I Love My Beautiful Body

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist.

Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any

lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health.

I am not responsible for any action you resume, You are- Make it pleasurable.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Period.

Do You like your monthly visitor? How I love and hate my period.

I Love my period because it's the time of the month when I give myself a free ticket, the green light to eat whatever I want (generally speaking) for 3-4 days while I soothe my bloated, aching belly. I don't get cramps all the time, but boy when I do- its outrageous! With regular exercise, self loving thoughts and speech, plus daily healthy eating, it's the one time of the month I let myself eat donuts, cheetos, fries, pancakes and/or pasta etc. Now don't get me wrong, I allow myself to splurge now and then, (when not on my monthly cycle) or share a desert with my boyfriend if we are out on a date and such. But ohhhh nooo- I ain't sharing when I'm on my period! lol

After five months together, my boyfriend is used to my 'period munchies' and is already planning what he wants to eat for my next months visit!! This month he made us baked Mac n' Cheese with Panko and vegan bacon on top- say what??!! And Magical pancakes filled with walnuts and chocolate chips.. I know, you wish my boyfriend would cook for you too on your period. Yep, I got it good! Now with saying all that, when I get my period I slow down my work out, eat heartily and generally gain a couple of pounds. Now this is a 'truth' I wish to change, I mean why do I have to gain weight when my period comes? Is it the exemption of exercise for up to 5 days, is it the eating of several foods I would not generally eat, is it water weight gain from all the salt in the foods I eat at that time? - The answer is yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.

Omg- okay, so this is why I hate my period (well, I don't really hate anything- but for dramatics sake- work with me..) I always gain so many 'bloating inches' and with hearty eating, and no exercise for a spell- my waistline can at times dramatically change in appearance. It's a great time for baggy shirts and loose blouses. In fact I have a certain secret couple of items in my closet just for that time of the month, cuz I ain't wearing super tight skinny jeans when my flow is flowing- unless they are super stretchy skinny jeans! Okay so I made that video you saw called the 'Waist Widdler, around two weeks ago'. Waist Widdler Video- http://www.tuesdaymaythomas.com/#!blogs/c1k2m. I was at the top of my game, feeling svelte and sporty. The lighting was good and I had fun. Then about four days later I got my period and after a couple of days in- I felt like I didn't even relate to the girl I saw in the vid. My tummy had bloated what felt like a million miles out, and all I wanted to do was eat and chill- forget about working out! 3 days onto my cycle and I stepped on the scales- I had gained 3.5 pounds ughhhh.. And it all went to my stomach! Self hate started to inch in, I blamed me for being fat and disliked my body for how it looked at that time. I looked in the mirror and all I could see was a huge bulging belly. How can this be?- I thought. Just last week I was workin' it, feeling strong and positive about my body image.

Now on a flip note- a pal encouraged me to do sit ups during my period. Truth is, I have tried it out here and there with my monthly cycle, and it has felt good to do that, though I have not by any means gotten into a rhythm of doing sit ups during my cycle, but maybe you would like to try it.

Okay- Lemme ask you- is this a common experience for you? If so, then lets slow down. One thing to realize is the body is human and changing all the time, both inside and out. The body changes when you drink wine, coffee, consume sugar, cry, laugh, lay on the couch, go to your fav Yoga or Bodysculpt class ;0, become ill or get healthy. The body has such an amazing ability to shift and change and morph into so many parallel versions of itself. Look at pictures of yourself over time- isn't it amazing; how many You's there are over time and space? Ultimately, the version of ourselves we see now is the one we are working with, or have decided to be with, but that can change too- if you want it to.

For example, remember last weeks post entitled 'Body Basics'? We talked about Conscious Posture. Look how my body changes instantly by initiating conscious posture! In the blink of an eye, I have a different body- and body image of myself... I certainly feel more confident when I sit up tall and feel my tummy rolls even out!! How about you? Try it!

