Waking up in a groggy state after a night of house parties and a late-night pizza run, you’re worried about how you’re going to look after the calorie fest you had. You drag yourself to the gym in a state of misery and torture yourself on the treadmill -- not remotely enjoying the workout, and starving yourself afterward because you want to erase the calories consumed last night. You get home from the gym, feeling exhausted and you go on Twitter and see images of the "perfect body" being shoved down your throat.
Nothing about that scenario sounds good, right? You’re only left with self-loathing and creating an unhealthy relationship with your body. More often than not, people only work out to fulfill the need to look "perfect." In our Western culture, that means having a six-pack, a thigh gap, and a perky butt. However, all bodies are different, not everyone can have that type of body, and that is perfectly fine.
When people are only focusing on what they want to look like, they are part of vicious cycle of self-loathing opposed to living a healthy lifestyle because it makes you feel good. Simply changing your mindset about health and wellness will do wonders, and you will see the results you want to see in the mirror.
When it comes to eating, people get so polarized with it. It’s either eating super healthy or super unhealthy. If you do eat unhealthy, it turns into a guilt trip. As Karlie Dalebont stated, “Judging yourself for what you eat, regardless of what it is or how much, is the opposite of loving yourself.” We are living things, and we need to nourish ourselves to stay alive and to be functional, but why should it be a battle every time you eat? Instead thinking of eating salad as a way to get skinny, think of it as eating a rainbow, and giving your body the proper nutrients it needs. Our health is so important and should not be overlooked. It is good to be aware of how certain foods make your body feel.
We are born initially loving and amazed with our bodies -- it's social standards that brainwash us to not think that our bodies are wonderful. The perfect body is a socially constructed idea and it changes over time. What the ideal body was in 1990s to now are vastly different. It’s not about what you look like on the outside -- it’s about how you feel on the inside. When you’re positive and full self-love, it radiates from you and makes you more beautiful as opposed to being crippled with insecurities. We can’t constantly compare ourselves to others. Everyone is special and different, and we have to focus on the positives: your freckles, your smile, your humor and your brain.
