Tag Archives: sports

Black Girl Magic

11 Aug

11231849_10155925756280268_3757726510498463682_nI don’t know what’s changed recently, but I’ve noticed a trend. I didn’t so much see it coming as much as I was so caught up in the whirlwind of it that I couldn’t see what was happening around me. But others did. They saw. They noticed and made sure others did. And it’s amazing.

Not one, not two, but three amazing fitness goddesses are gracing the covers of magazines this week. Not just any goddesses–black goddesses. These women are the epitome of black girl magic. And they are working it!

These three women exemplify what Black Girl Magic is–black women working hard and accomplishing the goals they’ve set out for themselves. It’s not often that the world gets to see such power, atheleticism and elegance exemplified by black women on the covers of national magazines. It’s uplifting and remarkable to see. I know I’ll be picking up my copies and learning more about these phenomenal women.

Serena Williams

11817170_10153516713484826_5534474984263977955_nMy love of Serena is well-documented on this blog. I don’t have to remind you of how her dedication to her sport is awe-inspiring. I don’t need to reiterate how watching her repeatedly defeat her opponents in such swift manner gives me the giggles. I shouldn’t have to tell you again that her body is my life’s goal.

What I will tell you is that she will head into her fourth and final Grand Slam of the season at the end of the month. I’ll fill you in on the fact that if she wins the U.S. Open, it will be the first time in decades a woman has completed a calendar-year Grand Slam. I’ll spill some tea about how Serena has learned to stop being so hard on herself and just enjoy the game. That glee at just being a part of the sport she loves so much has allowed her excel far more than anyone would have expected this far into her career.

And when she takes the court at the end of the month, I’ll be watching as many matches as possible. Because my hero deserves it.

Misty Copeland

misty_essenceJust as I have used a great amount of server space fawning over Serena, I’ve begun to notch out some room for Misty. I love dancers. I loved dancing as a kid. I still have impromptu dance parties by myself in my living room. The freedom of expression through movement is such an incredible craft to master. And Misty has done that in spades.

Like Serena, Misty was met with odd comments about her body. She is muscular, where many of her contemporaries are not. But she is athletic. She can take difficult choreogrophy, attack a move and still make you think she’s moving through the air like a feather. Because she’s awesome.

Essence magazine thought so, too, when they gave her the cover of September’s issue. In one of her spreads, she’s surrounded by several young black ballerinas who are looking up to their role model: the first black principle ballerina for the American Ballet Theater.

Misty is an inspiration to millions of young dancers who may not be the perceived ideal of what a prima ballerina looks like. She is the new ideal.

Ciara

ciara_shapeCiara’s had it rough in the press this summer. Not because of her album. Not because of any diva tirade she’s gone on. And not because of any scandal she’s created. She is an adult involved in a romantic relationship with another adult that doesn’t involve sex. This news would have blown over swiftly if it hadn’t been for her ex-boyfriend questioning her as a mother and her relationship decisions.

Instead of clapping back (as I would have), she took the high road. She ventured a couple of little subtweets and moved on having fun with Russell Wilson.

Then she went on to release the video that makes “Ride” and “Body Party” look like Kidz Bop videos.

Now, to top it all off, the mother of one is on the cover of Shape magazine looking like she’s ready to fight. Ciara has always had a great body. Like Misty, her body is her instrument. She’s an amazing dancer and keeps her body healthy to maintain those physical demands. Like Serena, she has studied the greats and uses that knowledge to make herself better.

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Serena Williams Is ‘Working It’ in Vogue

25 Mar

serenaI remember one Saturday morning in high school, I turned on my television to see a black girl with braids playing tennis. I’d heard of Althea Gibson, but her heyday was way before my arrival on earth. This was a girl who looked about my age volleying a tennis ball back and forth on a court with a white girl—and the black girl was winning! I was stunned because the little I knew about tennis was that it was a sport for the wealthy. In my mind, back then, I couldn’t fathom how wealthy a black person could be in order to afford the sport of tennis.

Then the commentators began talking about the girl, who’s name on the scoreboard was “V. Williams.” The spoke about how she was new to professional tennis. How she plays differently than anything they’d seen before. And how she was coached by her father on the cracked tennis courts near their home in Compton. Compton! What the hell? This was another ghetto girl like myself who was doing the damn thing in her field. She was unstoppable.

