What is beautiful?

K

kimyenchu

Cathlete
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Oct-02-02 AT 09:49AM (Est)[/font][p]Hello everyone,

After reading many of your posts I feel compelled to say something. I know that we all exercise to feel good and look good, but I also feel that somewhere along the way all too many of us have distorted our images of what it is to be 'beautiful'.

While I don't doubt that many of you have lots of weight to lose for health reasons, I also feel that many of you are focusing too much on being at a certain weight because that is the ideal - that is the weight where we attain 'beauty'. You deny yourselves the simple pleasures in life and are ruled by numbers on the scale. Well, it is time we stop all that and re-define real beauty. What are your definitions of a 'beautiful woman'?

My definition of a beautiful woman is someone with intelligence, independence, poise and confidence. Physically, I have my ideals about what I find attractive, but it's never based on the size of the woman. Unfortunately, in this society we are bombarded with images of women of a certain height and weight and we are conditioned to believe that unless we look like that we are not beautiful. Well, let me tell you that is just wrong wrong wrong. It's not how thin we are but how we make the most of what we have: beautiful women come in all shapes and sizes. It's such a shame that the media focuses so much on only one type and we buy into that.

I believe we should exercise not so that we can get into a dress size, but to give our bodies definition, curves and lines; for glowing skin, hair and nails; for poise, stature and comportment; to enjoy the pleasures in life like chocolates, cream cakes and pizzas. If we balance everything then we can have whatever we want. So please ladies, forget what the scales tells you and focus on enjoying your life.

Life is for living so let's make the most of it. Go to the fridge and eat some Hagen Daz!

Yen
 
This is my first post here, but I've been lurking for 2 or 3 months. I just had to say:

Here Here!

I wish I could have said it half as well. Your post inspires. Thanks :)

Beth
 
Hello Beth,

Thank you. If I can influence one of you then I am happy.

My motto is and has always been 'You go to the gym and you die a thousand deaths, why go on a diet to die a thousand more?'

I hope you keep this with you and tell your friends the same thing.

Yen
 
...beauty....is in the eye of the beholder....

I agree with this post. I never diet and I love to exercise to be able to be functionally fit to better serve my family: my 3 children and my husband...and me! I want to be able to keep up with them and the many responsibilities I have as a mother, wife, friend, daughter, sister, employee. I want to be able to make them breakfast each and every morning...take them to school...do homework...cook dinner...have fun...At 35..I am now 140 lbs - post baby 6 months ago - and I feel fine. Yes, I would like to tighten up...but, I don't deprive myself anything because NOBODY, no matter how fit we are, is promised tomorrow. Sooooo, enjoy your today and let tomorrow take care of itself...:)

In conclusion(!), I just looove to exercise and to be functionally fit! :-jumpy

Blessings from Our Home to Yours, Runathon
 
Yen, I agree with you completely. My fitness habit contributes much joy and quality to my life that goes way beyond vanity issues.

Thanks for the provocative post!
 
Hi Yen

I'm at home so here a quick post I agree with you I was watching VH1 100 best women thing (the one Madonna won) anyway in the 70's was Alison Moyet I was watching her as they showed her performing and I thought she is gorgeous and has never bought into the attitude "you can only get ahead in the music business if you are stick thin". She has had success being the way she is its her talent her voice that she cares more about.

Anyway my view is there are very few universally beautiful women around. Many of the female beauties around have healthy eating and life style habits (I mean how many have come out as of having drug and alchol problems etc). We don't focus on what people are but how they look that to me is not the way we should be going.

I prefer to try and work inside out I am not happy about being overweight so I will do something about it I will not chase some elusive beauty ideal which would probably wreak my health.

My 2 cents

Babs
 
Hi Yen!

See? I got your name right this time! Who says you can't teach an ole dog new tricks?

Back to your original questions "What is beautiful"? Now, I've met physically beautiful women who get less beautiful by the minute. There might be something lacking in their personality -- they might be too vain or spiteful, or have personalities as flat as a prairie landscape. I've also met physically beautiful women who get more beautiful by the minute, so that in the end, they transcend beauty. Like Audrey Hepburn, for example.

On the other hand, I've met so many not-so-beautiful-looking women (some of whom would most likely deemed by society as being "homely") who get more beautiful the longer I know them. Once again, it's all in the personality.

What I find most beautiful, in women and men alike, is kindness, gentleness and true graciousness. And let's not forget humour!

Patricia

P.S. But they gotta love cats, too!
 
I agree with all this 80% of the time. But 20% of the time that dysfunctional body obsessed thing rears its ugly head and I find myself hating my "fat" body. I think there are many of us here who can agree with this post but also know that we have been guilty of that negetive thinking. That is our society though. You are praised for the way you look..not how many pounds you can bench press or how low your resting heart rate is. I think we all just pretty much want approval.

