Closer to Fine

I think that when I was being thought up, when it came time for God to decide which kinds of body parts he would give me, he chose high maintenance thighs. I used to lament this. I knew early on that I would never, ever have thighs like Barbie's. I don't really have short legs, but they are not long. They are just curvy. I like to smile seductively and say they are “fleshy pretty.” But the smile sours. They really are just plain chubby in these bleak, unwalkable cold months. (sigh). Today I am certain that I was given these high maintenance appendages because it was known that I would also enjoy taking on this project, babbling about things some might believe are secretive and better left unsaid.

Oh, today I have avoided getting started on my carrying out of tasks. Not completely. Just avoided the WALK. It's the opening day of deer season, after all. Someone might mistake me... I may get shot. I live in the boonies. People do that. (It is gorgeous out. I need to walk.) I knew this three hours ago when I, instead, loaded my purse and appendages and caboose into the vehicle and traipsed to the health food store in town to get a couple items for my journey to beauty. (I will reveal shortly.) I didn't have to, but, since I was already in town... I headed to the local resale shop to see if there was a CD case (the soft car-kind). There wasn't. But I browsed. I found three pair of brown boots in my size, and put them in my cart as I walked through the store looking at other useless items. It then occurred to me that I have a shoe problem (a “problem”) so I put the boots back. Even though they were all only $4.99 each...

Then I went to the closest everything-store to look at their hair-removal systems. I got really scared, and got out of there quickly with just a bag of cotton balls.

You see how this is going...

Today, besides very soon going for a three-mile walk (clears throat) I am going to talk about skin care. :)

It's only fair to admit to you that I am extremely allergic to wheat and gluten, and must live on a strict gluten-free diet. One of the benefits of this (now that I'm a year-and-a-half into it) is that I am slowly slimming down because I can't eat the delicious but naughty things that may tempt many of you. But one of the biggest allergic reactions I have if I accidentally ingest wheat is that my skin breaks out in a very strange way. My face gets these patches of burn/itch/blemish-looking spots (gross, I know), and actually my inner thighs get this, too. Combine this with the highly sensitive skin that comes with just being a fair-skinned red-head, and you can understand that shaving is always iffy.

I bought the Sally Hansen home kit for waxing once. Not long ago, actually. I was so excited. I longed for these smooth-as-a-baby's-bottom thighs. I pictured them all silky and shimmering, maybe kissed with sparkly-glitter lotion... So when they turned out black-and-blue, and I wondered if I had a blood disorder, I realized I shouldn't wax my own thighs. Either my thighs are not waxable, or a professional should do it.

It is a struggle to find the perfect routine that works for me. I guess I hope this adventure will help me sort it out.

Meanwhile, today I bought (drumroll) a skin brush and a bar of Pure-Castile soap (hemp and tea-tree). I have a couple ideas...

I report to you a few things:

1. I didn't walk today. Ugh. I have only two days of grace each week for not doing this, and today was perfect for a walk...
2. In my defense, I have a migraine.
3. I have eaten lots of tortilla soup today, a yogurt, a gluten-free waffle, a glass of punch, a smoothie, and two coffees. Yum. But not very conducive to diminishing my body-size.
4. I stretched out with my cheerleader-daughter and discovered I am pretty darn limber still. It helped with the headache, too.
5. I brushed my skin. I actually paid really close attention to my thighs and buttocks and tummy. Have you ever brushed your skin? I mean dry-brushing. It's fabulous. I can see that I will become addicted. (More on this in a minute. It's my blog-subject for today.)
6. I'm planning to do some squats, lunges, donkey kicks and sit-ups tonight. (I just decided to throw in the sit-ups. Why not, right?) These are the most highly recommended exercise I have found so far. I'll tell you tomorrow how many I did of each. :) Hopefully not too many, right? I want to be able to repeat the activity, as well as carry out my normal day-to-day...
7. I am going to use hair removal cream for my thighs and take a nice hot shower tonight after I get the kids in bed. I'm not sure if I will like it better than shaving, and I still think I'll get the little bumps. But I'll try it, and report. I am looking at ways to care for my skin after the hair removal.
8. I have been told by a dear friend that she's been using the Castile soap on her face, and it has cleared up her skin, healed it, and left it soft. Well, I think at $4.68 for the bar, it's worth a try for the delicate, flower-like skin of the gluteus maximus and my thighs.
9. Wow, my head is killing me again. It doesn't matter. I committed to doing this, headache or no!

And 10.) I'm going to measure myself, I guess. I'll give in to the numbers. I decided to extend my makeover to everywhere my pair of bike shorts covers. So, from yesterday to today, I officially added my tummy.

Now... my blog blah-blah.

Several years back I read about skin-brushing. Basically, what it entails is purchasing a natural-bristled brush (which I purchased at the health food store) and using it on your dry skin. You brush in the direction of your heart, so move feet up the leg, fingers up the arm, upward on the thighs, upward on the back, etc. (I did go down on my buttocks, though. It was just easier.)

The cool thing about it is that you feel very energized after doing this. It does exfoliate dead skin cells naturally. (You should be gentle on your skin, spending several strokes on each area, but not so much that you irritate it.)

Our skin is our largest organ, and it is the first one to show when things aren't healthy on the inside. Brushing is one way to maintain skin health because it exfoliates and it stimulates hair follicles as well as nerve-endings, somehow allowing toxins to release properly. At least I think I understand it to be this way. I just think it is kinda cool, it feels really nice, it energizes (like I said) and I look forward to seeing if the long-term effects prove to eliminate some of my skin discomfort from my allergies.

One caution: Don't brush skin that's broken with owies or rashes.

Lastly, I should probably write some sort of disclaimer about the fact the I didn't go to my doctor to see if I'm healthy enough to start an exercise routine...

Yeah. Like I am going to spend the money for him to OK it, when I know that he's always asked me if I'm doing it already. But you should definitely get a physical to make sure you are healthy enough to get healthy. OK? Definitely.

More tomorrow...

Laura Lee