Until little sis began to dominate.

“V. Williams” is the older sister to S. Williams, or just plain Serena. Though plain would be a misnomer now because that other little ghetto girl is now on the cover of Vogue magazine for its shape issue. And Serena is killing another game: the fashion game.

I’ve admired the Williams sisters for years, but I’ve had a special affinity for Serena. Like the super athlete, I am a dark-complexioned girl with large breasts and a large butt. My thighs are thick. My calves are shapely. And I have to make the best of what I’ve got.

I know I’m know Serena. She is in amazing physical shape. But she overcame serious blood clot to return to peak form and completely dominate her field. That’s why I took away a few pieces of advice from her cover profile in Vogue.

On the off season. Like all of us, Serena puts on winter weight. It’s cold, Winter Boo has you hemmed up with snuggles and peanut butter, and the snow won’t let you be great. “I should have gone on a diet weeks ago,” she moans. Maybe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start now. Serena is in training for the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments, which will require peak physical ability to withstand the endless matches and rigorous schedule. If you’re like me and not participating in a Grand Slam match, look at this time of year as spring cleaning. After the coldest winter ever*, bring some heat back into your life with a few resp at the gym. Put down the endless bowls of chili and try a salad or three. It’s too late to regret how this winter ruined your routine. Just get back to doing what you feel is right, and you’ll be fine.

Be the change you want to see. Before the Williams sisters took over the professional women’s tennis courts, the game had the same pallette. Lots of women in similar skirts and tops, similar haircuts, and similar intensity on the court. No one had heard grunts like those of the Williams sisters before. Those grunts came from using so much strength and power to defeat an opponent. “When I started out, it was about being consistent and steady,” said Mary Joe Fernandez, captain of the American Fed Cup team. “When they started hitting with so much power, everybody had to change their game too.” You can be a game changer, too. You can decide that maybe running or swimming isn’t doing enough for you. Maybe you want to try Caipoeira or kickboxing. Do it! There’s nothing stopping you from change but you.

Know that there’s always something better. “I feel like I have a desire to be better than ever,” Serena says. “I am never, ever, satisfied. I always want to do more, be more, reach a new level. Not just in tennis but in everything I do.” When I began my weight-loss journey from 200 pounds, I thought the most I’d lose is 20 pounds. And those 20 were great. They got me into my first bathing suit in years. They allowed me to buy shorts that didn’t cut off my circulation. They let my jaw be visible again. But soon I realized I wanted more. How far could this weight-loss journey take me, I thought. So I kept trying, running more, spinning more, cooking my own meals more. It’s all about deciding how much you want for yourself.

What did you think of Serena’s cover? Did you take away any words of wisdom from the article?

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Invasion of the Gym Snatchers

12 Jan

Courtesy of Tumblr

Courtesy of Tumblr

While no big fan of the resolution crowd, they do have their perks. They’re enthusiasm to try something new often infringes upon many a gym rat’s well planned routine. This means the treadmill regular needs to try something new.

It’s mid-January, so the resolution crowd hasn’t given up yet. As a health enthusiast, I don’t want them to. I want everyone to take an active role in maintaining good health. On the other hand, I just want to get in my hour and get out, not trip over newbies who’ve never done a weighted lunge. For the rest of the month, I’ve got to say so long to to my well-planned running route. Swimmers, good luck getting laps in at an overcrowded pool.

Personally, I hate crowds. I realize the problem with this as I’m a resident of New York. That doesn’t mean I enjoy tripping over people on my way to the locker room, or yelling for people to get out of my way while I’m on a run. The resolution crowd tends to take up a lot of space.

Fellow gym rats, we have two options: either sit out the month of January or find another way to get in a fitness fix. If you’ve been as dedicated as I know you have, sitting out a month isn’t on your radar.

So what’s a sweat junkie to do in these crowded days of resolution haze? Find another form of workout of course.

Routine is good, but it lulls the body into a sense of complacency. You have to switch up your workouts anyway in order to get prime results. There’s no time like the present. Here are a few alternatives while waiting for the crowd to thin out.