Very good reminder of what is important though..Thanks!!!

Janice
 
One of the most gorgeous chicks around is Emme, the plus-sized model. I think she's great! I used to love her show "Fashion Emergency," and I wish E network had not taken it off. They would make over women of every size and NEVER mention losing weight or encourage them to change a thing...they worked with what they had, and it was always great.

Leon Hall, one of the fashion gurus on the show used the term "sisters of size" which I thought was cool. I miss that show.
 
Hello Praticia,

You are so right!

I used to have a friend who was, in my opinion, attractive. She dressed to impress every where she goes, where as I just throw on what ever was lying around. She certainly attracted men's attention when she walked down the street, but I got to know her pretty well and I didn't like her personality - I thought she was shallow, selfish and not bright. I really couldn't stand her and I wondered how any man with two brain cells ever could, but she gets more boyfriends than I ever did (not that I was ever envious) so this it just goes to show that looks matter.

Yen
 
Actually in defense of beautiful women can I put in the case of someone I know who is gorgeous slim pretty funny (in a mad and bad way) she has an equally gorgeous husband.

But she has a wonderful personality, I often say to her there are times when she annoys me because she so attractive and I'm not but she just laughs (she has a great laugh) she is a well rounded individual who doesn't focus on her looks even if others don't.

I think that is the key no matter what we look like where is your focus I have tried to get away from people who are obsessed with how they look what they eat etc. Because regardless of looks there focus is very internal and critical, again I had a 'friend' very attractive and ladylike but boy did she have problems if she wasn't the centre of attention then boy did she sulk.

Babs
 
Barbara,

Absolutely, some people are very beautiful but they don't try too hard at it. They are aware that beauty is superficial and only skin deep. These people do not worry that their looks will fade, they attract male attention but they don't acknowledge it, they don't spend hours preening and polishing themselves every day.

What I can't stand is the type who lives by her/his looks. I know a man who thought he looked like Hugh Grant even though no one has ever said that he does. I think that is just too pathetic.

Yen
 
Please this brings me to my other pet hate rappers. Shaggy why oh why do they have to tell us how good they are in bed how many beautiful they have been with.

I hate that as I remember 'self praise is no recommendation' it really bugs me and that girls 'women' go for that actually want to attract such men!!! (I'm shaking my head as I type).

Men who preen just don't do it for me, I my friend her brother was a preener always in nice clothes etc, he was a really nice guy but that aspect of his personality drove me mad. I don't mind men looking attractive and dressing well but to such a degree and all the time!!

Sorry just having a rant, you really started something here.

Babs
 
Me too. I just can't stand women who has to wear make-up every time they go out, even if it's just to the supermarket! What is it with that? They think they will meet potential boyfriends or something? I just throw on a t-shirt and track suit bottoms.

This guy I mentioned, he would look at himself in the mirror and say 'I am so gorgeous!' I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Yen
 
I think women who can compliment other women are beautiful. I remember watching some stupid fashion show on E! (which I no longer watch because it was too damn catty!) Anyway, it was some awards show and Kate Winslet (whom I think is beautiful) was on there and Joan Rivers said "Now we know what sank the Titanic." That only made poor Joan seem unattractive. Honesty is beautiful and I think that confidence makes a person more attractive. I am still chubby, but I am strong and confident and know that I can partake in activities I could only spectate a year ago! With that criteria, I think all the people who post on this forum are beautiful.
 
LOL Yen! Your post about the guy who talks to himself in the mirror reminds me of the show Scrubs on NBC - anyone watch it? Hilarious! Anyway, there's this surgical resident named Todd who calls himself "The Todd." In last week's episode he was naked but for a leapord skin bikini bottom and flexing in front of the mirror while saying "This is how The Todd gets his confidence on!" I LMAO! :)

I don't go for guys who preen. Sure, it's nice to comb your hair, wear decent clothes etc., but any guy who spends more time on his hair and wardrobe than a woman just cracks me up. While I'm not the type to be made up all the time, I do believe that is a woman thing in general.
 
And just to clarify so noone throws rotten veggies at me, I wasn't implying that "women generally do that" but rather the excessive grooming habits are reserved and more accepted from a woman rather than a man.
;-)
 
Hello Lizzie,

Women are judged on what they look like more than men so it is only par for the course that they spend more time preening themselves.

Yen
 
I agree with this Yen but a couple of years ago I was waiting at a bus stop and there were a group of teen age boys waiting with me and they were discussing their "weight" I only just stopped myself from laughing out loud.

But it seems that this has now been passed on to the male of the species.

Babs
 
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