NAKED

I've been debating about writing about this, BUT today was the final straw and I am about to completely go there! MAMA STEEL, MOM, DAD, UNCLES AND AUNTS...WHO EVER DOESN'T WANT TO READ ABOUT ME BEING "GROWN" STOP NOW! DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER. If you continue - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Here we go. I work out quite often... and while running or going to the gym, I find that the men act SO SURPRISED when they find out that I am married. I've gotten, "YOU'RE MARRIED! WHY ARE YOU IN THE GYM?!" or some comment that derives from the thought that only women looking for men work out. And you may THINK that this mindset is not popular, but just here recently I was having a conversation with a group of girls, it goes something like this:

Me: Yeah, I put in about 15-16 miles last week.

Woman #1: (over hearing the conversation) Are you training for a marathon?

Me: No, running is my exercise of choice.

BLAH BLAH BLAH

Woman: Man, why do you work out? You aren't fat... and you're married right? When I'm married I'm not going to a gym, he better love me for me! (Based on the conversation, I actually don't think  that she goes to the gym now... so this was not quite a earth shattering revelation)

ANOTHER WOMAN: Gess, she works out for herself. Working out because it gives you endorphins and she wants to look good for her!

ME: Yup

ME (THINKING...y'all know it's stream of consciousness... if it doesn't piece together or make sense... so sorry): I actually work out because my dream man... the love of my life... sees me naked. We sleep together. I am his lover. I have no idea what better reason - okay, health is a good reason - to work out! I mean we know what we like. I don't work out because I would feel bad walking down the street 10 pounds heavier... I work out because I like to feel UBBER sexy. I like knowing that that little pink number in the closet, his favorite, is going to look great. I don't work out to be a size 0 or to be a super model - no false expectations here. I work out because I like meeting him for drinks and wearing that little whimisical and slightly see-through shirt that shows my collar bone and just enough cleavage - leaving him wishing and wanting more! For me personally, I take being a his lifetime lover just as seriously as I take being his moral support...lol. In fact, being his lover, I BELIEVE, has affected my fashion sense and sense of self just as much as becoming a mother does for some women. Shortly after my grandfather died, about a year or so, I went out to eat with my grandmother. Anyways, she was wearing a striped shirt (navy and white) and there were gold buttons on the shoulders of her shirt. I complimented her on her outfit, she looked stunning (as usual). She looked down at her shoulder, "well, you know this shirt is so old...but, you know something, I used to wear the buttons open on the shoulder... it always gave your grandfather a flash of skin and made me feel so sexy." I get that. So, to the world, yes, I work out for endorphin reasons and because of my health... but  majority of the time my motivation is being super sexy in the raw.