This Is My BodThis Is My Bod: Determine Your Real Body Type

Here's an email I received when I first began speaking in churches all over the country. Jeanne, a woman from Michigan, wrote:

I have always felt that I could never really look good in clothes because I am short and I can never find clothes to fit me properly. What I didn't understand was that I was buying clothes that didn't work for my body shape. After you taught me about my body type and the correct styles to look for, I have a whole new outlook on my wardrobe. Although learning about my shape was a little intimidating at first, it ended up being a very eye-opening and life-changing experience.

I Love My Body!

Does the idea of discussing your body type cause you to break into a cold sweat? If I asked you to do an assessment of your body, would you list more things you like about how you look or more things you hate about your appearance? For most women, like Jeanne, learning and talking about their body can be quite a harrowing experience. The reason is obvious.

Many of us are dissatisfied with our bodies. We don't like our thighs. We don't like our stomachs. We don't like our waists. Some of us even have a problem with our knees. Many of us cringe at the number on the size tags of our clothes. Are we really a size ___?

Before I can tell you how to determine your body type and then teach you the best way to dress it up, there is something you have to do first. Something all of us have to do. We have to let go of our hang-ups about our bodies. I know it's not easy. I know it won't happen overnight.

Loving and accepting your body is one of the core truths behind this book. To want to look your best is to first look at yourself and admire God's handiwork. Not to moan that your body doesn't look like that of the latest Hollywood "It" girl.

Intermixed with this principle is the idea that because our body belongs to the Lord, we should care for it and love it the way God would want us to.

I was reminded of this through something that happened to my husband. Some time ago, he came down with a nasty respiratory infection that put him in the hospital. I was worried about him and couldn't sleep one night. It was also his birthday. I got to thinking about the condition of his health and his body, and then I got to thinking about mine.

You see, I typically fluctuate between a size 12 and 14. And I am quite alright with it. Seriously. I'm not kidding you. In fact, I think I've even come to be proud of it. Are your eyes bugging out as you think, "Whaaaaat?"

Yes, dear reader, I'm proud of my size. 'Cause really, I don't think I look like it. Now I might to others, but I've completely convinced myself I'm thin. I figure if I think I look alright, then who cares what anyone else thinks!

As I tossed and turned, I kept on thinking. I stand in front of hundreds of women every single weekend and tell them my height (5'11") and my size. I do that so women will honestly know that beauty is not about the size of our clothes. We are not a reflection of the number on that tag. God gave us exactly the body He wants us to have, the exact frame size, and everything else that goes along with that. We are made in His image, and we are all so incredibly beautiful.

As I thought about my husband in the emergency room, I realized that we all need to pay better attention to our health. The way I look at it, I can be a fluffy size 14 or I can be a firm size 14. And maybe firming up will make me a size 12, and that's okay too. The point is to be healthy.

Now I'm not talking about doing things in an unrealistic, obsessive, or unhealthy way, like crash dieting or exercising four hours a day. I'm talking about making better choices when it comes to our health. There are two simple things we can do to take a step in the right direction: Eat better and exercise. Like I've said before, we have a responsibility to our Lord. He wants us to accept our bodies, be grateful for them, and know we are gorgeous inside and out. And He also wants us to take care of those bodies, from the smallest of us to the largest of us.

So as you dive into learning about your individual body type and as you read through this book, remember to love yourself and take care of yourself. Doing that is one way of thanking God for creating you! Unique and special you!

The Perfect Body

Throughout this book I'm going to ask you to do a number of things, from looking at yourself through new eyes to shopping with a new mind-set. I hope you'll take me up on the activities and challenges I suggest because any time we make a change, it always begins with movement. Will you do this?

Here's your first assignment: Take a good look at your body. You might not have done this in a very long time and it may be difficult for you to see yourself objectively, but you need to do it. Make sure you are observing yourself in front of a full-length mirror, if possible.

What do you like about your body? What are some of your great attributes? Perhaps you like your athletic build, your curvy waistline, or the shape of your arms. List a few of those things here:

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I know this first task may not have been that easy, so here's something else for you to do: Write down some of your body's challenges. Specifically think about where you gain your weight. Does your extra fluffiness (it's not fat anymore, girls, it's fluff!) show up in your tummy, your hips and thighs, your upper body and bust area, or do you pretty much gain weight evenly all over? List those trouble spots here:

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You may be one of those women who does not have trouble with weight gain and has a somewhat balanced body. This brings me to the idea of the "perfect body." What does that mean for you? In America, it seems the perfect body is over 5'10" and a size 4. Think supermodels, celebrities, and the airbrushed women you see gracing the cover pages of fashion and beauty magazines.

Looking your best means knowing what your body shape is and dressing for it so your body looks proportional. That's what this is all about. It's not about looking like a beanpole (and if you do, that's okay too); it's about making your body seem perfectly proportional. You...