Non- Conscious Posture

Conscious Posture

So if I can consider the dance my body is always doing, and understand my once a month indulgence 'period' and love myself through it- then I can master being me. And you can Master being you too. I have the gift of a generally slow burning metabolism, and missing out on working out for five days really can slow me down, especially with all my heavier eating at the same time. It can cause rapid weight gain. But the silver lining is I can just as easily get back to my steady weight, and so can you. So, the moral is, love yourself and relax into your period. Let it literally be a 'period'., a time to stop , slow down, be nice and gentle with yourself and do something for yourself you may not have time to do any other time (like eat cake!). Relax, journal, meditate, pray, forgive, reflect, release the past, paint, and get creative too.

Do you believe it is true we have a gift in our period? Is it the shedding of inner lining- that allows us to release the old and create space for the new? I just realized some guys read this blog too- and well, I say if you have a girlfriend, then you will eventually have a period too (metaphorically speaking)! - You may not have to buy maxi pads for yourself, but you may begin to understand the ebb and flow of emotions that can occur in your sweetie. It may also allow you time to reflect, relax- and get in touch with your emotional self too.

Next time you are hating on yourself for feeling bloated or indulging during your cycle, just remember you are beautiful no matter what. Do your best to love yourself when you feel on the up and up as well as when you feel down. I had to do my best to remember all that hard work at the gym has not gone to waste, just because my body fluctuates once a month for a little bit. Maybe you can ease up and be forgiving with your body too. Let it expand and contract and is finds its harmony and balance in the world we live in.

In coming posts I will talk about harmonizing energy in the face of darkness, depression and past hurts we have experienced. I will offer tools on how to master your time and space, no matter where you are.
Your job is to love your beautiful body here and now. Once that begins to become more and more real for you, it will reflect back to you in other areas of life. Be a Warrior, be a Bad-Ass ( in that cool kind of way!) and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE yourself more each day. Find something, no matter how small to love about yourself, like the color of your nail polish, or the color of your hair, your kindness etc- and tell yourself in the mirror how much you love your beautiful self. With so much love xoxo Tuesday May

©TuesdayMayThomas

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any

lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health.

I am not responsible for any action you resume.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Body Basics 1- Good Breath & Conscious Posture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prPPFX_swAo&feature=youtu.be

Body Basics 1- Good Breath & Conscious Posture

I remember spending time with a pal while she got ready for a fabulous night out with a new guy she had started seeing. She asked if I would keep her company while she picked out what to wear and got ready. I kicked back and read magazines in the living room while she popped in and out of the loo (I grew up in Ireland, & still call the bathroom the loo sometimes!)- giving me updates about this new mystery man. In her words “ He’s a lot older than me. I have never dated an older man before...” Followed later by; “Okay I have totally exfoliated and shaved every nook and cranny- I am as soft as a baby’s butt.” We chatted while she applied her make up and did her hair. "Should I wear it up, or down?" She would ask. "Should I wear this dress, or this dress?" She enquired. The dress she chose was perfect- not too sexy, giving everything away-but just ‘hot’ enough for a second date.

All seemed perfect. She looked great and was ready for her big night out. When we left the apartment she locked her door and hugged me goodbye. She next leaned in close and said; “Thanks for your help.” It was then I found myself in a dilemma extraordinaire.... She had bad breath. Now... I know my pal, she doesn’t have the best track record for daily brushing. And I never really thought twice about it til now.

Had she simply forgotten to brush in the flurry and excitement of getting ready? Did she brush this morning before work? Or had she brushed and just forgotten to floss a piece of steak out of a molar? I paused, knowing that to be a good friend, and a real ‘sister’, I had to politely tell her that something was askew. But how do I do that? She was already running late. I had no breath mints to pass out and give her a hint. Bottom line- before she reached the exit of this building, she has to go back upstairs and brush- and as a friend, I’m here to tell her that.. somehow.

It took a second or two, but I got the courage up to carefully broach the subject by saying “You look so good and I wish you so much fun tonight with your new guy- but... to make the picture perfect, I think you gotta brush again.” She stopped in her tracks, wide eyed and looked at me in shock. Oh no, had I said too much, or said it the wrong way? She truly did look picture perfect, and I didn’t want to assume she had not brushed... “OMG!”. She said- “Thank you so much. I totally forgot to brush my teeth!” She exclaimed. She sent a text to her guy saying she would be another five minutes late and we parted ways on a positive note, with one more hug. Now that’s a friend, right?

