Getting smaller but weighing more...

[latelatebloomer]

I went to a flamenco show last night. One of the many things I love about flamenco is that the women have earthier, mature bodies and express a kind of womanhood that I don't think American women know much about. And sure as shootin', there was a dancer last night that was a bigger woman. She had a beautiful rounded shape, strong arms and shoulders, a touch of plumpness in the best sense of the word. And she was the best dancer. She moved with more power from her core, and I felt that she danced with the best thought in regard to the music. (ug, it's like trying to describe wine.)

And then I had a thought as we were driving back home - how hard that woman (there weren't photos of the troupe with the names, so I cannot call her by name) trains. Every day, almost every night. She is respected in the dance community, enough to be part of a troupe that travels internationally. And she is not thin.

If the Jose Porcel troupe comes to your town, give yourself a treat - and keep an eye out for the blonde dancer. (Oh, and the men are a tasty treat, too.)

[RoadRaven]

LOL ladies, I do like being stones and pebbles, rather than stones, pounds and ounces... most excellent...

LateLate... I know what you mean about size having nothing to do with sexyness and skill in dance - if the dancer knows she has it, she has it...

I went with my ma and daughter recently to see a local production of "Gypsy Rose Lee" and the best thing about it was the five minute slot of various strippers dancing saying stripping wasn't such a bad job. The woman in the viking outfit who was firmly round and abbundantly comfortable with her body was so sexy I was ready to take her home with me.
I finally knew what Freddy was singing about when he sang "...fat bottomed girls you make my rocking world go round..."

[crazycanuck]

The best thing about FBG by queen is the line "get on yer bikes n ride"...Í think i've memorized that song for long hills...

c

[RTP1031]

You ladies got me to thinking... Is it the number on the scale or how you look in your clothes. So, I dug out my old prom dress. I know it's hard to believe that I still have it after 30 years, but it's a stunning red-carpet type evening gown that would be so in style today as a vintage piece. Understand that though I've lost just over 50 pounds to date, I still weigh 20 pounds more than I did back then, according to the scale. And... drum roll please... it actually fits. And a curvy woman will always look better than a teenager. Now I just need to be nominated for an Oscar so I can justify wearing it in public.

I only use that number on the scale to track how my nutrition program is doing. As I look good in my clothes that's all the proof I need that what I'm doing is working.

Lest you think this is just bragging. I am a curvy 46 year old who is finally comfortable with a curvy, strong body, my hubby's pretty happy with it too. By today's impossible standard of size 0 there are probably things my bike togs don't cover. But this body covers the road faster and climbs hills better than a lot of the guys I ride with. Would I trade that to be a "perfect" 0 - not on your life.

[RoadRaven]

You ladies got me to thinking... Is it the number on the scale or how you look in your clothes... I only use that number on the scale to track how my nutrition program is doing. As I look good in my clothes that's all the proof I need that what I'm doing is working.

I judge myself by my clothes... I knew I was changing shape, beacuse my jeans started slipping down when I walked/ran, and I didn't need the "extra" bit in my bra you can buy so your bra does up across your back.

But the weight was such a surprise because I hadn't weighed myself since February, and to hop on some scales and find I had gained weight despite getting smaller was a bit of a suprise/shock.

The only reason it is bugging me is because I have extra to drag up the hills... GRRR

Lest you think this is just bragging. I am a curvy 46 year old who is finally comfortable with a curvy, strong body, my hubby's pretty happy with it too. By today's impossible standard of size 0 there are probably things my bike togs don't cover. But this body covers the road faster and climbs hills better than a lot of the guys I ride with. Would I trade that to be a "perfect" 0 - not on your life.

Most men don't want skinny waifs... they want healthy looking women, they want women who feel soft and comfortable to "snuggle" with (thanks Marge Simpson for your word) - men as a rule do not want hard and bony women...

To quote the late great Frank Zappa "Who wants to ride on an ironing board..."

Size is not a determination of sexy - attitude is
Size is not a determination of healthy - fitness is

More power to us, perfect women in all shapes and sizes...

[RoadRaven]

Well, an update on this for me... I am finally starting to drop some weight - 18 months since I started biking, and this last six weeks have dropped 4kg - yay!!! thats 4kgs I don't have to haul up those nemisis hills that challenge me so often!

[crazybikinchic]

My moto is, I would rather be fat and fit, than skinny and not.

By the way, women's magazines all say your fat, ugly, and unorganized.

[SnappyPix]

Size is not a determination of sexy - attitude is
Size is not a determination of healthy - fitness is

RR - Can I borrow this as my mantra?!
And well done on the 4kgs - way to go!

