A NSV - My First Massage

This may seem like a weird thing to classify as a NSV, but at 355 lbs - or even 329 (where I was when I started this blog) - I would NEVER have thought to get naked and layout on a table covered with a sheet as a stranger methodically relaxes all the muscles in my body with their hands.

Yeah, creepy, right?

But actually, it was fabulous.

I don't talk about body image issues enough here, I guess because I try not to focus on mine. But everyone has them and I feel like my love/hate relationship with my body is no worse or better then normal. I actually feel like I put more body image pressure on myself since losing weight. It's a weird effect of weight loss, but something I have noticed over the last few months.

Anyway, any professional massage therapist is going to be just that - professional and it really lessened any self-consciousness feeling I had about this stranger seeing all my imperfections.

My massage therapist was wonderful - he knew it was my first massage and was very professional and explained everything to me before the session and even interjected some information on what he was planning on doing as he worked. He allowed me to decide whether to leave on my underthings or have them come off and ultimately I decided to dive in and everything came off. I think you get a better quality massage that way because they don't have to awkwardly work around clothing.

Overall, it was a great experience and I'd recommend it to anyone who puts in a great deal of exercise stress on their body or for people who sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. I will definitely be going back to get one after my next half marathon!

This crosses off another item from my 101 in 1001 list.