Body Image, Planning Your Workouts and Getting the Results You Want
Scheduling your workouts is NOT a sign of poor body image or lack of self-love.
Keep scheduling your gym time, treadmill time or fitness video time, whatever your mode of exercise is.
Some “self-love” and body-positive influencers tell their followers that they shouldn’t schedule workouts.
You should not take this advice.
Of all the things you schedule in your life…why should exercise be left out of this practice?
What DO you think it’s okay to schedule?
• Bath time for the kids
• Feeding time for the baby and older children
• Housecleaning
• Balancing the checkbook
• Reviewing expenditures for the household
• Oil changes for the car
• Showering
• Shaving the legs
• Washing the hair
• Haircuts
• Walking the dog
Do you do any of the above only when “you feel like it”? Of course not! There is a component of scheduling to every one of those tasks.
Without any scheduling, there’d be big problems, not to mention filthy hungry children and hairy legs.
There Is No Evidence that Scheduling Workouts Prevents Self-Love or Body Positivity
Freepik.com/ senivpetro
When I was a personal trainer, my clients’ workouts were scheduled. Well, of COURSE they were, because I was providing a service, and they were my business clients.
But that aspect aside, having them work with me two or three times/week on the same days and at about the same time helped train their mind to assimilate the concept of sticking to a fitness regimen.
If you decide to do your workouts “whenever you feel like it,” guess what will happen!
Remember what I said about filthy kids and hairy legs? Not to mention a dog pooping all over the house and an overdrawn checking account.
Important events need to be scheduled: business meetings, PTA meetings, HOA meetings, doctor appointments, job interviews, and on and on.
So to think that an appointment to do your body good should not be scheduled is utter madness.
If you refuse to schedule your workouts, you’ll end up not doing them often enough to progress in your level of fitness.
If you want to increase your cardiovascular fitness, muscle and joint strength, low back and knee integrity, improve glucose metabolism, improve bone composition, enhance vascular health, firm up and lose body fat – you absolutely MUST schedule your workouts.
Just like you schedule your pedicures, manicures, haircuts, teeth brushing and anything else in life.
Spontaneous Unplanned Workouts
Hey, I’m all for spontaneous, non-scheduled ventures of physical activity such as that unplanned bike ride, zip-about on your inline skates, hike or some spur-of-the-moment sprints down the street.
But these would be in ADDITION to scheduled exercise sessions. Without scheduling you’ll lose sight of commitment, focus and progress.
Aim for at least three structured exercise sessions scheduled per week.
If something comes up and you miss one of these workouts, then you should do it the next day.
But to eliminate scheduling altogether? This is utter nonsense.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained clients of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
Why Seana’s Story on 600 Pound Life Is One of the Saddest
Seana’s story on “My 600 Pound Life” ranks as one of the saddest and bleakest for several reasons.
At only 22 she was seemingly destined for success with Dr. Now’s program.
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Joyce on “My 600 Pound Life” was another train wreck, but this disaster contains some unusually interesting components: namely her mother. (more…)
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Why Do Older Men Let Their Butts Fly up with Lat Pull-downs?
Ever notice that nearly every senior age man does lat pull-downs by lifting his butt off the seat before each pull?
Big Toenail Subungual Hematoma: Images Show Healing Over Time
JUNE 11
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If All Bodies Are Beautiful what About All Faces? Face Positivity
We keep getting “body positivity” shoved down our throat. What about women with homely faces? When’s their ship going to come in?
Why don’t we see THEM strutting catwalks and getting on covers of magazines?
In fact, the very phrase, “All faces are beautiful,” isn’t even used amid all the body positivity hoopla.
Even women with conventionally attractive bodies don’t stand a chance of getting a modeling gig if they have a plain Jane face, let alone a “dog face.”
Professional Models
Look, I get it: It’s important that a model have a pretty face. I myself use images of only attractive faces for most of my articles.
However, I also don’t actively campaign for “body positivity,” either. I’m off the hook.
I don’t claim to be a pioneer in this area like Sports Illustrated — which contradicts itself by using only gorgeous-faced women.
What about the increasing media attention towards models with skin conditions?
Well, here’s the problem: The barrier-breaker is their skin, not their facial structure!
Yes, they have acne, large moles or a pigment disorder — yet at the same time, still have a “model’s face” — in terms of structure. This is no coincidence.
