Please read my tw: mention of calorie restriction
How many bikini season posts have I seen on the internet so far this Spring? How many sopping guides; rules to determine which fruit I resemble the most? How many lists are there of swimsuits and sundresses that are “appropriate” for my body type? How much time have I spent in front of the mirror, scrutinizing the soft hills and jagged edges of my own body, pulling and tucking and arranging and wishing that something could be different or somewhere else? Am I an apple? A pear? An hourglass? A roast chicken?
I don’t love my body. I don’t hate it, either. It’s an instrument capable of both good and bad. It does things that I like and do not like. Sometimes it fails me. Most often, it performs the way I need it to and I am grateful. I made and fed two babies with it. It carries me through the woods, to my job, to the playground with my kids. It isn’t ornamental; it’s a machine. I am lucky.
Yesterday I read a blog post written by a stranger (a mother) about bikini season and the need to lose weight. She wrote unapologetically about how she just wants to be skinny. She wrote about swearing off food until she was skinny enough to be able to wear a bikini; she wrote that she plans on only consuming three protein shakes a day until she is as skinny as she wants to be: skinny enough to deserve that bikini.
As a human and a woman, I understand. It’s okay to want to be attractive (whatever your definition of that may be). If there is something that you don’t like about yourself, it is absolutely your choice to change if it you want to, however you want to. It isn’t my or anyone else’s business.
As a parent. AS A PARENT. I remember getting my daughter ready for school one winter morning. She was 4. She slipped her little arms into her puffy winter coat and suddenly started to cry. I asked her what was wrong and she turned her perfect, beautiful little face up to me and said, “This coat makes me look fat.” I cried right there at that very moment. My heart hurt so much for her. All of the frustration I have ever felt with my own body and appearance welled up in that moment. I knew exactly how she felt, and I was beyond horrified that she was feeling it. At 4 years old, my daughter was afraid people would think she was fat.
In that moment, I promised to never, ever, say negative things about mine, ours, or anyone else’s bodies. At home, in our shared family lives, we think we have private moments, but we really don’t. Our kids see everything. They see us skipping meals and eating tiny portions. They hear the things we say about our fat thighs and flat asses and too small/too big boobs. They think we’re beautiful because they love us, and when we turn around and shame ourselves, we teach them to do the same. We are their standard and they are our mirrors, and we will never be able to show them how to accept who they are while we are so busy hating ourselves.
I am trying to accept myself for them. I am trying to show my kids that there are so many ways to be healthy and beautiful. And as for bikini season, here is what I recommend for obtaining a bikini body: 1) Have a body, and 2) Put a bikini on it. It doesn’t matter what kind of fruit you’re shaped like. You get to do whatever the fuck you want. Isn’t that nice?
(via sophspiration)
(Source: heres-to-you-ftspo, via everyones-fitblr)
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Okay everyone, please, repeat after me: Severe pain always requires a trip to the doctor.
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![keep-calm-get-skinny:
I’ve been meaning to make a post on this topic for awhile now. With all of the misinformation in various weightloss communities, the idea that “1200 calories” is somehow the magic number for EVERYONE and of course all of these crazy, restrictive diets.. it was definetely necessary.
The problem with diet programs, and crash diets in general is nearly all of them encourage lower calorie diets for faster weightloss. This idea is pumped into everyone’s heads, so everyone starts to believe this is the way it works..and then, the misinformation is spread.
However what they don’t tell you is the horrible downside to these low-cal diets. They’re not maintainable, they certainly aren’t healthy and the fatloss that does occur (if any) is not kept off easily. These diets also can cause various long term and short term health problems, physical and sometimes mental. These people who endorse these diets don’t ever mention a damn thing like about this, they just want to sell the idea of “quick weightloss” so people will gobble it up and purchase whatever it is they’re selling. It is all about business. They are not concerned with you, your health or your mental well-being. They just want your money. The diet industry has everyone thinking they have to be eating even less than a domesticated dog to see any type of change. Which is completely incorrect.
Before you interject here… “WELL, LEXXA, I followed a diet like that and I have lost weight! You’re full of it!” (‘cause I know someone is going to come at me with this!)
