Slim without the gym?

Indulge me while I step on a soapbox for a second.

I'm an avid magazine reader. They're just too fun to ignore, and while I read my fair share of health and fitness magazines, my ultimate favorite will always be Marie Claire. I'm a girl, I love fashion. They do it well with an awesome mix of current events and entertainment, too. They also talk about health, and while I realize they aren't the experts—and by that, I just mean that they don't focus on it like SELF or Women's Health—I appreciate their efforts to promote healthy living. Except they sort of missed the mark for me in the July issue. (Yeah, I'm just now reading the July issue. So behind.)

Notice the headline next to Lauren Conrad's (love her) face?

"Score a Beach Body ASAP," it says. Gosh, that's what we all want. Right? A quick fix for looking like a sexy beast in a swimsuit? If I could just snap my fingers, I'd do it. But I can't so I choose to stay realistic about my appearance in a swimsuit. It's not perfect, but it's me. And let's be honest: What IS perfect anyway?

So, the only quick fix I really believe in is a hefty dose of confidence.

Because confidence is sexy, obviously.
But this article doesn't really talk about confidence.
In fact, it sort of feeds into the idea that we're never good enough.

It focuses on the aforementioned quick fix. Like at-home microdermabrasion or cellulite creams and avoiding salty foods that cause bloating (or, what they call "false fat"). And then there's this:

"Slim Without the Gym," it says. And herein lies the issue I have with this article. The one thing they should be talking about is casually dismissed in favor of supplements that promise to fix the fact that "you might not have time for" a workout. Supplements that, mind you, have something to do with botanicals that mimic lobster hormones (ew).

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm no expert on lobster hormones or these pills they speak of. Maybe they really do work. But why casually dismiss physical fitness like that? I realize that hitting the gym is not the ASAP type of solution. But when it comes to being healthy, exercise is one of the main solutions and should always be mentioned in any article that speaks to healthy living.

Right?

Can we just stop dismissing it in favor of the quick fix? Because really, the quick fix would be to take five minutes to look at your schedule in an effort to find some time for the gym. Because I bet if you do this...if you're really honest with yourself about how you're using your time...I bet you'll find that there IS time for a workout.

And, seriously...isn't working out more fun than taking pills?

Forget about pills that promise rapid weight loss. Reminder: Rapid weight loss is not sustainable weight loss. Slow and steady wins the race, and this is one case where that's very true. If you want to experiment with microdermabrasion and cellulite creams, that's your thing. Whatever. Just keep working out. Do the work. Sweat like hell. Make the effort. Then throw on your swimsuit, some SPF and a hefty dose of confidence. You don't need a pill to prove that you're one sexy beast. You don't even need a quick fix.

You just need to be you.
Happy, healthy you.

That's sexy, for sure.

To Marie Claire:
Thank you for promoting a healthy lifestyle! I love that you find ways to include this in your magazine. But please, please be careful with the casual dismissal of exercise! It is a very important part of everyday life. Won't you join me in reminding others of this fact?
Your loyal reader, 
Tara

Stepping off the soapbox now. Thanks for listening.

PS: I would have loved to share with you my own bikini picture, but I honestly don't have a current shot! I've been to the beach a small handful of times this summer, but the camera is typically focused on my daughter instead of me. Or my daughter is in the picture with me, and y'all know how I feel about putting her on Daily Dose. Not something I do.

PSS: Don't forget to enter my GoMacro giveaway!

Question: Thoughts?