On one hand, I’m sharing this story for all of us. Boys and girls included. The moral being ‘brush-up’ before going out, especially on a date.. no matter if it’s your 50^th date or your 5^th, trust me it will make a world of difference when it comes to getting intimate.

On the other hand, the second moral is; We can’t let each other walk around with ‘spinach tooth’, or a fly down (brothers and sometimes sisters!), or a button undone a little too far down the cleavage line when its obvious that is not the intention for the occasion; for example at a Bat Mitzvah, or christening etc. Be a good friend, or even a good stranger. I recall a very nice boy in school enlightening me to the fact I had a ream of toilet paper stuck to the bottom of my shoe. I didn’t know him as a ‘friend’, but I tell you, I considered him my pal after that!

Ok next onto conscious Body Posture. So, do you want to boost your self-esteem from the inside out? Go stand in front of the trusty mirror. And please make sure you are not using one of the circus mirrors, I have gone through a few of these before realizing I had to change it up. Some $5 wall mirrors easily warp over time, or even worse, are warped to begin with. This can make it difficult to feel good about your appearance, no matter how much ‘work’ you do on yourself- physically, mentally and emotionally.

On the other hand, a ‘skinny’ mirror may take it too far in the other direction, and upon seeing a true reflection of yourself, say in the movie theatre restroom, you are shocked to see you are not a 6foot super model with long arms and mile long legs! Haha- okay you get the drift. I had a tough time for ages with my last mirror-no matter what I did, my torso seemed way too long and my legs appeared way too short! After getting the input of some friends- who were shocked by the mirror I was using, I came to the conclusion I needed a new mirror. For a couple bucks more, I can truly see myself- not too short, not too tall, but just as I am!

Okay, once you feel a true reflection is gazing back at you, Step One: Tell yourself three times- “It is ok to change. It is ok to be beautiful. It is ok to change. It is ok to be beautiful. It is ok to change. It is ok to be beautiful.” While you do this, observe your body posture and notice if it changes at all while you speak. As you observe your posture, notice if you would like it to shift, as to reflect the more confident person you are deep within. If you are happy with your posture walk away now- otherwise keep on reading.

Stand up straight and roll your shoulders back. Lift your upper chest just slightly, and lift your lower ribs from your waistline in a comfortable fashion. Now don’t forget to breathe! Pull your lower belly in, even if it’s just a bit, and imagine a thread gently lifting the top of your head towards the sky. Now I’m not saying you have to stand like with a stiff back and ‘salute’... But by employing this mini tummy tuck and lengthening of the spine, you will ‘visually’ loose five pounds, and grow a little taller.... All while gently working your lower belly and improving your posture. Good posture is attractive, no? Do you think good posture commands respect and shows the world you are confident, and loving your Beautiful Body? (I think so!)

Maintaining good posture is about taking care of our skeletal system via its main highway- the spine! When the energy of your body is flowing in a balanced manner, and posture is improved, this aids your digestive-tract, the circulation of blood flow, and the respiratory system. Lets face it- when you poop better, or more regularly, and when you are not ‘struggling’ for the use of your hands and feet due to loss of circulation, and when you can breathe deeper and easier- your quality of life has just improved overall! You deserve the best life can offer, why not gift yourself a few blessings and try on better posture as a day to day practice. Do this in conjunction with your booty baseline work (you saw this in last weeks post, if not- see video link below) and grow yourself a new body from the inside out.

Grow A New Booty-

Beautiful Body Video Supplement 1

Summer is here! Next week we will talk about sun bathing, products for tanning, or not tanning. Plus I will post a new video (or three), sharing some of my fav at home mini workouts.

Daily Mantra-

It is ok to change. It is ok to be beautiful.

I love my beautiful body.

©TuesdayMayThomas

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any

lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health.

I am not responsible for any action you resume.

© Tuesday May Thomas 2013

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Multi Dimensional Body

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prPPFX_swAo&feature=youtu.be

Multi-Dimensional Body

I grew up in Dublin, Ireland and sang on stage as a back up vocalist in a ten-piece Funk band called ‘The Way It Is’. I remember getting dressed up for the gigs we performed. In memory, I realize I was only focused on one dimension of my body- the front. I never paid any attention to the mirror's reflection of myself from behind, I mean- once the front looked fine, I ignored the rest.. Or maybe I just forgot ( or wanted to forget) my backside existed. I was focusing on ONE DIMENSION, or one angle of my body image- The Front.

