A Very Rambly Chit-Chat About Exercise and Body Confidence

I've been in two minds about writing this post all week. Should I do this one, or should I do the summer/bronze-y makeup saviours post I've been pondering (spoiler alert - that's probably next week's post)? But I've settled on this one. And it might be a bit weird, but hear me out. 

It's always interesting to hear feedback from people who read my blog, especially about my writing style. People say that I have quite a chatty and friendly voice, which is amazing to hear, because when I write my posts I almost feel like I'm writing weekly letters to a friend - which is why it's signed off with 'From, Eleanor.' There is method behind the madness. I've made posts in the past about body confidence (here) and uni advice etc, etc, and I don't do those kinds of posts to be patronising - I do it because maybe I need to remind myself of certain things sometimes, as well as wanting to help out at least one person that reads the post. The internet is a vast space often filled with negative energy, and I want this space to be a pop of positivity. 

So why was I in two minds about writing this post? Firstly, the photo. The pictures I snap myself will probably never be as professional as the ones Emma kindly takes. Today, we have a simple mirror selfie - no filters, just a big ol' flash beam and a cheesy grin.  But hey, I do want this to be a stripped back, friendly chinwag - we're keeping this one informal. 

But it's not the photo or its questionable quality that bothers me - it's what's in it. This very morning, I was watching one of my absolute favourite vloggers Lucy Wood on a video completely unrelated to the topic of body confidence. She was chatting about books that she read recently. One of those books, however, did happen to be about struggling with weight or image, and she recommended it if you're overwhelmed by: "girls in bikinis on Instagram telling you to love yourself." I know exactly what she means - my Instagram is a surplus of influencers' stunning holiday pics, or the new Love Island contestants looking drop dead gorgeous, all with perfect bodies and fine-tuned faces. Those kind of pictures attached to self-loving captions can sometimes cause those of us who aren't photoshopped Insta models to question our own image. 

Using this picture on a post like this had me in a tizz because the last thing I want to do is be like one of those girls, but truth be told - I am so proud of this photo. See that ginormous grin? That's the grin of a girl who has been running around like a headless chicken on a treadmill most nights since coming home from uni and finally seeing some results. I didn't want to come on here and appear as if I was showing off, but if you've been working towards anything and you've finally achieved something you're excited about, don't feel you have to keep it to yourself.

There are still parts of myself that if I'm not too confident about. I'd love the flab on my upper arms to kindly get lost, and I'd rather my thighs didn't jiggle every time I walk. But when I think about my weight, or what I'd want to change about the way I look, one phrase always pops into my mind: as long as you are healthy, you are fine. I think we all need to remind ourselves of that from time to time. 

Having said that, I am starting to see progress and it is something that I am proud of. I'm not showing off, I'm not gloating - if anything, I'm here to say that if I can do it, so can you. Anyone that knows me knows that when it comes to exercise, I'm the laziest girl there is. Ask me to walk to the shop and back? You'd think I'd just been asked to wack my head against a wall thirty times. But exercise is important - not just for weight loss or building muscle, but to keep our hearts, minds and bodies healthy. 

The best way I've found to tackle the dreaded 'E' word is to work it into a routine. I started going on the treadmill at 8pm 5/6 days a week, then it just became habit. Always have a fun, empowering playlist to listen to, too - Spotify have some great running playlists, but not to toot my own horn, my own one is the best (here's the link to it, my loves, and yes, it is a great name for a playlist). But I think, most importantly, don't exercise because you have to, exercise because you want to. I always feel so much better after going for a run. I feel accomplished, I feel healthy, I feel happy. And I think, in turn, that gives me a positive outlook on my body, even if the results aren't immediate. It may not feel like it while you have a waterfall of sweat streaming down your face, but exercise is one of the highest forms of self love; you are taking care of yourself in a healthy, kind way. 

But when I run, I don't push myself anymore than I need to. Nor do I limit myself within my lifestyle, either. I have quite dodgy ankles, so if they're really hurting while I run, I slow down or stop. And yeah, if I fancy another custard cream, I'm gonna damn well have another custard cream. Doing what makes you happy and living life on your own terms is essential. You are living for you and you only, so don't let anyone tell you that you shouldn't eat that, or you need to get on the treadmill, or you don't look hot as hell. Even if you don't exercise regularly or you can't find time or whatever - don't worry, I get it, and you are still worthy of wearing whatever you want, doing whatever you want, being whoever you want. Don't let your insecurities make your decisions for you - I believe in you, random internet stranger!

Especially at this time of year, when it's time to don the shorts and Love Island is spilling onto every screen possible, body confidence in both men and women is a huge issue. I feel like this post has been a bit higgldy-piggldy, but what I'm trying to say is: 

1.) Exercise - it's good for you! Try and do it as much as you can, as it will make you feel better about yourself. But don't push yourself past your boundaries, it's okay to have a limit. 

2.) It's perfectly fine to be unashamedly you on social media. I was so nervous to post this photo to in case it appeared as if I was showing off, or contradicting myself when talking about body confidence when I'm actually feeling fairly good about myself at the moment (which exercise has helped with a lot). In actual fact, it's brilliant to be proud of yourself. 

3.) As long as you are healthy, you are fine.