Hey lovelies!
It seems that since the massive fitness crazed dawned, the importance of having the 'perfect' body has been further blown out of proportion. Especially with social media, all of us are under even more pressure and are increasingly uncomfortable with our bodies. This isn't exactly new stuff, but it's not surprisingly a lot worse now.
This is something that has really struck me, affected me and stressed me out, so today I'm just going to outline my "views" towards dieting in today's society but also my own ways (ways I have gleaned from the real gurus out there) of staying fit and HEALTHY.
Disclaimer: I am BY NO MEANS a health and fitness specialist. I am just a teenager who is trying to find their way around this world.
YOU HAVE TO REALISE THAT FITNESS AND HEALTH ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE BODY, it's also about maintaining MENTAL well-being, which is the root of everything (if your mentality is wrong, then even the 'ideal' body will be flawed to you).
Guaranteed ways to not be healthy and destroy self-esteem:
1. Starve yourself and skip meals.
This, my friends, will not only deprive you of energy to meet the physical/functional demands of your body, but it will also cause your mental health to deteriorate.
2. Over workout
Okay that was horrible English, but what I'm saying is: don't push yourself past your human limits. Also, I usually mean in conjunction with a lack of a nutritious diet. We all know there are many perks to working out: feeling happier, keeping the processes of your body in check and regulating them. But of course, if you're doing more than you can handle, you'll end up severely fatigued and your body's functions will be affected.
3. Allowing the opinions of others should determine how you should look
By letting people's ideals over-rule your own opinions and your sense of self, will lead you down a dark road (see #4).
4. Comparing yourself to others.
This is one of the best ways to destroy yourself! So if you want to trample all over your self-worth, self-esteem and positivity, this has got to be the way to do it! The truth is that no one will ever have the perfect body, the perfect toned beach body, but the fact is: no one has to!
The key is balance.
One of my friends use to feel anxious about her body. She'd skip meals, run until fatigued and later resorted to only having one protein shake a day. She told me that eventually she could see her ribs and she had achieved her flat stomach, but not the 'gap' she was after... then she discovered that the gap is actually related to bone structure and genetics; something we're not all MEANT to have. From her, I was aware that pushing yourself into insane regimes is not the way, and will do more harm than good.
GUYS, it doesn't matter what number appears on the scales, how flat your stomach is or, how wide your gap is because you know what? YOU possess things no one else does. You possess a smile, a beauty and a personality NO ONE in this world can recreate. We're not meant to be supermodels, to be toned fitspo models, but we're ourselves and we need to treasure that. We have to learn love our body because that's 1) the only way we're really going to take care of it and, 2) the best motivation for wanting to improve it.
I'm still self-conscious and my body is definitely not amazing, but I've grown to be more comfortable in my skin and have learn a great deal on how to take care of myself.
My health tips:
1. Drink water and embrace the veggies. This is a given. This is a virtue. This is a life motto. Please follow wisely.
2. "Exercise" at least 10-15 minutes a day. Don't freak out. When I say exercise, I mean some sort of physical activity. Skipping, squatting, dancing (kpop dance covers for Charmaine), whatever you're into, IT HELPS. And it also helps to try do 30-45 mins of exercise (pilates/yoga/cardio) on 3 days. Either way, you'll feel more cheerful and more energized, AND progressively, you'll see yourself getting into a healthier shape, with some MUSCLES (emphasis is on muscles not skin and bones)!!!!
3. Sleep well. If you're not good with caffeine, please avoid it. A good night's sleep is what your whole day revolves around. You need to feel refreshed every morning in order to focus and have your body functioning optimally. If you wake up with sore eyes, or groggy feeling (after 30mins of waking up), there is probably something wrong with your beauty sleep. So get onto it! Because good sleep = good day.
4. Try to avoid high in sodium and high in sugars. Or in other words: processed foods (this means biscuits, chips, ice cream, chocolate). I don't mean forbidding their ingestion, just eat in moderation! I love my desserts and cookies but I've decided on a four a week quota. So, find a way to regulate yourself to suit you.
5. Surround yourself with supportive, loving and caring people. These are the people that will cheer you on, keep your grounded, keep tabs on your progress and celebrate your achievements. Anyone who does otherwise needs to go. Your friends aren't real if they think that your appearance impacts your friendship (#reality).
Here, we must also draw the line between constructive criticism and encouragement. Encouragement is better oneself. Constructive criticism claims to do the same, but here's my honest opinion: if they're NOT speaking in a nice tone, they're not benefitting anyone. So please, avoid people claim their destructive criticism to be constructive.
Best of luck for living that healthier life. Apply yourself and be consistent.
Much love,
Joyce
Great post! You've kinda helped me out, looking forward to more of you!
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