definition

I took a few photos of my back a few days ago to capture some striking rope marks from a self-suspension I’d done Monday night.  Once I uploaded the pictures to my computer and got a good look at them, I did a double-take.  Was this really my back?  I was stunned to see any muscle definition at all – so stunned that it took a few moments to even see the rope marks.

My surprise may sound odd given that I do try to keep active and exercise, but I’ve historically never been more than just a casual athlete, and I never went through any consistent exercise regimen with weights or aerobics.  Certainly, I’ve never had much muscle definition to speak of, so while this isn’t at the same level as what I’ve seen at the climbing gym, I view it as a personal victory and tangible evidence of my months of climbing and yoga.

The other victory is that, while I’ve come a long way in accepting my appearance and dealing with my personal insecurities, it’s only been fairly recently that I’ve been able to move from mere acceptance towards loving my body.  Looking at this photo and actually being attracted to what I see – that feels like a huge leap in the right direction.