How to Get an Amazing Body
There’s been a lot of uproar as of late regarding the Victoria’s Secret “Perfect Body” campaign that has, as a result of the massive backlash, recently been renamed to “Body for Everybody.” I understand where the people in protest of the original campaign were coming from. Yes, Victoria’s Secret photoshops women that are already about as close to living Barbie dolls as is anatomically possible, without collapsing in on themselves. Yes, Victoria’s Secret encourages a physical ideal that is nothing short of impossible. Yes, these issues are inherently problematic,however, there’s a different underlying point here that I think needs to be addressed.
This past summer, I had the privilege of being in several yoga classes taught by Conny Hatch, an incredible artist and equally talented yoga instructor in the Provincetown, MA area. What made her classes so fantastic was not only the sequences that she came up with, but also the outlook from which she taught. Although I could always expect to leave with some philosophical gem to turn over in my mind throughout the rest of the day, what was most interesting was how she would close each practice. Instead of the typical bow and a “namaste,” she would end class by saying “take a deep bow to yourself full of gratitude for this amazing body you have, and all the things that it does for you.”
When I first heard her say this, I remember being struck by the simple profundity of her words. There’s so much pressure today in the media and in society to change and improve our bodies, that it’s easy to forget just how amazing they are. Even the simplest, most mundane processes are nothing short of miraculous when we consider the intricacies and complexities that go into executing them. Regardless of how much we do or do not resemble a “dream angel,” we all have amazing bodies and need to treat them as such.
Instead of only looking at the short term benefits of whatever the latest “health” trends are, we should shift our focus to the long-term results of genuinely healthy lifestyles. Eating right and exercising regularly are necessary components of this end goal, but they are not the only factors. In order to maintain and nurture our bodies, we need to respect and value ourselves for more than just our physical appearance. Instead of finding a reason to hate on Victoria’s Secret models, we should find something to love in our daily lives.
So how do you get an amazing body? Well, the truth is, you already have one-the key is what you do with it.
