Beauty Hurts

When I was fifteen I wanted to get a permanent, this was the 80s and it

really was cool to have big 'Bon Jovi' hair.  My Aunt was wonderful enough

to take me to the salon, where she worked, and had the best stylist take

care of me. I was so excited, until this very stinky chemical was

strategically placed on the roots of my hair. The fumes burned my eyes,

irritated my nose and made me cough. When the mixture reached my scalp I

thought I was on fire! It burned and itched, I could only assume that

something went terribly wrong. In horror, I looked at my Stylist, as tears

started to form around my eyes and without a hint of sympathy she smiled at

me and said "Beauty hurts Sweetie, beauty hurts".

I didn't realize it then, but she was a very wise woman and she had just

passed on to me profound knowledge that I have lived by. Of course beauty

hurts, beauty is a force! Striding in 4 inch stilettos is no walk in the

park. There is no greater burn when your inner thighs are rubbing together

underneath pantyhose and Spanks in 90 degree temperatures! Try breathing

normally when wearing a brand new girdle and its' squeezing your fat into

your ribcage. If you are at all squeamish you can just forget about

threading or waxing your unwanted facial hair and just be content with your

Frida Kahlo or Chewbacca features. For a long time I was content with what I

looked like, I was curvy (meaning the spare tire I carried around my waist)

and I accepted it. I had come to terms with my body because I knew I was pretty

on the inside and somehow that would surface to the outside. Keyword in all

of this is 'CONTENT' but what I wanted was to be happy.

I know now that Beauty is not a description of what you look like but an

action.  Yes, there is pain involved when attempting to obtain the ageless

Tina Turner legs, or the sculptured Michelle Obama arms and keeping that 45

year old ass from defying gravity.  You are in a world of hurt when finding

that underneath all those layers of soft flabby fat are your abs, the core

of your strength and balance. Working out w/Maia and her team will make you

grunt, sweat and curse. The 60 day Journey and P90X Trail will cause your

body to tremble, your heart rate to rise and your muscles to scream "What

the Hell!"...and in return for your commitment in 'Doing You'...you see

results.

I've managed (and this has not been an easy task) to lose 7lbs and 11 inches

over all (from my arms, legs, breasts, waist and hips), in less than 8

weeks. I'm stronger now than when I was in my 20s, I may no longer have the

big hair but I also don't have the big gut. Yes, I hurt the morning after a

hard workout but it's a good hurt. It reminds me that I did something

challenging and positive for me. I'm only half way in this journey and it

doesn't get any easier but I'm surrounded by BEAUTIFUL people that encourage

and motivate me to keep coming to class, eating right, and BLOGGING (Yes

Tommy...this one I dedicate to you).