Winnie Harlow has allegedly “broken barriers” as the first model with vitiligo to strut a Victoria’s Secret show.
BUT … Winnie’s facial structure is traditional model caliber. Check out her beauty below.
Winnie Harlow — a classically beautiful face that just happens to have de-pigmentation.
Amy Deanna landed a contract with CoverGirl, a company that claims body positivity due to this move. Gee what a coincidence that her face is structured like the typical runway model’s!
Amy Deanna. Would CoverGirl had hired her if her lips were thin and eyes closer together?
Let’s see CoverGirl hire a woman with either of the faces below for any contract! That’s the day hell will freeze over.
Sports Illustrated, CoverGirl, you interested?
We should gun for “Lip Positivity.”
We can put a bunch of big splotchy moles on Ashley Graham’s face, and doggone it, she’d still be gorgeous!
We can give Emilia Clarke’s face a noticeable case of vitiligo – and let’s toss in several giant zits while we’re at it — and crikey, she’d still be beautiful!
Emilia Clarke, actress
When I speak of facial beauty or homeliness, I can’t say this enough: I refer to features and proportions, NOT skin color variegation or large moles or patches.
Target’s “Inclusive” Swimwear Campaign
Four models, all with YOUNG faces. Below is one of them. Note the skin difference.
Source: Target’s Shade & Shore line
What else do you notice? Hint: Imagine her without the skin condition.
What do you see? It’s obvious: a face that’s STRUCTURED like that of a conventional model’s!
Paint on some eyebrows, add false eyelashes, eyeliner, eye shadow and lipstick, and she’d be quite attractive despite the rough skin.
Target falls short on inclusion because all the women in their Shade & Shoreline campaign have YOUNG, STRUCTURALLY PRETTY faces.
Recording Artists
For once, I’d like to see a recording artist (plus size or not) hit it big who has an unbecoming face.
I’m not talking about winners of those TV talent shows. I’m talking about those who blow into the public eye out of nowhere and hit it huge.
Now before you start naming successful “fugly” female recording artists, I need to point out that facial beauty is outright required for three genres of music:
• Top 40
• Country
• Hip hop and whatever else you call today’s music
Requirements are looser for rap, grunge rock and alternative, but let’s stick to the big 3.
Name one wildly popular, contemporary recording artist in any of these three genres who is homely.
This excludes those you hate. Some people have posted that Beyoncé, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Rihanna and Ariana Grande are ugly. It’s no coincidence that their posts also spew a lot of hatred towards these performers.
Would Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Rihanna or Cardi B gotten their big break if they looked like the two women below?
Joel Mott/Unsplash
Now before you point out that these artists are very talented and that their looks are only coincidental, then how about explaining why – once again – we NEVER see a woman with a homely face who hits it big in pop, soft rock, country or hip hop?
You may be thinking of Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion, but their exceptional pipes cancel out their less-than conventionally attractive faces. Plus, that’s only two out of a boatload.
Keep in mind that “not beautiful” does NOT mean ugly. Think of this as four categories: Ugly/homely, Plain, Pretty and Beautiful.
With makeup ON, name one recording superstar who’s Plain, let alone Ugly/homely.
And don’t let your hatred towards her skewer your perception of her face. Be objective. CAN you name even one?
Even Lady Gaga, with makeup, certainly isn’t a plain Jane, and it’s with makeup that counts, since nobody ever performs or attends functions or photoshoots without makeup.
• Are we to believe that all the good looks in the recording industry are just a coincidence?
• Are we to believe that only women with pretty faces can sing, dance and play a flute?
• Are we to believe that homely women can’t sing?
Recording studio executives know that ugly doesn’t sell; only beauty does – even if it’s on a 230 pound body.
It’s no coincidence that Adele has a very pretty face. You know stinkin’ well that Adele would not have had a snowball’s chance in hell if she’d had a face like Rosie O’Donnell.
It’s amazing that women will cry for body positivity but at the same time would never pay to see a “fugly” woman perform on stage.
Body Positivity Calendars and More
Show me ONE plus size woman on a body positivity calendar whose face isn’t pretty.
The body positivity movement still has a very long way to go.
This includes the photographers who pat themselves on the back and boast inclusivity when photographing women with skin disorders – yet most of their subjects have Golden Ratio proportions!
