Luna Luna: Spring is Back! Now's The Time to Be Healthy & In Love With Your Body!

How You Can Feel Good About Exercising, Even When You're Not Getting The Results You Want

By Dallas Athent of Luna Luna
QuailBellMagazine.com

Like many people, I’m not naturally thin. No, the Gods of Chanel and Charles Frederick Worth did not open the skies for me and say a blessing upon my birth that declared I would have a fast metabolism. The truth is, I’ve never had a completely flat stomach. This was especially true in high school, where at my unhealthiest I weighed 145 lbs. and had barely any muscle on my modest (but adorable!), 5”2 frame.

In college, I was determined to change my snacking habits and overall laziness. Pusheen the cat is my everything but I just do not look as cute when I’m passed out eating a cupcake.

My teens were coming to their close so the time to start being an adult and do all those things I said I was gonna do in my teens like jog occasionally and force myself to actually eat vegetables. Of course, I also dreamed that improving my well-being would have a bonus of giving me the body I saw in movies and magazines and making me fierce and #flawless.

That didn’t quite pan out as planned. I began exercising and eating plants (sometimes), but there will still parties and tests and gross drinks that broke college kids make that are usually called “Jungle”-something. When I graduated I was finally able to really get a regime down. I started running and doing light strength training several times a week. 

I also 1); took points from reluctant people in the gym who just wanted to be left alone (sorry guys but thx for ur help!) 2); participated in classes where I messed up every choreographed move and just ended up doing my own thing to everyone else’s annoyance and 3); watched workout videos where I damned the digital instructor. 

But no matter what, it seemed that the advancement of my exercise regime and slow improvement of my diet did nothing to rid myself entirely of every morsel of thickness. At 123 lbs, running 2-4 miles a day, 4-6 times a week, with 3 days of strength training and a diet of mostly veggies maxing out at 2000 calories. Doing all of this work and not seeing perfect results actually made me hate my body more, because after all this work, it still wasn’t perfect.


I decided it was time to bust out the wallet and speak to a trainer about what I could maybe tweak, change, or add to my lifestyle. After reviewing my diet and work-out, he told me that I was, in fact, pretty healthy… Actually, I was very healthy. #HOLLA.  The bad news was, in order to have the

The look on my face after all that work gave me less-than-perfect results. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BURRITOS I SKIPPED FOR THIS??

body I was looking for, I would have to do so much more work. I would essentially never eat potatoes, white rice, or basically any bread and sweets… Ever. Not even a couple times a month. I would also have to do more high intensity cardio rather than run the straight 10 minute miles I had been doing.

This was crazy.

First of all, there was no way I was giving up Mexican food and chocolate (I mean let’s be real). If I did what he said I would be so hungry and unsatisfied, all the time. And who wants to live life like that?

I would also be missing out on things I enjoyed, like the occasional Italian meal with my boyfriend, or the yummy things on the menu when I was out to dinner with friends.

I then had to ask myself–was it worth it?

Hell no.

Having a completely flat stomach wasn’t going to make me more friends.

Or get me my dream job…

...or pay my damn rent.

FROM MY COLD, DEAD HANDS. #nachos

Your friends literally do not care if you’re a few pounds heavier.

In fact, having a completely flat stomach wasn’t going to get me anything, except maybe a little extra envy the few times I’m in a bikini each summer. Otherwise, all I would have in return over this stressful, hard work was an unhealthy obsession about what I was eating: a thing I should ENJOY, and how it would reflect on my physique: a thing I only have so much control over.

The practical, operational thinker in me (a.k.a. the Virgo) had determined that that just wasn’t happening. My obsession became somewhat laughable to me: who cares?

In fact, having a completely flat stomach wasn’t going to get me anything, except maybe a little extra envy the few times I’m in a bikini each summer. Otherwise, all I would have in return over this stressful, hard work was an unhealthy obsession about what I was eating: a thing I should ENJOY, and how it would reflect on my physique: a thing I only have so much control over.

The practical, operational thinker in me (a.k.a. the Virgo) had determined that that just wasn’t happening. My obsession became somewhat laughable to me: who cares?

hat’s when I decided I would keep exercising and eating healthy, because I knew those things actually did make me better–but I would have to re-learn to be proud of the results, no matter what they were.

To start, I had to remind myself that regardless of the results working out was worth it. It made me healthy and capable. I could go on long bike trips, hiking or dancing all night without wheezing for once in my life. So obviously that’s the biggest reward and main reason anyone should work out.

Next I learned to accept that things I’ve viewed as “problem areas” were things other people didn’t even notice or honestly care about. Men and women alike I know complain about things they would change if the chance was given. I found most of the time I didn’t notice their “thinning hair,” “double-chin” or “flabby arms,” but to them, these were real problems. So for anyone going through this right now, let me stress–people are not looking at that thing you think they’re looking at, and they probably think you’re way more attractive than you believe.

And then I understood… I really did notice I looked better. Working out did things I didn’t expect it too–for instance, my skin somehow became less blotchy. Also I saw the toning in my legs. I started looking at myself in the mirror while working out again. Seriously though–everyone deserves to be a little vain when they exercise, because you are bettering your physique in so many ways by putting it to the test and investing in its well-being.

Lastly, I bought clothes that I really really thought looked awesome to work out in. In fact, I love my exercise clothes so much I even wear them out because neon colors and spandex are fly as hell. I didn’t spend much money on my gear, but my Yankees Sports bra is officially my everything, and I love layering it under sheer shirts. I also adore my workout leggings that only cost me $9.99. Sometimes I wear a leopard top to go along with my leggings too. It’s the gym–wear whatever makes you feel good. (Except for sneakers–definitely get good sneakers).

So if you’re discouraged from exercising because the results aren’t what you want, it’s okay. Of course, it’s not as if I think I’m perfect or don’t still feel self-conscious about my body. But I do appreciate it more now than ever and I treat it better, which is why I wrote this, people! I want it to be known that these struggles you may have while getting into working out are normal, and that it could be such a more positive experience if we focus on what we’re improving instead of standards that for many of us, are unachievable or can lead to unhealthy obsessions. I hope my journey helps you on yours and remember, no matter who you are, you’re a Pusheenicorn.

This is you all day, every day.

#Real #LunaLuna #DallasAthent #Health #Wellness #BodyPositivity #SizeAcceptance #SelfLove #FeedYourHead
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