Musing on Body Acceptance - YouLookFab Forum

I spent the day Saturday at my favorite Korean spa. If you've never gone to a Korean spa, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jjimjilbang that should give you an idea.

Anyway, so when in the dry section, with rooms ranging from 64-164 degrees F, everyone wears the same orange or yellow shorts and top. Everyone is the same. In the wet section, with all the hot tubs and jets, everyone is (gender segregated) naked.

This led to a lot of musings on Body Acceptance, and if you'll permit me, I have just a couple things I had to share:

1. I saw a woman who had a breast removed. She walked around like she owned the place, and it actually took a moment for me to realize she only had one breast.

2. I saw several young ladies in their late teens or early twenties. They clutched their hand towels to their fronts, dashed about, and dunked far under the water. They were clearly uncomfortable being naked, but all the hiding made people notice them more.

3. Gravity takes its toll on all of us. In different ways, and on different parts of our bodies, but no one escapes. Except those who have had work done. Which, when we're all naked and drooping to one degree or another, is easy to spot.

4. If you're at the Korean spa in my neighborhood, there are three different kinds of people: korean, eastern european, and american. If you're the lone american that day, as I was on Saturday, everyone will stare when you first walk in, because a woman with a large behind is like an endangered species. Then we all have a laugh and get over it.

Final thought: My body pretty much rocks. Not because it's the size I want it to be (it isn't) or because it is super taught and toned (as if!) or because my skin is perfect (never.) My body rocks because it is mine. Because I have cellulite, heavy thighs, breasts starting to feel time, and more clogged pores than I ever could have dreamed possible. And I'm awesome. Just like everybody else.

11 years ago

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

My daughter developed at age 12 and was not emotionally ready. At age 16 she went to Japan and while there community baths. It was the best experience and changed her completely. She fell in love with her C cup chest . All it took was the admiring looks of the young girls for her to feel blessed and I got back a totally different child. The thousands of dollars I spent on that trip were worth it!!!!!

Raisin

Those are great thoughts! I think it's interesting how you noted that the younger we are, the more we hide our bodies, and usually that's when they are typically in their best shape. As we get older we learn to accept things, like gravity, and embrace our bodies. It's too bad we couldn't learn this years earlier, right!

Mochi

Cool, Atlantia! Being naked in a group setting is an effective way to get over body issues. (Doing it outdoors and in mixed company is even more of a powerful experience...try this on the west coast, though, as people there seem much more blase and accepting and not hung up!)

The only nitpicky thing I have to say, though, is that the "Koreans" and "Eastern Europeans" at your spa--at least some of them--must also have been Americans.

Anonymous

I try to love my body too. It's hard somedays but a friend in a wheel chair once reminded me that he would love to have my problems

I try to remind myself that I may not be beautiful but I am healthy and can ask my body to do anything, like walk run hike etc and not all people can

Great experience but no, not for me. I am not that comfortable around ,ahem, random naked people. That's why I hate the gym, the communal dressing rooms. NO.

kimlee

A wonderful post. I loved reading your insights on body acceptance especially the fact that embrace your body because it is yours. As someone who spent years battling an eating disorder, learning to be at peace with your body is an amazing thing.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

*applause*

Your thoughts on body acceptance rock - just like your bod.

Atlantia

Mochi, you make a really excellent point, and I hope I didn’t offend anyone. I actually live in a “little Korea” neighborhood with a very high Estonian population. Most of my spa friends are permanent residents but not citizens. Still, it is a good thing to remember that just because someone has an appearance and language associated with another country, they may very well still be an American citizen. For that matter, my boyfriend is a tall white dude that speaks English as his first language, and, being British, is NOT an American. More musings!!

Thistle

Thanks for this. I loved the post and it brougth a smile to my face.

Still, not sure I could do that whole communal naked thing . . .

Day Vies

Thanks for the post. It's great to be old enough to realize that you have a body and it works that's a good body. It's hard in a society that places so much emphasis on youth, thinness and perfection to get to a happy, loving place with the body you have.

Lauren

Active Member

Atlantia this is wonderful. I am so glad you got this experience and I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. Thank you for sharing

RoseandJoan

What a wonderful thread, yes a healthy body should be the ideal, it is a shame we get sidetracked and loose sight of what is important. Thank you for sharing.

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