This article caused an uproar! I found this in the Shine online mag from Yahoo. It was by Brett Michael Dykes (Fall Beauty- Wed. Oct 7, 2009). But the purpose of my mid-week issue isn't to actually speak on the article but to voice the harm in the article.
You see, when we strive to lose weight, sometimes we get lost in the idea of being thin. We get raptured in the numbers and images on television - pushing for more loss until our perception is distorted and eventually lost.
I've been there. I've been a four before and thought it was the greatest thing in the world, until I saw pictures. Looking back now, I understand why some kept telling me to stop.
People who didn't know me thought I was awesome but the ones who did thought I'd jumped on the Crack Diet! I was too small and they began to worry. But not me; I loved it. I loved being a smaller me but found it hard to maintain.
Everyone isn't meant to be a zero or so. Sometimes, our bodies relay messages that we refuse to listen, causing distress and even health issues like malnutrition. Some folks even push to taking on new detrimental hobbies like Bulimia and Anorexia. NO JOKE, we do harm when we try to live up to, well... tiny standards.
As we traverse this arduous weight-loss journey, let's remember to listen to our GP. Remember to eat and exercise. Remember to make healthy decisions and drink water. More importantly, do your best to be happy. Avoid the sadness, deprivation and depression, seeking to be fulfilled and healthy.
This time, it's about doing things properly. Do your body, mind and spirit a favor and think positive. Think about what YOU want and not about what others think or say. More than anything else, find ways to not look like this chic from the Ralph Lauren photo shoot!
THAT'S NOT BEAUTY- IT'S STARVATION AT IT'S WORST!
Amen to that! When I was a teenager I went on this starvation diet trying to be a size 5 because a lot of my friends were that size. I came to realize that I am not built to be a size 5. There's nothing wrong with that; beautiful women come in all shapes and sizes. As long as I'm healthy and happy, that is what counts. So now that is my focus. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel Mara. I played the starvation game too with disappointing affects. I truly feel that once we accept ourselves for who we are, the rest falls into place when practiced. Love yourself and then you can love your body enough to respect it and treat it with care. It is a temple! You wouldn't walk into church eating a Monster Burger, right? We have to treat our bodies the same. Thanks for the response!
DeleteIt's true sometimes we can be so overwhelmed by the media that unless we fit in that size zero we feel we are fat. I think listening to the people who love us and know us best is the best barometer on how we look. If we are too thin they will tell us. I hate to listen to them but, they are usually right. Good luck and see you in Sparks!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right Elvira! Thank you so much for reading and commenting. I hope that one day, society will stop adding so much pressure to our women and men, allowing them/us all to be ourselves and proud to be in our skin!
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