When did elastic waist pants come in style? How about ugly, comfortable shoes? Wash and wear hair? Is this you?? Come on girl, is life really too hard to make any sort of effort? Is comfort really king?? 
I’m all for comfort and acting my age (which is considerable actually), but I’m sad to think that these things seem to become the ‘uniform’ of so many women my age. I will never resort to these things. Yes, I want to be comfortable, but comfort in my own skin trumps the clothes I wear. Honestly, I think that if you’re wearing these things, you’ve given up on yourself; you are NOT comfortable with who you are physically and then it’s reflected in the styles you choose.
I’m no fashion icon. In fact, if it weren’t for my 16 year old daughter and fashion forward 13 year old son, I’m sure I’d embarrass myself on a daily basis where fashion is concerned. The point is that I haven’t given up. Some may call me vain, but I think a healthy dose of vanity is important; I take pride in how I look. It starts with how I look in the mirror long before I get dressed. Facing my aging body with its flaws is a necessary evil. I get dressed with the lights on. I need to acknowledge my body so that I can take care of it.
Do you avoid the mirror or the scale at all costs? Do you think avoiding these things make you look any better? Are you taking care of your health by not paying attention to the scale or your weight? Facing yourself is the hardest step. It can be extremely painful after years of loose fitting clothes and dressing in the dark. There is no perfection where body image is concerned and sadly we are compared to a standard that is basically unattainable. But you can raise the bar a little by making the effort to take care of your body or at the very least, pay attention.
This is a sensitive area for most. It may even tick you off: I don’t think I know a woman on the planet that deep down doesn’t want to feel ‘sexy’ even if you never say it out loud. As a woman in my forties, I want to feel and look sexy and it’s not about seeking attention from men. I want to look good for myself. Yes, physical comfort is important, but I need to be comfortable with who I am. When I feel good in my own skin, I take more care of my appearance. This is something that you may prefer not to acknowledge. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not a high maintenance girl that takes forever to get ready and I don’t use a ton of make up or spend heaps of money on designer clothing. This isn’t the point at all. The point is that by I’m paying attention to how I look, I’m also paying attention to my health. Are you paying attention to your health? Or are you hiding behind your ‘comfortable clothes’?
Many of my clients come to me once they make this connection. They aren’t feeling good in their skin and they’re ready to do something dire: exercise. For some it’s a last resort, for others it’s an inevitability that they’ve put off once they realize that nothing else will work to take them back to their former selves. I’m here to encourage you to take the plunge into movement.
Exercise is magical. Once ladies get off the couch and get hooked on movement, they tend to stand up taller and throw their shoulders back. They get excited about shopping for better fitting clothing. Even before anyone has lost a pound or an inch, my ladies are smiling and feeling good. Self care is empowering. Women tend to be so good at taking care of others and we are last on the list. I can best take care of my loved ones when I make an effort to meet my own needs too. It works for me and hundreds of other women I work with. I’m not suggesting a selfish investment either. If you were to take 30 minutes a day to exercise, you’d be surprised what a positive effect this can have in all parts of your life.
I know these may be harsh words for some of you. I want you to take a good hard look at whether you’re happy in your skin. If you are and you’re wearing the uniform I describe, my apologies. Feel free to wear what ever makes you happy, but I hope that you’re choosing your fashion, rather than having that ‘fashion’ choose you.
My mission is to have you feeling great and sometimes saying harsh words are necessary.