1. Runners—If your beaten path is being beat to death by newcomers, now might be the time to try a new route. Look for another circuit that can challenge you, possibly with hills or sprints. Or, seeing as it’s colder than Elsa’s thoughts, give the treadmill a try. Most newbies are out of the gym by 8 p.m., so see if you can swing a late-night workout.

2. Early birds—Speaking of late-night workouts, now is the best time to see what your gym offers after hours. There are some great night classes that start after 8. Newbies typically flock to the gym early in the day and have all am-scrayed after the sun sets. I know you like getting it in early in the day. But think of it this way: the cold has zapped away many of your evening plans, so now you’ve got the time.

3. Work from home—You all know how I hate the cold. Why would I leave my house and make myself miserable to endure this frigid nonsense? I’ve got a few perfectly good DVDs here at home that get in just the right amount of cardio. Plus, gyms weren’t always in fashion as they are now. There’s nothing wrong with doing some good old-fashioned sit-ups, push-ups, wall sits or lunges in the comfort of your own home. Let the newbies have the gym for January. You’ve got a Pilates DVD and Netflix. You win!

4. League it up—Many people who are new to the work out game consider the gym their only option to get back into shape. But sports offer a way for you to work out without thinking about it. If you made your own resolution to get back to your high-school athlete prime, then accept your status as a member of the resolution crowd and join a league. I have a really good friend who can’t seem to sit still unless he’s involved with a couple of athletic teams. Some of these games are just pick-up basketball and football games. Some are true leagues that keep their members active. Plus, he’s made tons of friends and they’ve created their own little community.

How have you been coping with all the new bodies invading your workout space? When do you think you’ll be able to get back to your routine?

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The Skinny Best

29 Dec

It has been an exciting year here at I’m Skinny, Now What? We’ve hit more than 100 posts, celebrated an anniversary and delved deeper into the weight-loss journey. As the year comes to a close, here are some of the 2014’s top posts based on number of hits.

What I learned:

Prince Fielder

prince_fielderThe Body Issue post may have done well because there was a naked man at the center of the post. I’d like to think it had something to do with the writing, though. Body shaming is a big issue to me. In short: I’m not here for it. No one should be made to feel less than because they’re not your idea of perfection. We are all flawed works in progress. Prince Fielder is an amazing athlete who can do incredible things on the baseball field. He doesn’t look like Derek Jeter or (insert your favorite hot baseball player here). He looks like a stocky man with muscular thighs that can swing a bat and knock a baseball out of the park. He’s awesome. It ends there.

Street Harassment

This post got a boost from advertising, but also from touching on an important issue to women: street harassment. Every woman has had to deal with unwanted advances from men. Every woman has their go-to deflection technique. And every woman has had to explain to men that this is a real problem, not just some stranger on the street saying hello. Some day we’ll get to the  point where women telling men this is a problem is enough and not just seeing a video to prove it.

Aerials

arial_4One of the first posts of the year had me seeing the world upside down. And it was ridiculous fun. I haven’t had a chance to do it again, but I’ve got to set aside some time. If you’re in New York, I suggest you make a date with Kiebpoli, because she has the patience of Job and is an excellent instructor. There are all levels of participants: from newbies like myself to people preparing for their first circus performance. Don’t be afraid of heights. You’re not going up that high when you start. But prepare for lots of upper-body strain. And a lot of fun.

BET Awards

nicki4To be honest, I do a lot of recapping in my professional life. I contribute to our entertainment site’s live blog of Oscar, Tony and Grammy coverage, so adding my two cents to the BET Awards was nothing new. It was different, however, to try to incorporate some Skinny Now elements. But that was just some added fun. My favorite moment of the night was Nicki Minaj’s shade/no shade moment with Iggy Azalea. In that moment, the queen conquered.

The End of Cuffing Season

Winter chills came a little early this year, pushing everyone’s cuffing-season plans into overdrive. With just a few days left until Christmas it’s safe to say that if you haven’t found your cuddle buddy for the next few months, it’s time to invest in a space heater and a large blanket. But if you’ve found that special someone to make the cold nights not so lonely, remember that you can’t spend all your time in bed. Some fun kitchen activities will help you refuel for what’s to come.

