FIT TIP FRIDAY . . . A New Compliment

Whew, it’s Friday already.  How did happen?  Having a Monday Holiday makes for a short week and also really messes with my scheduling.  So, this week while I was doing my normal, nerdy health and fitness reading rambling I ran across an article that inspired this post.  The article touched on the fact that when we think about health and wellness, we often fall into talking about weight and physical appearance.  For example, look at the health magazines on the shelf.  The cover models are sickeningly perfect in appearance (should I remind you that I recently posted on photoshopping?).  The fact is, even the “health” and “fitness” magazines focus on an ideal of outer beauty and often neglect the inner health and well-being of persons.

I think of how often I have given a compliment with words like, “you look great”or “you are so skinny”.  Admit it, you have done the same thing.  Also, I will admit that if you give me one of those compliments I will prance like a peacock!  So, those types of words go right into feeding the media obsession with weight and looks.  

I am around so many fantastic and inspiring women each week.  I am so impressed with their accomplishments, strengths, intelligence, attitudes and natures!  I am equally impressed with their outer strength, fitness and beauty.  Everyone is different – whether in the amount of push-ups they can crank out, how flexible they are in touching their noses to the floor in a straddle split, how fast they can run their suicides or how quick witted they are to make me laugh.

This FRIDAY’S FIT TIP is to challenge you all to compliment another on anything OTHER THAN THEIR APPEARANCE.  NO COMPLIMENTS ON WEIGHT LOST OR GAINED, SKINNINESS OR PRETTINESS. I’m sure those around you have so many other things going for them that make them healthy and fit.  This exercise is about shifting our mindset about what is healthy.  2012 is about GETTING HEALTHY, BEING HEALTHY AND STAYING HEALTHY.  

Now this is not to say I do not want to compliment someone on how great they look, how fit they are, but it made me think about also telling people all the things I am thinking about them!  I know people have talents and qualities – so rather than just thinking them, I am going to say them.  Let’s see if we can make a week of looking past the outer appearance and get to the “real” strength and qualities of those around us – and tell them!

On another note, I had a really great breakfast this morning – so great, in fact, that at 3:00 pm I’m still  not hungry!  I had a little extra time mid-morning and I was starving so I knew I needed something filling.  I wanted something warm as it cold and rainy here.  I had kale for a soup tonight so I took a handful and sauteed it in olive oil.  In the same pan I cooked two eggs (and yes I included both yolks.  If you want to just do eggwhites, which I do at times, it will be just as good!)  Can  you get more healthy, good for you and filling?  
   Look at that, you know you want some!  So, second FIT TIP:  eat breakfast!

How do you compliment others?  Will this make you rethink?
What is your filling breakfast?