Start a healthy relationship with food today
Ever wondered why it is so difficult to keep the weight off after having strenuously dieted for months? The answer may surprise you!
International No Diet Day (INDD)
International No Diet Day (INDD), celebrated on 6 May, is an annual celebration of body acceptance and diversity, healthy living and eating and saying no to dieting for weight loss.
Celebrating body acceptance and diversity
Body shape is an inherited thing and although it can be fine-tuned, polished and pampered you will still be either short, tall or in-between – curvy, thin or, yes, in-between. You will, however, be oh so unique and special, the only you on the face of the earth. Appreciating, accepting and loving your own, personal shape, size and appearance is vital to your personal self-worth, health and happiness!
Unfortunately, nothing in your culture or history can hurt your self-worth as much as the negative self-talk you engage in when looking in the mirror. Replace it by focusing on the things you like about you: great personality, great smile, great hair, great nails, a beautiful skin and eyes, terrific teeth, etc. And when next you look in the mirror, say something positive to yourself.
Our infatuation with certain inherited body types and sizes has mostly been fuelled by the media hysteria with wafer-thin models and celebrities What we tend to forget is that a very small percentage of men and women fall in the category of those with inherited, ” “near-perfect” bodies and faces. That is, those whose images haven’t been airbrushed or digitally enhanced!
Even Barbie doll, global symbol of a perfect face and body, has been adapted to more accurately reflect reality. According to manufacturers, Mattel, the new Barbies will have less make-up, have a variety of new skin tones and hair textures and will come out in body sizes and shapes dubbed original, petite, tall and curvy.
Promoting healthy living and eating
A healthy lifestyle can be achieved by taking two simple steps; eating well and moving your butt and bones (exercising).
Start at the very beginning and learn to eat intuitively, that is, eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full. Stick to the principles of healthy eating such as eating “real” not processed food and drinking enough clean water.
Try to eliminate wheat, gluten and other highly allergenic foods from your diet. Also, reduce grains and sugar and ban all artificial sweeteners except natural stevia. The carbohydrates in grain increase your insulin levels and interfere with your body’s ability to burn fat. Do not, however, eliminate all fats from your diet, especially not the omegas.
Also, try to eat at least one-third of your food, especially vegetables, raw, uncooked or freshly juiced but beware of commercial fruit juices that are packed with sugar.
Once you’re eating the right types and amounts of food, getting enough fresh air, sun exposure (for vitamin D) and exercise, your body and mind will respond favourably and your common health and image-related issues will begin to be resolved without having to diet!
Raising awareness of the hidden dangers of dieting
Starving yourself to lose weight and improve your body size and image holds many hidden health dangers such as malnutrition, anorexia and other eating disorders. It is seldom a long-term solution. Also, “if you maintain negative thoughts and feelings about yourself while trying to take physical steps to improve your body, you will not succeed”, says dr Joseph Mercola, medical and nutrition expert. “It will be like repeatedly washing your car in an effort to keep it clean, during a dust storm!”
Sources
Bouchez, C. So build a better body image – no dieting required. Retrieved from: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/style/build-a-better-body-image-no-dieting-required?page=2urces
Mercola, J. Welcome to the Beginner Nutrition Plan. Retrieved from: http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/beginner.htm
Ng, F. 2014. Benefits of a healthy lifestyle: importance of diet and exercise. Retrieved from: https://blog.udemy.com/benefits-of-a-healthy-lifestyle/