Honorable mention: The Ugly Truth

IMG_0737Even though this wasn’t posted in 2014, it gained some traction and actually got a few more hits than the cuffing season post. You guys really like my story about being dirty, funky and icky. Thanks peeps.

Next year, let’s keep this party going. Tell your friends about the site. If there’s something you’d like to see covered here, I’m welcome to suggestions. I’m Skinny, Now What? is about helping you along on your journey. We will continue to laugh, think and press forward as we strive to reach our goals. Thank you all for your support, and good luck in the new year.

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Competitive Nature

27 Oct
Hey Royals, more of this please (Giants must lose)...

Hey Royals, more of this please (Giants must lose)…

It’s October again, which would usually mean my hometown team, the St. Louis Cardinals, are in the playoffs. While I prefer repping my red hat, hoodie and T-shirt this time of year, I’m going to cheer for the cross-state Royals in hopes they demolish the Giants (I’m not bitter).

The Giants played good baseball and knocked the Red Birds out of World Series contention…again. San Francisco did this to us before in 2012. Not since 1985 has the buzz in Kansas City been this loud about the chances of the Royals taking another championship. Honestly, I’ve never cared one way or the other about the Royals (sorry, K.C. peeps) because I grew up with a winning team (still not bitter). However, I just really don’t want the Giants to win.

October—and the World Series—brings with it the thrill of competition, which can be a great motivator. A year ago, baseball fans would have laughed you down the street if you’d mentioned the “Kansas City Royals” and “World Series” in the same sentence. But that team competed with some of the best in the league, making it to the big dance as a wild card pick (so did the Giants, but I need them to lose). They had to compete with the city’s memory of failed teams and then with a baseball fanbase who couldn’t find Kansas City on a map. But they made it because they have consistently challenged themselves to do better.

I never really considered myself that competitive. I didn’t play sports as a kid, which was how I always associated competition. I was, however, a good student. I wanted to get good grades, so in retrospect I was in competition with myself. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized it’s not so much winning that I want, I just don’t want to lose. For me, failure really is not an option.

That’s why when I tipped the scales at 200-plus pounds a few years ago, I knew something had to change. I was losing a battle with my health. Just like in school when I had to work hard to get my desired grade, I would have to work hard to get my desired weight.

Competition comes from challenging yourself to do better than the last time. Working out with friends and family can help you achieve that. Having someone hold you accountable to your goals and your past behavior will keep you on the right track. No one likes to hear about the many ways they’ve failed to do what they’ve set out to do.

Whether they knew it or not, my friends and family held me accountable to my own goals. When I was living in Atlanta, all I wanted was to move to New York. Every time I’d settled into complacency, I’d get a phone call from a loved one (particularly my dad) asking how my plans were going to get to New York. It was just the reminder I needed that I was still competing for my goals.

When I started on my weight-loss journey, I didn’t tell many people what I was doing. I didn’t want to be held accountable to something I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish. But others notice the change before you do. When friends and family would comment on my progress, I began to see it myself. I started to wonder how far I could go. I began to compete with my past self. Two-hundred-pound Cicely wasn’t able to run three miles in 45 minutes, but 175-pound Cicely could. If a smaller Cicely could do that much, how much could an even smaller Cicely do?

Challenging myself to do more became not only important, but thrilling. I wanted to shape and mold myself into someone who could do more than she did before. It hasn’t always been easy. I’ve fallen into the pit of self-sabotage once or 12 times. I’ve gotten defeated by not being able to do something I thought I was capable of doing. For that, I allowed myself a few moments of self pity. Then I began to find ways to achieve my goal.

The Kansas City Royals are now down 3-2 in a tough seven-game series. Last night’s loss had to sting. But the Royals are not out. They’ve got another chance to tie up the series tomorrow at home. It’s intense competition, but they will #BeRoyal as long as they challenge themselves to do better.

How do you compete with yourself to do better? Who are you rooting for in the World Series (not the Giants)?

UPDATE: Also, sadly, the St. Louis Cardinals lost outfielder Oscar Tavares in a car accident over the weekend. He was a great player and condolences to both his family and the family of his girlfriend, who also died in the crash.

Gif courtesy of Tumblr

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