Yesterday, as you may know, was National Love Your Body Day. This week also happens to be Fat Talk Free Week. Lots of official-sounding positive body image mantras floating around.
I used to think days like these were pointless. What good is one day of proclaiming acceptance of your body when there are 364 others that bombard us with reasons to change it? Foods that are healthier. Workouts that are harder. Diets that are better. Women who are thinner.
But, my perspective has grown a bit, and I believe it never hurts to remind ourselves that we can be our own harshest, and most dangerous, critics. I appreciate that at least one day of the year, society is not trying to convince me to change.
whole, seasonal foods
It’s no secret that I started eating this way to change my body. And as a result, even though I am now in a far better place mentally, I still wonder if I’ll ever manage to completely separate the concept of eating healthfully with the ideal of my appearance.
Some people change their eating habits because they want to be thinner, but there are other reasons as well. Diabetes. Cholesterol. Heart disease. Cancer. Shouldn’t those motivate us more? What good is skinny is we don’t have our health?
I would love to live in a world where health loses its associations with body shapes and sizes. Whether I gain weight is irrelevant, because the quality of what I eat is not going to change. Healthy, for me, is about eating foods I feel good about and foods that make me feel good. It’s about the effect those have on my mind, my organs, and the quality of my life, both today and in five decades.
It shouldn’t matter if we’re technically underweight or overweight or somewhere inbetween. What should matter is that we take care of ourselves.
So, I won’t celebrate this day by declaring my love for my body, or making an affirmation, or promising never to dislike the image in the mirror. What I will do, however, is remind myself of the things I do for my body. In the past 24 hours I:
Practiced yoga. Ate sea vegetables. Ate oatmeal. Ate many, many other healthy foods. Drank water. Drank tea. Slept for eight hours. Watched Glee. [Oh wait, that's health for the soul, not the body].
None of that exists in the mirror, but it is all much, much more real.
What good have you done for your body today?
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I have been feeding it many nutritious foods, running and getting enough sleep
This is a beautiful post. I am getting ready to take a nap because my body is tired! so that’s what good I’m doing for my body today: listening to it.
Lots – of – Love,
Lex.
Had sweet potatos and bananas for my sweetness this morning, Drank 2 liters of water, took supplements to make sure my body gets the minerals it deserves…… and also watched Glee.
That, and am about to take a nap. And take it down HARD!
i totally agree with you. it’s crazy that appearance is what drive healthy eating in many instances. i am loving healthy eating for the way i feel inside too – and that’s the most important thing. yay for health!
I too was not very adamant about these kinds of days but as I’ve grown older it has changed. I see the attempts of these beautiful people worthy of praise…it all starts somewhere, right? What did I do for my body today? I made a glass of Amazing Grass besides my breakfast this morning, I listened to my body when it said “no more cardio” and I nourished it with a big bowl of grainy cereal when I got home.
Lovely post Leslie
Maggie
Great points. Great post. I like to think of yesterday, and this week as a reminder to contiue my healthy mindset for good. Definitely a worthwhile occassion to celebrate.
And Glee is definitely nourishment for the soul
very very true! its abut taking care of ourselves and being happy in our lives. weight should not always be an indicator of health. its how you live your life that determines your health in my opinion.
what have i dont for my body today? hmm well i just woke up but yesterday i came home from a long day at college and decided to go for a really nice long nap instead of studying more. i felt great afterwards
Wait. I think you may have ESP. I had literally JUST found–and was about to comment on–your blog as I got the notification for your comment on mine! Weird!
But I’ll just say I love everything about this post. Your blog. Your Glee reference. And, after reading your about me, I agree that we have a ton in common! Can’t wait to keep reading!
another GLEE lover horayyy!
today i listened to what my body wanted and at chicken nuggets & macaroni and cheese for dinner, and i remembered that everyone’s healthy is different
what a refreshing post! i LOVE your take on the past ‘holidays’ (are they even really called that? haha).
this morning i woke up at 5:30 am and did yoga before work at 7 am. i did it purely for the enjoyment and to wake my body up and prepare for the day. im on my feet for 10+ hours a day and i know without yoga i get those aches and pains!!!
thanks for the sweet comment leslie
xxox
Amazing post Leslie, truly. This is the outlook I wish, wish, wish I could have. But I’ve been so entrenched in the visual, the physical, the looks of everything since I was a young child. I feel like it’ll curse me forever…but I really appreciate your words and inspirations!!
I love this post and agree with everything you said…
Today I ate a lot of vegetables, got a reasonable amount of exercise (and vitamin D- yay sunshine!) and lots of laughter.
this is a really refreshing perspective! takes a lot of the pressure off to look a certain way or experience thisandthisandthisandthat to be “healthy”. i totally agree that loving your body is about the things you do for it! you’re so inspiring