The weightloss noted on the scale is not always fat. In the early stages of a low-cal diet you will typically see a drop in the scale from increased fluid loss. Do not confuse weightloss with fatloss. They are not the same.
Perhaps you will lose fat following one of these diets. It is not IMPOSSIBLE, I am not saying that. Fat loss can occur, but it is not maintainable when you lose weight this way. Quick fixes aren’t the way to go. They’re the cause of what is known as “yo-yo dieters”. You know, the people that lose and gain the same 10 lbs over, and over and over again. I’m sure we all know a few. I certainly do.
Maybe it isn’t fat loss or fluid loss, maybe you’re experiancing muscle waste. Losing your muscle is something you NEVER want to happen.
Various other side effects of these diets include (but are not limited to):
Fatigue/weakness
Frequent headaches
Dizziness
Muscle waste
Dry skin/nails
Hair loss
Irregularities (consiptation/diarrhea)
Irritablilty/Mood swings
Menstrual irregularities
Problems with nerve and muscle function due to an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes
Conditions such as osteoporosis, anaemia, gout, gallstones, clinical depression, heart problems, renal failure, and liver disease
If reading those side effects doesn’t open your eyes.. I don’t think anything will.
I can even speak from a personal experience. If you were following me from the beginning, perhaps you are already aware of this. About a year ago I was in dire need of a wake-up call. I was doing a sub 800 calorie diet and exercising very hard. I wasn’t educated on nutrition or weightloss, I just thought it was the way weightloss was done. I figured the lower, more weightloss would occur. I saw the “ABC” diet and figured if other girls are doing it then maybe it would work for me. Boy was I wrong..
I was developing an unhealthy relationship with food. I was becoming obsessive with weightloss and whatever I ate. The lower my intake was, the happier I became. If my net was negative, I would celebrate. I was NOT healthy. My hair was falling out in clumps, I was dizzy constantly, whenever I stood up my head would spend and my vision would blur and it would black out momentarily I wasn’t able to concentrate and I was becoming weaker and weaker. I lost a lot of things, my mind, my hair, my senses.. but one thing I didn’t lose was my excess fat. I eventually came to my senses and reevaluated what I was doing to myself. I was destroying myself mentally and physically and I decided I had to make a change and quickly, before my problem developed into something much worse.
So, in conclusion.. if you want weightloss that is maintainable, healthy and will benefit you mentally and physically in the long run you MUST to reevaluate your choices. Because if you are participating in a low calorie diet (such as the ABC diet, HGC diet etc or just eating too little) you must realize what you are doing now is NOT healthy.
There is no magic method, or top secret way to weightloss. All that is required to lose weight is eating the right amount of food, a positive mindset, and of course exercise regularly. Get healthy. Change your lifestyle. Nourish your body and treat it right and it will reward you.
Of course, always remember: this journey isn’t just about losing weight. Don’t focus so much on the superficial aspect of becoming healthy. Your progress can be measured in many other ways! Healthier habits, able to run longer/further, lift heavier, increased flexibly lower blood pressure.. etc. and you can also focus on your relationship with your body :) Don’t focus on what you think are flaws and imperfections, instead, embrace them and realize that they are apart of you. It isn’t some cheesy cliche bullshit, its the simple truth. Love yourself, be positive, don’t create a negative self-image and bully yourself. There is enough shit in life to deal with without a person dragging themselves down with negative thoughts.
“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde
sources: [x]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/c0bee650d9be34e8d7b5539211566900/tumblr_mk06dvKiNQ1rnlxfqo1_500.png)
I’ve been meaning to make a post on this topic for awhile now. With all of the misinformation in various weightloss communities, the idea that “1200 calories” is somehow the magic number for EVERYONE and of course all of these crazy, restrictive diets.. it was definetely necessary.
The problem with diet programs, and crash diets in general is nearly all of them encourage lower calorie diets for faster weightloss. This idea is pumped into everyone’s heads, so everyone starts to believe this is the way it works..and then, the misinformation is spread.
