In this industry I am frequently faced with women and men, for that matter, who are unhappy with their shape, weight or anything in between. For the most part, the way we look at our own bodies, when in comparison with others, is negative.
Does this sound familiar? Do you think ‘I wish I was . . . [insert your own thoughts]’, often I hear I want to be slimmer, have a smaller bum, toned abs, smaller legs or a more toned back, tighter triceps. The society we live in, the media has provided us with, what is portrayed as an ‘ideal’ image that we often feel pressurised to conform to, all we have to do is look at the images staring back at us from the stream of magazines lining the shelves. The only part I agree with is that which makes each person – HEALTHY! Functional health for your life is vital!
In order to achieve these ideals, many have resorted to disordered eating
i.e. going from one diet to another, excessive exercise – afraid to stop from fear that they will become fat and a concerning focus on the calorie content of every single food. I am lucky enough to work with pregnant and post-natal women, this an ideal time to make those lifelong lifestyle changes. Many women change in terms of their attitudes as they reflect on the impact they have on their newborn child.
Nevertheless, a common answer to queries about their lifestyle or diet (nothing extreme) is that they have loads of time to make the changes. It is key to remember, it takes a looooooong time for habits to become just that, habits, in-grained new habits. Starting early and making these habits automatic will set you up for the future and the habits you will pass onto your child/ children.
Is the legacy you wish to leave? One of, unhealthy relationships with food, restriction, yo-yo dieting, the need for dieting to maintain weight, emotional eating or drinking?
This focus on weight, has been around for a very long time, it will NOT change over night, criticising our bodies, putting our body – ourselves down. The feeling of, we can only achieve, be successful, do well, reach our goals and be happy if we are the slim, media portrayed ideal. Being embarrassed, judgemental of others because they do not conform.
Is this the legacy you wish to leave behind?
Be a part of a new legacy, not the one you were left with but a new one filled with positivity and hope. A confidence with is passed down through the family from parent to child/children. The ability to go for your goals, to focus away from the weight and on the ability to do more, be more! Focus on your health and fitness, this focus odes in fact tend to help with those other goals such as body tone and weight loss incidentally. By focusing on achieving your goals in a fitness and health orientated way we feel more successful, more confident, more able and a knowledge that you are STRONG!
Check out these amazing women, who are in the middle of a spartan race, (I pulled this pic of google). Those in the pic are also from WOR (Women of Obstacle Racing: /http://womenofobstacleracing.com/
They are actually my OCR sponsors, I love that they support ALL women, irrespective of shape and size, of ALL abilities! Check them out at the link above – they are also on facebook, give them a ‘like’ and follow their achievements, even though American based they have women involved from all over the world!
We are entering a new age, every single day I can see something that gives me hope that women’s attitudes towards themselves, toward their abilities, their self-worth is CHANGING. Slowly but surely, its a toughie, by no means an easy adjustment, we are really talking about bucking the trend! We are talking about women celebrating their strength, mentally as well as physically! I am surrounded by women who are incredibly strong simply because they keep on going, they have faced up to their mental health issues and I see an inner strength that is growing. Not only that I am surrounded by ladies who can lift helluva lot of weight, they dominate their sports in weight-lifting and rugby, for example. They embrace their physicality and use it to succeed on a very different forum. In the age of #ThisGirlCan (http://www.thisgirlcan.co.uk/) it is your ability, your tenacity, that is important, not your size, how much effort are you putting in? How many goals are you working at achieving instead of sabotaging?
Is THIS the legacy you would want to leave behind? The one you would want your children to live by?
Here is a fantastic message that is doing the rounds on social media at the moment. I
t clearly demonstrates the differences in women but the most sensitive but positive light, embracing their bodies and what it is that helps them to achieve: (See more at – http://mic.com/articles/121823/espn-body-issue-2015-pictures )
You may believe, you may think, that your children do not know how you think of yourself and thatthey know that you diet or dont particularly like your body. BUT they know!! All those little habits, they will copy them, everyday it becomes alittle more ingrained, those highs, those lows, I am not saying everyday is perfect but I am saying you can choose your goals, you can choose your attitude, you can CHOOSE your legacy!
Other groups you may want to look up include:
SFN Sisterhood run by the lovely Lucy Doyle
(I will add more to this in due course as I find more. Or please comment and let me know who needs to be added, these are just a start to the groups I have come into contact with)
louisept4u 