Lifetiquing

Let's face it, one of the great benefits of working out is the aesthetic outcomes. Of course, all of us have different ideas of what constitutes desirable aesthetic outcomes. Many women I talk to aim for "slim" and "lean," but even that terminology is quite subjective; I would consider myself "slim" and "lean," but I have seen women with my physique called too muscular.

What most people seem to agree on is that there are certain characteristics to be avoided. In general, visible signs of exertion are considered unattractive on a woman. Here's a partial list of visible workout signs that I've seen women go out of their way to avoid: sweat, veins, the ever-dreaded "bulk"  a.k.a. significant muscle mass and/or definition, callouses, bruises and strange tan lines from working out outside.

I'm not going to be hypocritical and say that critics be damned. I enjoy having a healthy and lean physique that fits into societally accepted standards of attractiveness. But, I also enjoy having visible signs that actually show that I work at it. I enjoy having callouses on my hands: they remind me that my hands take some abuse and I would be able to handle physical labor without blistering. I don't mind getting bruised once in a while: it reminds me that I actually move around enough to get bruised. I get a kick out of the callouses on my feet from working out barefoot or in my Vibrams: they remind me of how much jumping and kicking and running I do on them. These physical manifestations of my hard work are just as important to me as the outcomes because they remind me of the amazing feats of which my body is capable, not just the way I look from doing them regularly.

So keep your gloves, your shoes, your manicures and pedicures, your prescription antiperspirants and your tanning beds. My body's not perfect, but it sure as hell is beautiful in its power and functionality.

Speaking of appearances, here are some newer pictures of my progression with ketogenic eating and my circuit training routine. Since my last pictures, I've dropped a jean size. I took these in my full sweaty glory after today's workout. Again, I used my cellphone camera, so I apologize for the weird coloration and angles.