However what they don’t tell you is the horrible downside to these low-cal diets. They’re not maintainable, they certainly aren’t healthy and the fatloss that does occur (if any) is not kept off easily. These diets also can cause various long term and short term health problems, physical and sometimes mental. These people who endorse these diets don’t ever mention a damn thing like about this, they just want to sell the idea of “quick weightloss” so people will gobble it up and purchase whatever it is they’re selling. It is all about business. They are not concerned with you, your health or your mental well-being. They just want your money. The diet industry has everyone thinking they have to be eating even less than a domesticated dog to see any type of change. Which is completely incorrect.
Before you interject here… “WELL, LEXXA, I followed a diet like that and I have lost weight! You’re full of it!” (‘cause I know someone is going to come at me with this!)
The weightloss noted on the scale is not always fat. In the early stages of a low-cal diet you will typically see a drop in the scale from increased fluid loss. Do not confuse weightloss with fatloss. They are not the same.
Perhaps you will lose fat following one of these diets. It is not IMPOSSIBLE, I am not saying that. Fat loss can occur, but it is not maintainable when you lose weight this way. Quick fixes aren’t the way to go. They’re the cause of what is known as “yo-yo dieters”. You know, the people that lose and gain the same 10 lbs over, and over and over again. I’m sure we all know a few. I certainly do.
Maybe it isn’t fat loss or fluid loss, maybe you’re experiancing muscle waste. Losing your muscle is something you NEVER want to happen.
Various other side effects of these diets include (but are not limited to):
- Fatigue/weakness
- Frequent headaches
- Dizziness
- Muscle waste
- Dry skin/nails
- Hair loss
- Irregularities (consiptation/diarrhea)
- Irritablilty/Mood swings
- Menstrual irregularities
- Problems with nerve and muscle function due to an imbalance in minerals and electrolytes
- Conditions such as osteoporosis, anaemia, gout, gallstones, clinical depression, heart problems, renal failure, and liver disease
If reading those side effects doesn’t open your eyes.. I don’t think anything will.
I can even speak from a personal experience. If you were following me from the beginning, perhaps you are already aware of this. About a year ago I was in dire need of a wake-up call. I was doing a sub 800 calorie diet and exercising very hard. I wasn’t educated on nutrition or weightloss, I just thought it was the way weightloss was done. I figured the lower, more weightloss would occur. I saw the “ABC” diet and figured if other girls are doing it then maybe it would work for me. Boy was I wrong..
I was developing an unhealthy relationship with food. I was becoming obsessive with weightloss and whatever I ate. The lower my intake was, the happier I became. If my net was negative, I would celebrate. I was NOT healthy. My hair was falling out in clumps, I was dizzy constantly, whenever I stood up my head would spend and my vision would blur and it would black out momentarily I wasn’t able to concentrate and I was becoming weaker and weaker. I lost a lot of things, my mind, my hair, my senses.. but one thing I didn’t lose was my excess fat. I eventually came to my senses and reevaluated what I was doing to myself. I was destroying myself mentally and physically and I decided I had to make a change and quickly, before my problem developed into something much worse.
So, in conclusion.. if you want weightloss that is maintainable, healthy and will benefit you mentally and physically in the long run you MUST to reevaluate your choices. Because if you are participating in a low calorie diet (such as the ABC diet, HGC diet etc or just eating too little) you must realize what you are doing now is NOT healthy.
There is no magic method, or top secret way to weightloss.
All that is required to lose weight is eating the right amount of food, a positive mindset, and of course exercise regularly. Get healthy. Change your lifestyle. Nourish your body and treat it right and it will reward you.Of course, always remember: this journey isn’t just about losing weight. Don’t focus so much on the superficial aspect of becoming healthy. Your progress can be measured in many other ways! Healthier habits, able to run longer/further, lift heavier, increased flexibly lower blood pressure.. etc. and you can also focus on your relationship with your body :) Don’t focus on what you think are flaws and imperfections, instead, embrace them and realize that they are apart of you. It isn’t some cheesy cliche bullshit, its the simple truth. Love yourself, be positive, don’t create a negative self-image and bully yourself. There is enough shit in life to deal with without a person dragging themselves down with negative thoughts.
“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance” - Oscar Wilde
sources: [x]
(via ifonlyhealthier)
