The very thought of going bathing suit shopping, let alone wearing a swimsuit in public, sends most women into a tailspin. Under those department store florescent lights, with next to nothing on, all of our imperfections are glaringly obvious. When faced with this situation, the impulse might be to put our clothes back on, flee the dressing room, and resign ourselves to wearing the same chlorine ridden swimsuit for another season. On the other hand, we could stay and face our demons.
So, if you are less than thrilled about wearing a bathing suit on your next beach vacation, then perhaps you will find comfort in being reminded of this: all of us have imperfect bodies, imperfect personalities and imperfect lives. Mare Petras, fitness expert, author and inspirational speaker, cautions us about the pitfalls of pursuing perfection in her book, "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Swimsuit Shoppers". A strong proponent of mind-body fitness, Petras advocates striving for balance, "vibrancy, and vitality" rather than perfection. Removing the pressure to be perfect is a critical step towards self acceptance.
We can also make friends with our bodies by developing healthy lifestyle habits such as exercising, eating nutritious food, and managing stress levels. Living in our bodies is a lot like living in our houses. They both require constant upkeep in order for us to fully enjoy residing in them. Unlike home maintenance however, the stakes are much higher if we fail to take proper care of ourselves, and we don't have the option of moving from our bodies. As a veteran of the fitness industry for thirty years, Mare Petras has her own formula for sustaining a healthy lifestyle. Her motto is "K.I.S.S." or "keep it simple, sweetie". All three of her Fitness Simply books are full of common sense techniques, meant to inspire and energize you on the inside and out.
The next time you put on your bathing suit, take some deep breaths, and then call to mind the things you like about your body. Also, do one extra health enhancing thing each day. Eat a handful of blueberries, take a brisk walk after dinner, or just sit quietly with your eyes closed for five minutes. Remember to also practice this month's affirmation.
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