20 +0000 Fernanda 490201@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi everyone. This is my first forum post (shame on me) even though I feel I’ve known you all forever. Between my shyness and my chronic procrastination syndrome, I tend to give things so much thought that at the end it feels as I’ve already done them. Today, however, that was not the case.<br /> I had a week that felt like a rollercoaster. Three days of fear and horrible uncertainty (I found a lump in my chest) followed by pure happiness (it turned out to be a cyst) and other kind of blessings (Ornella’s beautiful post, which I wish I knew how to link from here, but hopefully Greg will help me.)<br /> All of this led me to try something I’ve wanting to do for a long time, but was always postponing. That is, to climb my gym’s hiking wall. I thought it was the perfect time to do it, as a little homage to the present moment and the great feeling of being healthy.<br /> I wanted to share this with you not because I need to brag about it (though, of course, I’m doing it too), but because while I was up there, feeling like a happy monkey, I had a thought that struck me as lightning: “Our bodies are awesome only because the allow us to do stuff like this”. And, still, we are always finding faults with it, holding grudges against it, complaining about it, etcetera.<br /> We reagard it only as something to be judged by others, and whose only function must be to look perfect (for whatever that means). I know this has been said many times, but today it became SO clear to me that I just couldn’t believe it. While I saw myself strecthing like crazy trying to grab the corner of a rock or placing my foot where it wouldn’t slip, I remembered how many times I’d tried to cover my arms (because they were skinny) or to hide my legs (because they were thick). And, hey, there they were today, in all their glorious skininess and thickness, proving me how strong and adecquate they were for the task. And making me really, really proud of them.<br /> I hope this resonates with you, in regards of the hundred things we do —play with our pets and children, drag furniture around, jump in joy— while taking our bodies for granted. In my case, I’m sure that the next time something like “This pretty skirt doesn’t look good on my legs” crosses my mind, I’ll immediately change it to “My awesome wall climbing legs deserve a much better skirt”. </p> <p>I decided I’d ONLY share my epiphany with people I felt close to. That’s exactly what I’m doing now. </p>