Source: Target
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
How Much Should You Worry About Melanoma in Your Child?
Do you worry that your anxiety over your child developing melanoma might be unrealistic, but you just can’t help obsessively inspecting their moles and imagining the worst?
Yes, melanoma occurs in children, even those with olive skin. In fact, no dermatologist will ever say that a child with dark skin is immune to this deadly skin cancer.
But let’s put things into perspective to ease your ongoing anxiety or obsession about melanoma affecting your child or teen.
“According to the American Academy of Dermatology Diagnosis, the number of cases diagnosed in child patients is between 300 and 400 each year,” says Dr. Gretchen Frieling, MD, Triple Board Certified Boston Area Dermatopathologist.
“This makes it rare in children and can look different on them than it does on adults,” continues Dr. Frieling.
“However, the ABCDEs can still help parents identify suspicious lesions. In any patient, child or adult, early diagnosis can alleviate some of the burdens of the condition and/or the treatment.”
One of the biggest differences between many cases of childhood melanoma and that affecting adults is that in the young population, the tumor is often one color.
We are taught that a mole of changing colors over time, or a mole that we’ve never noticed before (e.g., first-time skin self-exam) that has multiple colors, needs to be examined by a dermatologist.
This can create the idea that a mole of one uniform color is benign. But kids can have a melanoma that seems to be a harmless mole of one color.
This is why it’s important to be aware of other changes that can get a dermatologist’s attention, such as fast changes in the spot’s size and shape, and even new elevation, in that previously it was flat.
Another sign that a dermatologist would be interested in is if there’s one mole that looks different from all of your child’s other moles.
• It’s much darker than the rest.
• Or, all her moles are very dark, but one is very light brown.
• All are round, but one has jagged edges or is very large.
At the same time, parents need to know that it’s perfectly normal for benign moles to begin appearing throughout childhood.
Normal moles on a child’s back. Shutterstock/Albina Glisic
While you should be familiar with your child’s moles, there is no reason to let anxiety get the best of you.
Remember, 300 to 400 new diagnoses each year in the U.S. means that this disease isn’t just rare in kids – it’s outright exceedingly rare.
Nevertheless, it’s a smart idea to simply view the moles from time to time – discreetly, so as not to transfer any anxiety or self-consciousness onto your child.
At the same time, do not become obsessive over an illness that strikes only 300-400 kids a year!
Signs of Obsessing Over Your Child’s Moles
• You created a mole map for every mole, either by placing dots on a pre-illustrated child’s body, or drawing sections of your child’s body yourself and placing the dots there.
• You take pictures of your child’s moles and study them.
• You compare the pictures to previous pictures.
• You use an app for mole checking on your child.
• You inspect his moles, from top to bottom, every month without fail, and inspections aren’t quick.
• You frequently ask her questions such as, “Have you noticed that mole before?” “Has that mole always looked like that?” “Does that mole seem darker lately?”
Dermatologists urge parents to be vigilant about their children’s skin health. But at the same time, it’s crucial to keep things in perspective and be realistic rather than a worry wort.
“This can cause them stress and anxiety if they are a parent and hovering over a child’s every mole or spot,” says Dr. Frieling.
“This can distress the child and even transmit some anxiety and fear to the child.”
How to Ease Fear of Melanoma Developing in Your Child:
Facts to Know, Practices to Do
• New moles, again, normally develop throughout childhood and the teen years.
• Because new moles are always developing, it’ll be normal to notice some getting bigger very gradually over time.
• Location of a newly developing mole is not indicative of an increased likelihood of melanoma.
• Moles can be flesh colored, tan, any shade of brown and even almost black.
• Take your child in for an annual skin check by a pediatric dermatologist. This annual exam will go a long way at easing your anxiety.
• Make application of sunblock a non-negotiable routine prior to time spent outdoors.
• It’s perfectly okay to put sunblock on a baby. No baby should ever get a tan, let alone sunburn.
Stop worrying and obsessing. Instead, focus on things that are more likely to harm your child such as not wearing a seatbelt and not being trained in stranger safety!
Dr. Frieling’s website is gfacemd.com. In addition to 15+ years of experience in dermatology and dermapathology, Dr. Frieling provides advanced micro-enhancement techniques to optimize the health and beauty of her patients’ skin.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
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