April open forum
Body acceptance? I accept yours without question, but mine not so much
True confession: I still have body hangups after all these years.
That thought crossed my mind while I was reading a nice article on the Irish Examiner site with the headline How naked yoga helped a Cork woman learn to love and accept her body.
As someone who has been involved with naturism — more so than nudism — for about 10 years now, I fight the battle of the bulge and saggy skin. Nothing less than a flat tummy and toned muscles will do for me. I exercise, use firming products, take supplements and am pretty careful with my diet. But I might even resort to non-surgical and surgical solutions eventually, i.e. Botox, facelift.
Of course, it’s good for our health to stay as physically fit as possible. And I would never judge anyone who felt compelled to have a facelift or used Botox in a bid to erase the lines and wrinkles of time.
In fact, one thing naturism has taught me is to accept other people’s wrinkles, bulges and saggy skin. I wasn’t always so accepting. But I don’t see physical “imperfections” in other people anymore. I don’t give it a second thought. So, my body hangups are about me, not about anyone else.
I suppose there is a fine line between wanting to be as fit and lithe as possible and having unhealthy body hangups. I fear I will always be straddling that line.
It’s no coincidence, I suppose, that I’m reflecting on this now. Tis the season of rebirth, and I’m eager to shake off five winter pounds and get active outdoors, but it will be a while before one can be naked in my neck of the woods — though, I might get in some nude sunbathing on the deck this month. And once the snow melts, there will be a golden window of opportunity to stroll naked along forest paths before hungry black flies and mosquitoes are active.
Spring holds so much promise, doesn’t it?
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As always, the monthly open forums are for members to talk about all things naturism and nudism. You don’t have to pick up on what I have written here.
And a warm welcome to all new members. Feel free to join the discussions.
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Happy April to all!
— Jillian
For me, body positivity is all about not criticizing other people for their bodies.
I reserve the right to tweak and work on my own body as I wish. I want my body to do the things I want it to do. It is all about functionality. I can't get it perfect but I can get it good enough. Hiking is important to me. So is being able to chase my granddaughter around. Not feeling so much back pain. Or easily touching my toes.
Maybe someone else doesn't want to do the same things I do. Not my place to judge.
Sometimes the hangups aren't about how one looks to others. I gave up on that one 30 years ago.
Sometimes it is a rejection of growing older. Trying to stave off aging as long as possible. Looking at those wrinkles and saying, "This is not me. That's not my face. Those are not my . That's not hipsmy belly. My boobs don't droop!" (For a guy, "Why do I have boobs now? What happened to my penis?" 😂) Fighting the visible traits of age because we don't want to be old.