You win some, you lose some.
While I made it to the gym bright and early today, my workout wasn’t exactly kickin’. I went through the motions but left feeling a little meh. Not every workout deserves a gold star, but at least I managed to work up a bit of a sweat and that definitely counts for something!
Today’s workout began with 20 minutes on the elliptical before I wandered around like a tool bag, hoping to feel inspired to do some kind of a leg workout.
In the end I completed three sets of 15 repetitions of the following exercises:
- Step ups
- Leg press
- Lunges
- Deadlifts
- Hamstring curls
I didn’t lift weights that challenged me as much as I could have, but it still felt good to get moving. Plus, a yummy breakfast awaited me when I arrived home!
Breakfast
Today I made myself a bowl of banana gingerbread oats.
I made the oatmeal just like my pumpkin banana oats, only I used milk instead of water, omitted the pumpkin and added a scoop of Stonewall Kitchen gingerbread pancake mix that the company sent me to try.
The gingerbread pancake mix added a delicious punch of flavor to the oats and I can’t wait to use it to make pancakes this weekend.
Moving right along…
ESPN’s Body Issue
I typically blog from my home office on a desktop computer, but occasionally I’ll use Ryan’s laptop to blog in another room.
While the homepage on my computer is my iGoogle page, Ryan’s is ESPN.com. Last night as I turned on his laptop to blog, I actually found myself intrigued by ESPN.com because there were nudie pictures of athletes staring back at me.
Oh la la!
(Source)
The pictures were taken for ESPN’s third annual Body Issue, showcasing the bodies of top athletes who compete in a wide range of sports, including hockey, bowling, soccer, tennis, golf, surfing, football, basketball, marathon running and Paralympics.
Powerful men and women were photographed in the buff, though no manly parts or lady bits were actually shown. The athletes posed for the magazine, showing off the bodies that they pour hours and hours into training.
Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler said, “This is not about being sexy but about being strong and powerful and showing girls it’s OK to have muscles. … And that strength and power is beautiful.”
Question of the Morning
- If you were a top athlete, would you ever consider posing for ESPN’s Body Issue?
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
Woah! Haha I don’t know if I would do that!!
Holy crap- look at Hope Solo’s body! That is unreal! I just think that women with strong, muscular bodies look amazing- within limits off course. When you start getting the “horse face” look, it’s time to cool it from the steroids.
Awesome idea to mix in the pancake mix to your oats!
Most definitely would! As you said it – the athletes have been pouring so much into their bodies that it is a way to show off their hard work. They look amazing!
I think I would do it, yes. These pictures look awesome, and just because they’re nudey doesn’t mean they can’t be tasteful! I think it’s empowering to show what you’ve worked for, especially athletes who train daily, hours on end. And I agree with Lauren… if they’re TOO buff, then it’s kinda too far. But Hope Solo looks amazing! Muscles for the win
I find myself wandering around the weight room like a tool bag sometimes too, it happens!
And I would totally pose for EPSN’s Body Issue, muscles are amazing 🙂
These women are strong and beautiful.. they have the bodies of real, curved, strong woman who take health, fueling, and exercise seriously. Hope Solo is SO strong and I love the fact they she is showing off those muscles!
If I had a nice strong body.. and i was covered where necessary, I think I’d do it.
I would, as long as nothing was showing! They should be proud of the hard work they put into being strong athletes!
I love the body issue! I think the physique of those athletes is a work of art and if my body was ever in that kind of shape, I’d be in the issue because I’d want that documented forever!
As a big hockey fan I am pleased to see that ESPN had an NHL player featured (Ryan Kesler). I think it is a great way to show the hard work that goes into their bodies.
If I had that body I would totally rock it out on the cover of ESPN! They work hard and should be proud! I also have to give major kudos to the women athletes who are helping show how many different types of beauty there are in this world.
If I was an athlete with an awesome body, I would totally showcase it! What an awesome momento that would be to have to look at when you’re older.
I love how the women are muscular, but are still so feminine. It’s so true that muscles are sexy, both on a man and a woman!
Those pictures are great! I love when the human form is recognized like that, in a non-sexual way!
I know a lot of people say they would only do it if they had a body like one of those top athletes, but I’d do it now — I love my body, even though it’s not totally ripped!
your oats sound delicious!! and i would definitely consider posing for something like that if i were a major athlete/were asked to. not only are the pictures taken for a great reason, but i think people should embrace their bodies more than they do. we work so hard to stay fit and we should be proud of our hard work!
Have you tried any other Stonewall products? I just saw a bunch of their dressings at The Fresh Market and was intrigued, but they were kinda pricey (6 bucks) so I didn’t really want to get it just to try just to try.
Julie,
Are you aware your “behind the door” picture is popping up all over pinterest the past few days? Love it!!
Bridget
It’s kind of strange… but I do think it’s cool! IT’s nice to see something other that half naked playboy girls!
I would do that in a second. I love the quote from Gretchen Bleiler, what a powerful message! It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Colleen Hacker, psych to U.S. women’s soccer team:
“What is it about us females. We want to sort of hide away and get as small as we can. And what is it about boys- they seek to rule the earth? They want to jump into a weight room to become as big as possible and fill up space and be loud and dominant. What is it about us, that prevents us from feeling that way? Why don’t we want to fill up space and dominate the earth?”
