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10+ reasons I love my ugly body

cciele

Veteran

"10+ Reasons I Love My Ugly Body" is a post by blogger and personal trainer Andrea Matthes. She has a wonderful message about celebrating what your body can do rather than what it looks like. This post has resonated with so many people that it brought her website down!

Anyhow, I think it's back: http://imperfectlife.net/ilovemyuglybody/
and if you can't access it directly, try the cached copy http://archive.today/SX0p3

Enjoy!

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21 replies

Latest reply was from gardenchick

rabbit

Veteran

Good article!

viva

Veteran

Thanks for posting that, Cciele. She is a brave and inspiring woman. Love her energy and her story -- so motivating and not just in terms of body image.

JenA

Veteran

Beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it.

Isabel

Veteran

This is just so fantastic. I often look at my mom's elderly and beat up hands and arthritis and I think of all the incredible, loving things those hands have done and continue to do.

L'Abeille

Veteran

Haven't read the article yet, but: This resonates with me because of something I have been meaning to post for ages. I have always criticized myself because my rib cage flares out at the bottom,. so the advice that "everyone" is flattered by empire waists/clothes that go in under the bust at the "narrowest" point just doesn't work for me.

My eyes were opened when during the last Olympics, a fashion spread involving athletes in a Canadian mag quoted an Olympic swimmer. She reoprted the same physical "anomaly"., only she phrased it so differently: "I don't look good in empire waists--because I have a wide lower rib cage. That's how I have the lung capacity to be a competitive swimmer" And I thought, Wow!

Then I realized, well, I'm no athlete. But that's probably why I have the lung capacity to be a singer! And I've tried to stop judging my body...

MsMaven

Veteran

Wow! Thanks for posting this. It is so easy to lose perspective and focus on our flaws.

She is a brave and wonderful woman.

Carla

Veteran

L'Abeille! I have the same rib cage thing going on, as does DS#2. With a small bust, it is like having 'double boobs'. On the other hand I understand the lung capacity thing completely! DS#2 plays the baritone sax and was paired up with that instrument when he was 12 after 1 year of playing Alto. No one had been able to get a sound out of it in the previous 3 years!

We got him his own baritone sax at 14. He played in 3 bands and got invited to be in a pit band for a musical 'Anything Goes'. He's 22 now, and still plays!

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sarah

Veteran

Wow. She is amazing.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Cool, seriously cool.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Good on her! It's hard to change old habits, but I am trying to focus on goals other than lbs on the scale. Pull ups is the thing this year I want to be able to say I did. I am enjoying feeling fast or strong, rather than 'thin' when I'm training and I like that shift.

ClaraT

Veteran

I love this. Thanks for posting.

kellygirl

Veteran

What an amazing woman and role model! Thanks for sharing. I would never have seen this if you hadn't posted.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Amazing - thanks so much for sharing

Lyn D.

Veteran

A lesson for us all- thanks for the reminder to be grateful for what we have right now!

Anonymous

I got really emotional reading that thank you so much for sharing. What a wonderful, beautiful woman.

Irene

Veteran

I'm not an excercise-driven person, and have absolutely no interest in being able to do one leg crunches, but I totally get what she means.

There is so much more to a body, and there's also the person inside. Sometimes I get hung up on what my body looks like and the many things I don't like about it... but I can walk at a fast pace and being slim makes me light even if I don't have the strongest muscles out there and since I started swimming, running to catch the bus has become invigorating instead of a painful experience (had to do that yesterday, and it felt SO GOOD, like a final sprint after a very tiring day).

Damn, now I feel like going out for a run!

pastrygirl

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for posting! That was well worth reading (and seeing).

Adelfa

Veteran

Thank you so much for posting this. I too would love to be able to do a pullup and a man's pushup--never done either in my life!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Wow. I'm kinda speechless after reading this. Talk about inspirational. Thank you

jackiec

Veteran

Amazing and great perspective!

Ah just one pull-up would be so cool.....

gardenchick

Veteran

Thanks for sharing...this is awesome!