Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Happy Hump Day - DuWayne and Will! Yes, I'm talking to you! LOL!
Can I just say, Michelle Obama is stunning. Absolutely stunning!
So it killed me when critics labeled her as "inappropriate" for baring her arms and "showing too much skin" at President Obama's address to Congress last week. I mean...really?
Her breasts weren't spilling out of her top, cleavage in everyone's face trying to draw attention to them. She wasn't dressed like she was going to the club. Didn't flash any thigh. She simply went sleeveless in a sophisticated, beautiful dress - just like the classic dress she wore for her official White House photo pictured above.
Are people really that envious of her? Are they just looking for something - ANYTHING - to find wrong with her? It's as if the critics can't STAND the fact that not only is she brilliant, but she's a fit, toned, strong and healthy woman.
I, for one, admire how well she takes care of herself. She's spoken in interviews about getting up at 5:30am to work out. I can barely wake up early enough to get to work on time at 9:30am (okay..9:45...okay sometimes 10), let alone set aside time to work out. She makes herself and her health a priority - just another reason to love her in all her fabulosity.
Last night as I was wrapping up at work, I was telling my sister that I just wanted to go home and relax. I've had a trying couple of days, and I just wanted to chill. But then I saw this picture of me on Facebook that made me cringe. I emailed the pic to my sister to show her what I looked like in the photo so she could give me the honest truth - and boy did she. Nicole is my mirror and my conscience. Needless to say I didn't go straight home last night, but carried my wide hips to the gym instead.
I dragged my wagon to NYSC and sauntered into the studio where the boxing class was about to begin. I was already dreading it. My boxing instructor is a beast, and he can actually be quite mean when he wants to motivate us. He realized I had been making the gym my favorite charity lately, so he decided to punish me since I missed a couple classes. After we'd been sparring for about 5 minutes, him trying to punch me in the face like he was Chris Brown, and right before I was about to cuss his ass out - I thought about Michelle Obama's arms. Next thing you know, HE was the one ducking. I pictured myself in her Michael Kors sleeveless dress, and almost kicked his ass! Talk about motivation!
If the First Lady, who has two girls to raise and a President to hold down, can get up at 5am to make fitness a priority, then surely I can do better. Sure, I'd love to replace Poland Springs water with Snapple 8 times a day. Of course after a hard day at work I'd love to go home and veg out in front of the tv or play around on Facebook all night. But at some point, these can't be options for me anymore. There are only two choices to make - be lazy and unhealthy, or fight it and be fit. I'd much rather pry myself out of bed early or walk my behind to the gym at night than hasten the death of my spirit by not taking care of my body...one spoonful at a time.
As the spring approaches, I could easily say it's about getting into a size smaller jeans, or wearing a flirty dress, or even going sleeveless like our fierce First Lady. But it's really not about that. I miss my athletic, healthy self. It's not about vanity, it's about taking care of ME first.
Will I give up a half hour of sleep in the morning, or will I give up a half hour of my pilates dvd? Am I willing to push myself to the gym at the end of the day even when I'm tired, or will I hate myself when I get home as I realize I could have watched tv on the elliptical machine at the gym? Will I do whatever it takes to obtain the healthy body that I want to build, or will I complain that there aren't enough hours in the day to take care of ME? These struggles will be daily attempts at courage - not just the acquisition of a cute figure - that I hope will one day be permanent changes in my life. I have to forgive myself for failing time and time again to do what is right for me, and simply rise up to start over again no matter how many times I have to do it. (**doing bicep curls**) First Lady - watch out!
-b
