Do you love who you are (in a bathing suit)?

So, if things had gone according to plan, I would be writing this post from the beach in Turks and Caicos where I was supposed to be as of yesterday. We had coverage from Granny and the nanny, a few days off from work and credit from a trip we postponed in July. This time, it wasn’t a tragic event but a mishap on skis by my 9 year old that led to our decision to stay put.

He has since graduated to a brace (better/less smelly) and has the Tom Brady injury, a fact he loves.

Although I didn’t have the beach experience, I did have the pre beach experience or anticipation. What works from a body and body hair standpoint in ski clothes doesn’t cut it on the beach. I followed some pre-beach protocol and for the most part cut out the 3 C’s.

There are times I draw inspiration from articles in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal or The New England Journal of Medicine. This time, with the beach on my mind, I was moved by something in the scholarly US Weekly issue 884. It wasn’t the thought provoking cover question “Do Cheaters Ever Change” (I say they do not) rather it was one of the “Hot Pics”.  The photos that caught my eye were of  Julianne Hough, the girlfriend of American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, jumping off a big boat  humongous yacht. In the photo above she’s doing an impressively  graceful dive. In the other images she was being goofy and jumping into the water like a child would off a diving board (like my son would if not sidelined L).  There is nothing self-conscious about her despite the tiny swimsuit and paparazzi lurking that I assume she new about.  The caption read, “I love who I am and I’m going to go for it and have that confidence”.

I know nothing about this woman but I know a statement like that, regardless of abdominal prowess, is unusual. It’s very different from the way I think or many clients think. If nothing else, don’t we worry that teeny swimsuits will not stay in “their positions” during water sports? I was with a few friends after a workout class today and we were talking about weight. One fit friend said, “when I mention gaining weight my husband says he doesn't even notice what I'm talking about.” We all remarked it would be nice if we didn’t notice when a few pesky pounds creep on and that her husband is very well trained. So what to do to "love who you are" more?

• Use Affirmations- when that negative talk starts counter it with something positive. When I’m running I often say “I’m lucky my body works” or “lucky to be able to run”. Sometimes saying I love my ________ (fill in body part of choice) can work nicely too. 
• Weight train- feeling strong is a great confidence booster. Whether it’s actual weight training or barre classes make sure you’re not just doing cardio.
• Give a compliment. It should be honest but you never know the boost saying some positive can give someone else. I think women are too stingy with giving other women props. 
• And when all else fails, grab a big cozy sweater as I do at the end of many ski weekends, anything could be lurking under there. That's one nice thing about being in New York versus Turks.

It's one thing to change your body but another to change how you feel about your body and that's totally within your control.

Do you think Julianne's confidence is unusual (for a female)? What do you do to love yourself more? And do you think cheaters change?
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