Your Body’s Influences You & Your Life – Be Grateful Instead of Critical!
We know we should eat healthily, stay active, sleep well and live an overall balanced lifestyle. Most of us have heard about positive psychology and about being less critical with ourselves, especially in terms of our weight.
But Weight and Body Image Satisfaction is Tough to Achieve.
Not only because we are
influenced by media about what we should look like, how much we should weight and how big (or small) our thighs should be.
Many of us, too, are fixated on this idea that:
- a certain weight is ones „optimal weight“
- reaching this weight creates happiness and solves problems
- this weight will help us be liked more
- we can achieve this „dream“ weight using the latest diet or diet pill.
In Agony, Many of Us Chase This (Personal) Dream Number.
We might suffer during this journey. We hate having to give up our favorite food but convince ourselves that it’s worth for a good cause. For some of us however such denial leads to binge eating down the road; plus, most of us can’t (nor want to) live a dieting lifestyle. Let’s be honest, food is just to darn tasty!
Others, who hate working out drag themselves in the wee hours of the morning out of bed to work out. Some of us develop a liking for morning workouts, for others it’s a fleeting experiment leading perhaps to even less activity. Some might become obsessed with dieting. Other might start suffering from sleep disturbances.
Body neutrality – love your body
At the End, Nobody is Happy.
We Aren’t Happy For Not Having Reached Our Goal;
Our Body Isn’t Happy For the Stress We Put it Through.
We look at ourselves in the mirror with disappointment and frustration: the love handles are still there? still those ugly tummy roles? still that nasty back fat? yikes, these bat wings are awful – I can’t wear a tank top. Being so body shape focused many might feel uncomfortable in their body and clothes, which of course influences EVERY aspect of your life!
Body neutrality – love your body now,
Don’t Live in The Future.
Having a goal is great, if it’s something you can control and work towards but weight is tricky. You can’t fully control it. Yes, it’s definitely easier in your younger years BUT it’s in those years you set yourself up for failure years or decades down the road. Plus, LIFE throws us curve balls!
If you have hit your 40 it does get more difficult. Not because you don’t have the willpower or the energy but rather because your hormones shift and you need to learn to work WITH your body not against your body!
Stress is a huge component – more often than not toxic for our body. We know stress inhibits fat loss!
–
Working Out and Dieting is Stress For the Body – Hence, the Older We Get the More Important it Becomes We Reduce Our Level of Stress.
(which doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work out. You need to work out but SMARTER – not harder !)
It also means though we should not be too critical with ourselves and our body.
Recall your body weight and shape over the last 10 years. Was it always the same? Did your body weight fluctuate more than tides fluctuate with the phases of the moon or more than your blood pressure fluctuates with your mood?
For Many of Us, Our Body Weight Goes Through Changes, More Often Than Not Influenced By Life.
Are we:
stressed? Many either lose or gain weight.
super bored? Some of us might gain weight.
heart broken? Many either lose or gain weight.
saddened by a tragic incidence? Many either lose or gain weight.
in love? Many lose weight.
happy? Many lose weight, some might gain weight.
–> You see, our body weight is never the same. Even the shape of our body changes.
Plus, STOP chasing that dream number or dream shape, unless (you are an athlete or) you can truly commit yourself fully, understand the sacrifices you’ll need to make and be able to turn it into a sustainable lifestyle.
Understand, your current weight is part of your current life period. Do what you can to live a balanced, healthy life BUT don’t add unnecessary stress and don’t let it define you.
Body neutrality – love your body now,
Instead of being critical about ourselves and our current weight
&
instead of jumping on the latest diet band wagon, so potentially we can lose 10kg in 8 week or by that upcoming wedding or reunion
—
Live Now, Live in The Present. Be Grounded in Reality.
Focus on what you can do NOW to support yourself to your best ability. How can you change your life to make healthier choices to create balance and happiness? Don’t fret over extra weight or flabbiness instead look for balance and make small supporting choices.
- Drink a glass of water instead of soda?
- Go for a walk instead of sipping some energy drink?
- Walk the stairs instead of taking the lift?
- Walk 1 mass transit station instead of waiting for the bus or tram?
- Eat an extra serving of steamed vegetables instead of creamy or fried vegetables?
- Pack a healthy snack instead of falling victim to the vending machine?
- Listen to your favorite song, sing and dance along instead of watching TV?
- Go dancing instead of sitting in a bar?
- Phone your friend or family to engage in a fun chat?
- Help an elderly with her/his groceries (yes, helping others makes us feel good, we know it’s true)
- Take a long, relaxing bath instead of a quick shower?
- Hug your friend extra long?
- Dance around in underwear (in your home) and feel comfortable in your skin?
- Sign up for a fitness class.
- Look through your old photo album and realize how fabulous you are?
Body neutrality – love your body now,
but MOST IMPORTANTLY:
Change Your Point of View.
Thank your body for getting you through the rough patch,
the stressful or painful periods, the periods during which you didn’t have time to nurture your body, or the energy, or perhaps money to take care of yourself. Be grateful your body was strong enough to get you through it.
And now, once balanced and normalcy has return, take care of your body the best you can.
Nurture your body to the best health possible. Start working out again, eat healthy, destress, and re-establish a connection with your body. Focus on how you feel and what makes you happy…..so when the next stressful, painful period hits (you know it will) you’ll be best prepared to come out at the end healthy and strong!
Body neutrality – love your body now,
Don’t let dieting, should and shouldn’t run your life.
Other articles that could interest you:
Don’t miss my YouTube Video in the series: Let’s Talk- Behavior Change Made Easy
Diets, diet mistakes and how you lose fat/weight for good: eat less & exercise more might be wrong