[RoadRaven]

Absolutely Snappy

Thats what womens magazines (ie, woman's weeklies/days, new ideas) should be telling us.

Instead they dish out c**p messages... you too can look like this skinny catwalk model but here's a new recipe for chocolate cake... eat it, because you should feel good about yourself but as soon as you're done stuffing your face you must go on the latest fad diet... GRRRR...

Spread the word, Snap, we have to start a revolution!
Oh, wait a minute... I think we have it started here at TE

More power to us

If attitude is a determinant of sexiness , and fitness is about being healthy, then we have a swathe of sexy fit women right here and we come in all shapes and sizes and we ROCK!

Road - on-her-soapbox- Raven

[HipGnosis6]

you too can look like this skinny catwalk model but here's a new recipe for chocolate cake... eat it, because you should feel good about yourself but as soon as you're done stuffing your face you must go on the latest fad diet... GRRRR...

This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine. That's typical in a women's magaine - "WALK OFF WEIGHT" is the headline, but the cover picture is a gigantic gooey cake. Of course these magazines are bad for us. Even worse are the magazines marketed to girls, selling them on ways to look their best and how to attract boys. But let's not be biased - men's magazines are pretty bad too, being filled with girls who are hotter than anything one might find in nature and with expensive toys and cars that nobody can really afford.

I read a lot of fashion magazines by requirement of my schooling. The industry is sick; the average model size used to be size 8, which is still used as a standard for patternmaking. However - most coture houses and fashion companies make their actual sample garments in a size 0 today! All those beautiful gowns being worn by models and actresses, most of them are sample garments that have been loaned out - but they only go to people who can wear the size 0.

I was once asked if I'd like to participate in a plus-size fashion show. The models were all size 10. Size 10! When is a 10 a plus size? I usually need an 18 or a 20, and when I was fit I wore a 14 and weighed 195 pounds (or 14 stone, if you prefer ;-) ).

/rant

[Lise]

Size 10 is "plus size". Ha. It's the size I wear now. I'm wearing clothes smaller than in HS. Yet. When I tried on biking jerseys at the LBS today, I look huge! Why? I have curves. Everywhere. The belly curve is what I'd like to lose, but the breast curves make the jerseys hike up and look wierd...sigh. I'm ok with wearing t-shirts. Just wish they had little zippered pockets on the seams! I may have to put some in...I'll bet that wouldn't be too hard to put a velcro'd pocket on the seam of a t...

[VenusdeVelo]

I really should try that...I fly often and they are the only things that keep me occupied but they subliminally make you feel like cr*p then don't they? But lately I've stuck to More (over 40 crowd), Oprah, Womens Health ... sometimes the models aren't shining examples of reality, but the advice is good.

Lately I was reading in some mag that "Eva Langoria came to the photo shoot, blah blah blah, the designer brought in jeans for her to wear, in a size 24"...a size 24?! Does she eat? According to most jeans sizing that's a MINUS 2!!!

[SnappyPix]

Every time I see those Desperate(ly thin) Housewives, I want to scream "Eat something!" at the screen.
I read somewhere that Felicity Huffman had battled with bulumia in her younger days (don't know how much of this is true), but thankfully she's over that now ...

[KnottedYet]

I'm in that strange no-woman's-land where my butt/hips are a 14 and my waist is a 10. I have a terrible time trying to find women's pants to fit me!

Weirdest of all is that I can't wear any women's jeans. MENS Levis 560's fit me great! (32waist 32length which must be about a women's 12 or 14) I think the style right now of women's jeans being low and tight is just totally off for my bod, but the men's style of hugely loose in the buns fits me just right. Well, I mean they look low and tight-ish on me...

I was peeking at labels on women at the grocery store, and I was surprised by how many of us "adults" were wearing men's Levis.

My weight hasn't changed, but the little saddlebags at the tops of my hips are shrinking. My jeans fit me better, but i can't go down a size yet.

[Tuckervill]

Im with LateLate - we should always find time to think over what we have accomplished and not just fixate on what we haven't. Im pretty slow on my bike and sometimes I have a bit of a whine about it to my husband and he just says hey I dont know too many other 41 year old women that are out there cycling and giving it their best shot. Six months ago you knew nothing about cycling look how far you have come. Thank goodness for a husband who keeps things in perspective. I say to the ladies of TE WE ROCK.

I picked up a book at Sam's Club the other day that I thought was just great. "Change the way you see everything through asset-based thinking."

And the quote above is exactly what the book is about. Thinking about the things you have instead of the things you haven't; the things you have done instead of the things that you haven't done. The book is a visual treat, as well.

I'm a sucker for motivational books--any time I can get the message in a new way, I'm psyched.

http://www.assetbasedthinking.com/

Karen