JENN McKINLAY: Happy Labor Day, Y’all! I hope no one is laboring anywhere out there in Jungle Redlandia unless it’s something you want to do.
This has been the summer of body appreciation in my world. No, I have not been lounging on a beach checking out the hotties, rather it’s been a summer of health scares and in some cases the scares manifested into full on situations. Once you start spending a lot of time in the hospital (I was visiting a friend daily for about a month) you begin watching the stories of the patients unfolding around you. The emotions run the gamut from heartwarming to sad and to several other emotional blackholes that I’m going to avoid because…yeah.
I spent a lot of time talking to doctors and nurses and watching the blips and bleeps of the machines. It hammered home the fact that our bodies really aren’t that different. So many working parts that require maintenance and upkeep and so much potential for disaster. It made me appreciate the functionality of my body and I have made a commitment to take better care of it (full disclosure: my blood work from my annual physical came back no bueno, so my doctor is also on me to take better care of myself…less bad breakfast choices and more greens…sigh).
So, this is a body positivity post! We all have things we don’t like about our bodies (hello, broken nose) but I want to hear about things that you do like and tell me what you do to take care of yourself. I’ll go first.
I like my height. It was a struggle during adolescence being the tallest kid in the class (especially when the vertically challenged boys spent every recess trying to cut me down to size) but I like being tall. I can see over the crowd at the parade and I can eat whatever I want because there’s a lot of yardage to spread those calories out on. To take care of myself, I have a fruit and veggie loaded smoothie every morning and I workout - high intensity interval training - three times a week and I walk miles every day with my dogs.
So, how about you Reds? What do you like about your body and how do you take care of it?
LUCY BURDETTE: Jenn, I sure hope your friend is doing better! What a good pal you are, will you come see the rest of us if we get sick?
Now about bodies, I am happy to be short to your tall! Sometimes it’s not an advantage as in a crowded elevator with a bunch of tall people when I can feel claustrophobic. Most of the time, I do not feel like a small person so I’m surprised if people refer to me as little.
Ever since the worst of the pandemic, I’ve been dedicated to doing yoga 3 times a week, or 2 yogas and one pilates class. That makes me feel strong and flexible, despite my hub’s concerns that I’m not lifting weights. Because Lottie the Havanese lives with us, I walk her twice a day so that’s a good thing too!
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: I like my height, too, and was often the tallest. (I might be a little shorter now..but, heels.) I have good hair. The texture of which changed, weirdly, for the better some years ago.
I am a devotee of the treadmill, and try to get to 10,000 steps a day. I think it’s life-changing. I have a very good diet, and that’s not difficult for me.
Posture, hmm, I am beginning to be worried about the time in front of the computer, and now constantly think about sitting straighter, and lowering my shoulders when I stand. And yes, Lucy, I know my upper body strength is not great–I am worthless on a plane when I have to lift my suitcase. Any at-home ideas, you all?
And I finally agreed to take Fosamax, though I wasn’t happy about it. But I suppose, all good. But I am lucky lucky lucky not to have to take any other medicines (knock on wood!), and I wonder if that is nutrition-related. I have never smoked, or eaten a lot of risky food.
And yes, Jenn, you are a wonderful friend.
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Jenn, I’m glad you’re talking to your doctor and taking steps to improve your health - although a 3-times-weekly high intensity workout sounds pretty damn healthy to me!
This may sound odd, but one of the things I love about my body are my stretchmarks. And the drooping this and that and the little flabby belly that never goes away. I successfully carried three babies in this body, birthed them and nursed them. The marks this left on me remind me of how powerful I can be, and how my body worked just the way it was supposed to.
Now excuse me, I have to sign up for fitness bootcamp at the YMCA. :-D
RHYS BOWEN: I too was the tallest in my class for a while although I am dwarfed by Jenn and Hank. But in ballet school at age 12 I got cast as the tree in the ballet of the wood fairies. Humiliating. I made up for it with impressive swaying!
What do I like? That I’ve stayed the same size for as long as I can remember. The bad thing is that all my clothes from the 1900 s still fit me. I’m healthy although my knees are reminding me about those years of ballet then hiking. I take almost no medications
What don’t I like? My saggy neck. My tummy, stretched by 4 children ) I best you, Julia). I should have done something about them while there was still time!
HALLIE EPHRON: I was the tallest, too, in 4th grade. And it’s been downhill ever since. Now I’m average, if that, and shorter than my not-very-tall daughters and nearly shorter than my firstborn 10-year-old granddaughter whose dad is 6’2”.
On the plus side, my eyebrows are more under control but still they feel more like a bug than a feature.
I’ve been faithfully walking but not as much as I should, and I’m promising myself to get back on the exercise bike and start increasing the time I pedal. I found that was good for my stamina and good for my hip.
I don’t think there’s a thing you can do for a saggy neck. It is what it is.
DEBORAH CROMBIE: I'm glad Lucy is also on the short team! I don't mind it, really, except clothes are always too long, and I also have weirdly short arms so sleeves are always too long, too.
What do I like? To my surprise, I've been quite happy with the post-pandemic gray in my hair. Also, I lost quite a bit of weight back pre-pandemic and have kept it off. And, according to my last annual checkup, all my numbers are practically perfect. (Quoting my GP here!)
The thing really bugging me is a bad knee, which keeps me from exercising as much as I'd like, although in London this summer I walked eight or ten miles a lot of days. The knee can be fixed–I just have to find the time and gumption to do it.
All right, Readers, your turn! What do you like about your body and how do you take care of it?
