Does my bum look big…?

When the Olympics were on, I wrote a post about body image, talking about women like Jessica Ennis who happen to have slim, fit-looking bodies as a by-product of all the training and healthy living they do in order to be top in their sports. We all know that women are too hung up on body image and appearance and the point I wanted to make is that being fit and healthy on the inside is more important than looking “beautiful” on the outside.

A couple of days into the Paralympics and the comparison between world class athletes and those of us who focus mainly on appearance shoots to a whole new level. Yesterday I watched a woman with no arms break a world record in the pool. She had to swim until her head crashed into the side of the pool as she has no hands to touch the side first. Countless cyclists in the Velodrome missing limbs but hurtling round there faster and sleeker than any of us could dream of. People who leave their artificial arms and legs at the start line so that they can get on with winning unencumbered.

Who knows how the female Paralympic athletes feel about their bodies? I expect they all have different ways of dealing with their disabilities and the impact on their appearance. But what is obvious is that they are not letting these issues stop them from getting out there, training to be the best and striving to win in front of a world-wide audience.

So if I think I’d rather not go swimming because I’m not happy with the size of my thighs, or if you want to lose a few more pounds before you go to the gym, could we learn a lesson here? What is going to make me feel better, looking a bit thinner sometime in the future, or taking part, being active, striving for excellence or having fun outside today?

This is only one of the many, many reasons to watch the Paralympics, but, given the anguish that I hear daily from other women (and from my own inner critic) about body image I do think that it’s worth focussing on for a minute. If you haven’t been watching the Games, why not take some time out and have a look? I guarantee that you will soon be absorbed, and, incidentally, if you watch Wheelchair Basketball you will discover an incredibly exciting new sport. Personally I’m looking forward to seeing Wheelchair Rugby, otherwise known as Murderball, as well! When you tear yourself away, ask yourself if you still feel exactly the same about your own body as you did before. Will you go on letting those extra pounds, the shape of your hips or your bingo wings stop you from doing what you really want to do?

Let’s go for it, seize the day, really live in the present moment.