You know when you get a new haircut and maybe you like how it looks from the front angle, but you feel you could use a snip here or there on the sides? Well this is exactly what I mean. How often do you only look at one dimension, angle, or ‘one view’ of yourself in the mirror? You are multidimensional.. and beautiful, I will add!

Here at I Love my Beautiful Body Blog, we learn to love every part of ourselves- every angle and dimension- every nook and cranny... no matter how much loathing or negativity we have put ‘there’ in the past. It is time to embrace the whole self; Front, back and sides...... within and without. Om

Okay so Back to my backside!! As I went through trials and tribulations of weight gain and loss (read my first post to catch up with us on this ) – I totally ignored my legs and especially my butt. I wore long skirts or jeans all the time. Even when I was slimmer, I still wore pants, leggings or long skirts. I never wanted to show off, or simply reveal my personally perceived ‘awful legs and ass’. A couple years ago I accidentally caught a glimpse of my naked butt in the mirror, believe me- I was doing anything but trying to look back there.. and I couldn’t fathom what I saw. My butt was flat and had lowered so far down to the ground, it looked like it had melted and slid down the back of my legs. This in turn made my legs look way shorter than they are, because they were mostly composed of a ‘downward sliding butt’.

Okay all jokes aside- we as humans have the gift of receiving a lottery of genetics from our family members. Myself and my sister have the same mom and different fathers. She lucked out and got the cute perky butt of her fathers’ side of the family, while I got the ‘wide and flat butt’ look from the females in my family. Ughhhh. Okay , it just means I have more to work with, right?.... Oh yeah- a lot more to work with! I am now learning to love my booty, but it has not been an easy path to be able to look in the mirror at my backside and say ‘I love you’ to all I see there. Though, I have learned to be grateful that I have a butt, along with thick juicy legs my boyfriend can really sink his teeth into! On the other hand, if you feel like you have no butt- you can grow one! My butt was sooooo flat, I thought I could never build up enough muscle in my glutes to lift the mass that was weighing me down. I so wished for a lifted, tight and round booty. It was about six months ago a trainer at the gym where I work asked if we could do a trade. Could I ‘yoga him’, in exchange for him personally training me.. What? My booty wishes were coming true!

Twice a week we exchanged our gifts. It was damn hard- I had to fight so much resistance and negative self talk. My butt was filled with so much self-hate it would constantly question my authority, saying “What the fxxx do you think you are doing? You will never get anywhere with all of this.. You might as well sit your fat ass down.. ” I had no car and would hustle through early morning bus rides during the cold of winter to get to the gym. My butt felt like ‘Rocky’ every time I finished a training session (picture Sly Stalone, or your butt climbing up the stairs to the Rocky theme music- while punching at the air). With discipline and the wonderful help of my trainer, I found my booty baseline. I have not reached my booty peak yet, but I am on my way- and you can be too. I am gonna share with you everything Matt (my trainer) taught me, and more!

Today we will practice a simple booty at rest/booty at work exercise for you to chew on until the next video post. Do not be discouraged-When I first started working my butt, I was so disconnected from it that I couldn’t even tell if I was flexing a butt muscle or not. Now I’m working my way to ‘twerking’ lol! Twerking is a term used to describe a certain type of butt dance you can do with your cheeky cheeks, along to the beats of a song. It is very popular within hip-hop dance circles. I will post some cheeky-twerking soon- when I do my beautiful body streetwise post- I promise..

Beautiful Body Video Supplement 1

Ok so for today- watch the video and work your booty baseline. Check it out from every angle, not just one view or dimension and see just how juicy and beautiful your body and booty truly is. Give your butt and body some positive self talk and let it know you are all going to be embarking on a journey together, where no one will return the same as before.

Just for today tell your body:

1) It is ok to change

3) It is ok to be beautiful

©TuesdayMayThomas

I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any

lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health.

