Body

In my last post about panties, I mentioned the importance of lingerie because it is the first thing you put on and last thing you take off each night.    It lays the foundation for your outterwear.  But if lingerie sets the stage, your body *is* the stage.  You can change out your clothing to look better or worse but your body is a constant that you always have to work within.  So, I have no need to tell you how important it is to have a good solid base upon which to build.

There are three aspects of your body:

• Your Physical Health - Do you have high blood pressure or diabetes?  Is all your blood work and intakes good?  Can you take a hike without problems?  Does you body cause you problems in your day to day life?  Are you prevented from riding on a roller coaster or uncomfortable in an airplane seat because of your body?
• Your Mental Health - How do you view your body?  Does your view of your body distress you and/or cause you to think less of yourself?  How is your relationship with food?  Does your view of your body affect your relationship with other people?
• Your Physical Appearance - This is  related to the second aspect.  Whereas your mental health deals with how you think of your body, this aspect deals with how other people think of your body.  Even though it is ugly, the truth is, the more attractive you are the better people will treat you and the easier certain things will be for you.  Do people look at your body with repulsion and judgment?  Do people look at your body with neutrality?  Or, do people look at your body with lust and envy?

If any aspect is out of wrack, and things are unbalanced, it will cause you stress, heartache, and distress.  Life is hard, and I firmly believe that we should do everything in our power to stop  making life harder than it already is.  This includes working to obtain a body that we are happy with (or at the very least, not unhappy with).

Maintaining ones body takes time and effort.  We live in a society of instant gratification which is why so many people give up taking care of their body before they achieve the results they desire.    If your body is already good - please, do the little bit of maintenance it takes to keep it.  If your body isn't where you want it to be - please, be patience and stick with a regiment to get it to where you want it.  I know you hate exercise and skipping that doughnut your coworker brought in for the office this morning but in the end you will be much happier with a rockin' body than the doughnut and 30 minutes of television.

Health
It goes without saying that you want to maintain your body for health reasons.  I'm not going to go into all the reasons why.  I'm going to focus on a less acknowledged health reason to maintain a healthy weight.

Being able to hike, canoe,  explore a cobblestone village in Europe, running and playing with your children, riding a roller coaster, not have to be embarrassed by having to ask for a seat belt extender on an airplane, being able to walk into any store and know you will find clothing that will fit.

By being overweight and unhealthy, you are making yourself miss out on some of the greatest pleasures life has to offer!

Shape/Size
Unfair as it is, acceptable shape and body sizes are based on many factors - not how much you actually weigh.  I currently weigh 148 pounds which is a perfectly acceptable weight for someone who is 5' 6".   But at 5' even, it looks terrible.  However, I have a pear shape body which looks a lot like an hourglass.  So, I do look better than someone who is an apple shape at the same height and weight.

You can never change your basic shape.  As you shrink or grow, it will morph a little, but your core shape is always there.  You need to learn what your body shape is, and start dressing to flatter it.

Your size, however, it within your control (granted it takes a lot of control) but you can still change your size if you really want to.  If you don't like it, change it.

Skin/Face
Skin is much easier to control than your shape and size.  The best thing you can do for your skin is moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.  At the very least, twice a day.  Proper maintenance of your face will help reduce or even eliminate blemishes.  Starting young with care will slow signs of aging.

Strength and weigh training are the keys to toning.

If you have problems with your skin, see a doctor for help.  If you have unsightly veins or hair, you can get those problems fixed.  In fact, the cost isn't too bad.  It's high, but will only usually cost you $1000 for a permanent solution for your problem.  

Make-Up
Ah, make-up.  The eternal debate - with or without.  Everyone looks better with skillfully applied make-up.  Make-up should look like you don't have any on.  But just because you look better with make-up doesn't mean you have to wear a full face of it.  Pick and choose which features need make-up.  If you have good skin, you probably don't need foundation.  If you wear glasses, you can probably skip most of the eye make-up.  Sometime just adding some lip-stick is all you need.  Other times, you need to paint your face.  Take the time to go to a department store make-up counter and ask for their advice.

Smell
Often overlooked, the way you smell is important.  You should always smell good and clean.  But, adding a fragrance is a nice feminine touch.  Pick a fragrance that meshes with your nature odor, suits your age, and your personality. 

A word of caution, most of the beauty products we use have a fragrance,  Putting them all together can lead to disastrous results.  Try to match all your products scents, like your lotion, shampoo, perfume, and soaps. 

Hair
Although every guy is different, most prefer long hair.  Unless you absolutely hate long hair, I'd stick with long.  Go and get it styled.  Pay to learn what cuts work with your face.  Make sure you take care of your hair, that is always looks neat, and for heaven sakes, maintain your roots if you dye.

Nails
Believe it or not, but guys DO notice your nails.  They might not say anything, they might not even care that much, but they do notice when you have nicely manicured nails.  I would go with something natural and classy that looks good morning, noon, and night.  I like getting a Soak off gel French Manicure.  It doesn't do damage to your nails (if you take it off right) and lasts 2 to 3 weeks without chipping.  Don't forget to do you toes!  And the two should match.  They don't have to be the same, but they should match.

Posture
Go stand in front of a mirror and slouch.  Now stand up straight.  Notice the difference?  Notice how when you stood up straight you looked better and thinner?  Having good posture makes you look better.  It also makes you look more confident which adds to your overall attraction level.  What do you think when you see someone hunched over looking at the ground as they walk?   What do you think of the person who stands tall and makes eye contact?  Right, I thought so.

Posture is one of those things we use to ingrain into children but don't anymore.  It's easier to have good posture when we learn it young.  But, that doesn't mean you can't slowly work so it becomes second nature.