I love a good girl power quote every now and then and this is definitely inspirational to me.
Helio Castroneves in the tire swing is killing me! Hhahaa! And Hope Solo out there watering the lawn…lol. Anyway, if I had a body like that I’d show it off too! They are all badass!
This may sound silly, but one of the reasons I love the ESPN Bodies Issue is that it features men as well as women. There is something about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition that seems to objectify women, and when I am feeling insecure, it makes me feel like I must l’ve up to an impossible standards.
ESPN is great in that it showcases all strong bodies, not just women.
I do that too. Do a whole workout and don’t put much effort in so I feel like it was a waste even though I did something.
And HECK YEAH I’d pose. I don’t even need a magazine. If I lost 15lbs, I’d probably pose for any random dude on the street.
j/k. Kinda.
That oatmeal looks delicious! I would have never thought of adding pancake mix to oatmeal but what a great idea! I think that’s interesting about ESPN. I kind of like what Gretchen is saying, but I wish that there was more of a connection that a woman being strong and powerful is sexy!
I would do it for sure. I am proud of my body and people would realise that it has taken hours of dedication to get it that way 🙂
I think it’d be easier for me to deal with my picture being in a magazine like that than to actually go through the photo shoot!
I think it is nice that strong and empowering people are being photographed and displayed rather than unrealistic stick figures. It does pose another question though…if people will go out of their way to strive for the “beauty” or thinness of a model or actress, will people look at these photos and also try to achieve it through unhealthy means? I’m sure ESPN’s core audience probably isn’t vulnerable women, but you never know who is looking. I do think it’s great that these athletes have to opportunity to kind of relish in all their hard work though.
I saw the pictures from the ESPN Body Issue yesterday…actually, my facebook wall kind of blew up with links to it because of the inclusion of Suzy Hotrod from Gotham Girls Roller Derby.
I’m a roller derby player and the fact that ESPN actually included a non-traditional/non-professional sport is incredible. Derby girls do it as a hobby; we don’t get paid and we do it just for the love of the sport, so to have a derby girl included is a huge deal.
If I looked as awesome as Suzy Hotrod, I would totally pose nude for a photo shoot!
haha. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a pro athelete so I have no idea what I’d do. I’m a relatively private person and imagine I’d try and stay as far away from cameras when at all possible…even if it was tasteful/artistically done. But really, who knows…I think I’d be a different person in many ways if I were a pro athlete.
I would! I totally have to admit that I take an extra glimpse at myself in the buff when I’ve been working out extra hard. Its nice to see that progress – not all your workout tough spots are places you can show off with a lovely dress ya know. After having kids, I really appreciate all the little changes from challenging myself with harder workouts – even if just me and the hubster see em 🙂 If I was a top athlete, I’d be proud of what I worked so hard to attain. God knows, I’m proud of my not-top-athlete self now ha!
Definitley would! Nothing wrong with showing off what you got right
Pancake mix in oats? Smart. Love it.
Also, I adore the body issue of ESPN magazine. I think they do a great job of showing a range of athletes (abilities, body types, ages, etc.), and the pics are very inspiring. Heck yes, I would pose!
I would absolutely pose for the body issue of ESPN magazine, especially if I were as rock hard and hot like any one of those athletes. Why the hell not show it off! Unfortunately, I don’t think they’ll be knocking on my door to pose anytime soon.
Your oatmeal sounds delicioso, by the way. Love me some gingerbread 🙂
Hahaha good question!! Even if I were fitness model like, I don’t think I would just b/c I’m shy with that kind of stuff! 😛 Even if private things weren’t show, I’d still be shy hah. But I love girl muscles!
As a gymnast and coach, it was awesome to see Alicia Sacramone in the magazine. Gymnastics only seems to get publicity during the Olympics so great job to ESPN for featuring her. Us gymnasts have to work really hard! Plus, leotards are only a small step up from what the athletes were wearing/notwearing in the body issue.
Gingerbread pancake mix??? Wow, sounds like heaven haha wish we could get that here!
Love this message, and very tastefully done…and heck yes I’d want to pose for it! After 10 years of trying to fight my curvy hips and thinking super skinny was the ideal…I’ve finally embraced my curves and muscles and remind myself that it’s about being healthy and fit, and that muscles are pretty darn sexy 😉
P.S. I just clicked over to see the entire gallery and wow, amazing. It’s great to see these women’s strong, fit bodies…love it.
I HAVE posed nude, and my body is nowhere near that amazing! So yeah, I’d do it in a heartbeat!
i love hope solo!!
While I can appreciate the focus of ESPN’s Body Issue- the beauty of health and athleticism, the physical reward of discipline and determination- I don’t believe that having these athletes pose nude is the best way to convey this message. I believe that the focus then turns to the nudity. Lots of commenters mentioned that those athletes worked hard so, why not show it off? Why does “showing it off'” have to be by posing nude? I guess I’m in the minority in that I believe that respecting your body does not mean letting just anybody see almost all of it.
Hell yes, I would pose like that! Their bodies are amazing — in a good way — and it shows everyone else what hard work and dedication can do. Besides, the human body has always been considered “beautiful,” and showcased in various art forms. I don’t think this is any different! 🙂
Thank you for sharing this! Muscles and strength are a beautiful, beautiful thing!