I DO YOGA FORUM

Body Shape

jaylynnperkins — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:09:24 GMT

Your forum recently caught my attention so I decided to register. I'll start by introducing myself. My name is Jaylynn Perkins and I have Merchandise Marketing degree from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. In the last few months, I have developed a website that focuses on shopping for the right clothes for a certain body shape. The website takes you through to find out what your shape is and then goes into what items of clothing would be best for your body type. I open to any questions.
I like the concept of finding your natural body shape. It goes deeper than clothes. You can pick out the best looking outfit and have it tailored perfectly to your figure but if you feel insecure on the inside than the outfit does nothing.
I have struggled with my confidence for many years. I have a terrible fear of stage fright but I am constantly pushing myself to break out of that confront zone. I am much more secure with how I look. But I still struggle with the social confidence. Anyway, that's a little introduction. Please feel free to visit my website and I would be glad to guide you in shopping choices.

Talk to you soon.
Jaylynn Perkins
http://www.dressyourbodytype.com

My 30-Day Challenge Week 3

amandat — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 02:35:02 GMT

Day 15

A new mindset is a fragile thing, something to be protected from the onslaught of the old mindset and from conditioned responses to outside stimuli.

Being back in my hometown and working on changing my mindset, I am becoming increasingly aware that my attitude towards my body stems from my desire to be in control of something. Because I had absolutely no control over anything around me that affected me so deeply. Things like educational policy -- policy that deemed me a failure because I had no aptitude for essay writing in a different language. Of the eight subjects that I took, I scored 5-As, 2-Bs and a D. You guessed it the D was in essay writing in a second language. Because the second language was one of the required subjects for entry to junior college, I was thrown on the trash heap of useless students who have no potential and thus considered a failure. On hindsight, I would hardly consider myself a failure or stupid or lacking in any potential.

Carried by the wave of failure I felt completely out of control, realizing that being unable to go on to junior college and then to university, my future looked as though it was being flushed down the toilet. I of course, have since learnt that life takes you by many different paths and success can be obtained by many different means and not by one very narrowly defined path. However, back in the 80s, thin was in and being an impressionable teenager looking at fashion magazines, I too aspired to be thin. That at least seemed to be an attainable goal that merely required discipline something that I was good at I could be very disciplined, and did not require me to write any essays in a different language.

My weight and dress size seemed to be the only thing in life that I was in control of. That and also growing up in a home and society that used negative reinforcement to get people to comply.

My 30-day Journal Week 2

amandat — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 00:29:30 GMT

Day 8

Destressing is not the easiest thing, in fact, determining not to let things get to you requires completely changing one's mindset.

This week, I am visiting my mother. For a whole month before I came for the visit, I was preparing myself for the usual criticism -- Amanda, you've put on weight... you need to do more situps and improve your waistline! Amanda, you're overeating... Amanda, you need to go on a diet... -- on and on it goes. I was bracing myself. This of couse, led to stress.

As I sat quietly in the simple cross-legged position, just being with my body, I decided to be a friend to myself. I determined that no matter what was said to me, I would stick up for myself, even if I didn't say it out loud to my mother, I would stick up for myself in my heart and mind. I would tell myself that I look good, that the effort that I've made so far is valid and that losing another 16lbs isn't going to happen overnight. I would validate myself!

Even though I have lost 24lbs since I gave birth to my second baby and am well on my way to fitting back into my size 4 jeans, I felt nervous and anxious. Lo and behold, when I got to my mother's house with my two boys, I found that I am currently the thinnest of my sisters. I am normally in the middle. My eldest sister being the thinnest, my second sister being the fattest and I am in between the two of them, but by no means ideal.

Not only that, but when the moment finally arrived for my mother's usual critical inspection, she said, "You've slimmed down a lot since I last saw you!"
"I've lost 24lbs."
"Well, just try to find some balance -- it's not good to be too thin either -- then you get all kinds of health problems!"

I was floored by my mother's comment! Well, things certainly have changed! It used to be that you could never be thin enough!

My 30-day Challenge Journal Week 1

amandat — Tue, 01 May 2007 18:07:53 GMT

Barbara challenged me to do a 30-day awareness exercise, the objective being to cultivate my natural body shape. Here is my journal

Day 1

Task: Pick a body part that you either dislike the most or absolutely hate, and spend 10 minutes just being aware of it. Record all the thoughts and emotions that come from the 10-minute awareness.

Journal Entry: Pick a body part that you hate Obviously my thighs! What do I absolutely hate about my thighs? I can sum it up in one word CELLULITE! I have very bad cellulite all over the backs of my thighs. Ripples of unsightly fat trapped under my skin. Ive had this all my life and I hate it. I dont remember a time when I didnt have cellulite. Lard lines all up and down the backs of my thighs. The worst part is where my thigh connects with my butt, now it seems to be uglier than ever. Ive exercised hard all my life, but the lard lines never come off! I suppose its genetic. Both my sisters have the same problem. Take a deep cleansing breath breathe in, breathe out.

The 30-day Challenge

Tue, 01 May 2007 17:50:52 GMT

The 30-day Challenge is designed to help you make that mind-body connection. It is a difficult challenge and requires commitment. When I took my own thirty day challenge, my first emotion was sadness that I had spent so many years hating my stomach. Good Luck!

Barbara Moroney

How to take the 30-day Challenge

1. Identify the part of your body that you would like to focus on.

2. Draw a heart on this part. (Alternatively, paste a sticker, if you like).

3. Set a timer (for example on your computer, or on the clock in a room) for the same time each day.

4. When the timer goes off, focus on this body part. You may also breathe into the area, as well. Do not try to change anything; just observe the thoughts and feelings as they come up.

5. Keep a daily journal of your thoughts and feelings and any other related experiences. For most effective results, focus on this body part as many times during the day as you can remember. And get one or more friends to take the challenge with you.

6. This challenge is most effective if the days are consecutive. If you miss more than one or two days, start over.

7. Post your experiences, results and comments on our 30-day challenge bulletin board