ODE TO LEGS

Legs are one of those body parts that are gifted to us from the good old gene pool box.  Kind of like the nose. I look in the mirror when I miss my dad…because there is his nose looking right at me…I also have his two front overlapping teeth…genetics.  I figure if my nose can blow, breath in and out, whistle when it’s stuffy,  and run when I eat soup…that I got a pretty good deal.  One of the nostrils is smaller than the other…just like dads…That’s just how the deal works.

I know that we THINK we’d like to change our imperfections…but really, it is a concept that is getting out of hand.  Every time I open a magazine or watch television I find that my new hairdo, or my fat “Brunswick Bowling Ball”  booty had lost it’s “TRENDING NOW” status…It is just crazy thinking you have to keep up with the media’s split second attention span…it is just not possible…To me, this new leg thing is really silly.  To be “in” right now you need to have a “riding a horse” gap between your legs…Come on man…really!!?? How in the heck are you going to do that if you are not built tall and very slender…I am pretty sure that if I died and got dug up…  my freaking thighs would still be rubbing together!  Again, the gene pool.  And seriously, I do not think that a lover, spouse, or a partner would say to you, (unless this is your natural build), “Wow, you look sexy when you are emaciated. I especially like the huge gap between your legs”.  I gotta believe that a certain amount offleshiness is a really nice thing to grab onto in the dark.

While the gene pool does make some body alterations impossible…there ARE some things we can do for a positive change.  Our largest leg concern should be the condition they are in. Are the joints healthy and pain free?…do they hop, skip, and jump good?  You really learn to appreciate a healthy body part when one isn’t functioning well. The amazing thing is that long or short, thin or meaty, knobby or smooth… makes no difference in how they function. So everyone with healthy, functioning  legs out there give a little shout of gratitude!

Now for a look at the cosmetic appearance of the leg. Is there anything we can do to improve them?  Sure there is.  The most important things we can do to improve our legs appearance is

1. yoga and exercise, which builds and tones muscle.  Well developed and toned muscle beneath the skins surface smooth the appearance of cellulite.  It also replaces some of the body fat with muscle,

2. maintaining a healthy body weight (which reduces the amount of excess fat from beneath the skins surface) and,

3. Eating a healthy, low in fat diet which is mainly plant based (even better when raw… and chosen from all of the five produce color groups…red, yellow, green, purple, and white),

4. drinking enough water to stay hydrated, and

5. eliminating foods cooked in oils…no heated oils!  (especially  if you are working to reduce dimpling and cellulite).  If you eat oils they should be polyunsaturated and in VERY small amounts. And junk food!!!…… well there should be NO junk food…none!   I’m not writing this to torture you (Ali here -Laura common, admit it! – you are!!!! ) …It is just fact…you are the one who will make the choice to eliminate it or not… because like all the old wives say…”You might as well skip eating it and plaster it directly to your thighs!!!  And, if you know any old wives…I’d say they can often be a very reliable source of information on excess thigh fat! It is  all about making choices…

I know everyone wants to hear that there is a magic cream or pill that will help with the appearance of cellulite and excess fat. Save your money…There isn’t.  I know from personal experience that the only way to improve the appearance of your legs/ your body is through extreme effort and hard work.  You have to stop eating an unhealthy diet…stop rewarding yourself with food.  You have to practice a strenuous yoga plan, one like Ali has outlined for you in so many beautiful forms (something for everyone) on her Interval Yoga Web Site.  You know her program works because look at Ali…No one waived a magic wand over her…she did the work!  And because she is the kind and  amazing person she is, she shared everything she learned from experience with us.   Because of her we all have the opportunity to be our best us…In all our differing and beautiful sizes and shapes. And we are all beautiful…all the way through…inside and out.

PS I little birdie told me she has a new yoga class for us all focusing on legs. Thank you Ali! I’ll bet if I ask her nice, she will include a lovely picture of her super strong gams! With love,  and (genetic) Brunswick Buns  :)  …xoxoxc, Laura