I am not responsible for any action you resume.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Feeling Beautiful is Being Beautiful

So I’m making out with my new boyfriend. We’ve been dating for two weeks and it’s the first time we are getting intimate under the sheets. As his hand lifts the blanket and glides over my hip, I work ‘my angles’ so any unwanted flab does not droop where it’s not supposed to be. “What’s going to happen when my super-padded bra comes off and he realizes my ‘C’ cups are really ‘B’s? As we get deeper into our sexy-time together and the sheets slide to the ground, I pray he does not turn on any bright lights like my last boyfriend always did. My silent prayer ignites: “May perfect lighting bless my body here, now, and ever more!

He pauses to express an interest in my (up until now) hidden tattoos. I am thankful for their appeal, as they distract him from nearby stretch marks. “Why can’t I just enjoy this pleasurable experience without living in a fear based state of possible body-rejection by my new beau?

You may find journaling with this Blog to be helpful, as you can observe the ebb and flow of your thoughts, feelings, and life-changes as you love your beautiful body more and more over time. Journalists, look for (Journal Date + Q & A) to write questions and answers as we go. Otherwise simply soak in the offerings! <3

Ask Yourself (Journal Date + Q & A)

-Am I friends with my body?

-Do I speak and think positively about my body?

-Can I enjoy a sexual/intimate experience unabashedly, without concern over the appearance of my physical body?

No matter what your answers are, if you are willing to redefine the day-to-day relationship you have with your body into a more positive one, this Blog is for you. At ‘I Love my Beautiful Body’ Blog, we learn to love our bodies no matter what weight, shape, size or state of health we find our bodies to be in.

While this is not a science class, you will be encouraged to do homework and experiment with your personal body ‘thoughts’, ‘actions’ and ‘affirmations’ over the course of these posts. You will also be urged to consider your day-to-day thoughts as being intimately connected to how your body looks and feels to you.

Ask Yourself *(Journal Date + Q & A)

How do I FEEL about my body right now?

If I was to make three statements about my body, what would they be?

How do those statements make me feel?

How you feel about your body is key to feeling beautiful from the inside out.

What you say and think about your body contains the potency to shift how you feel about your body.

What you say and think about your body has the ability to ‘physically’ change your body, and grow you a new one. We will discuss this theory more in upcoming posts.

For example: I wake up, look in the mirror and decide the cellulite on my legs is utterly disgusting. I spend the day beating my body up by focusing on the imperfections I perceive. I feel miserable about myself as the day progresses and this leads me to highlighting even more things about myself I don’t like. Do you see the ‘snowball effect’ in action here?

Q: Would spending the day thinking pessimistic thoughts about your body make it hard for you

to feel beautiful?

A: You bet it would.

Now on the other hand; If I wake up, look in the mirror and see some ‘imperfections’, but know I am working on improving them and accepting them, I would have a chance to spend time acknowledging the parts of my body I liked, or those I could come to like. (baby steps work, they really do.) Such as the curve of my hip, the softness of my skin, or how my eyes light up when I smile.

‘Positive Body Talk and Thought’ can be a full time job if you constantly bombard and distract yourself with negative thoughts about your body throughout the day. The challenge is to rewrite the often *unconscious script we have about our selves, from the inside out.

*When we do things in an unconscious manner, we are doing them out of habit, without really paying attention to what we are doing.

Homework Experiment *(Journal Date + Q & A)

Over the course of the next week, wake up every morning and look in the mirror completely naked if possible. (1) Notice what you usually don’t like about your body. Next comes the ‘work’! (2) Flip the script about those parts you don’t like, and find something you like. For Example: (a) Even though you don’t like the cellulite on your legs, you can flip the script by focusing on the shapely curve of your legs, or your strong calves. Or, (b) Even though the Doctor’s report is depressing, you can decide your body is capable of healing itself, completely. (3) And finally, state out loud and into the reflection of yourself in the mirror, the positive affirmations you find in your Beautiful Body. Find one to three things about your body to appreciate each day for a week.

Here are the above as examples: I like the shapely curve of my legs. My body is capable of healing itself completely.

For accelerated healing and positive change, recite your three (or more) affirmations silently or aloud each time you pass a mirror throughout your day-to-day experiment.

End your mirror affirmations with this statement:

“I Love My Beautiful Body!”

Next week we will workout together with videos focusing on a tighter, lifted buttocks. I look forward to sharing suggestions for everyday fitness and tips to raise your metabolism in a safe and nutritious way.