Food, Exercise, & Body Image: A Different Way
I've heard and probably experienced it all when it comes to body image, dieting, and appreciating the bodies we live in.
I have found that most women struggle with how their body looks, and it does not matter the size or shape of the woman. It's almost as if it is a universal standard— you should not approve of your own body and if you aren't picking it apart or trying to "improve" it in some way then you are the exception to the norm. Entire books have been written on why this is, but the important things to take notice of is if this applies to you? And if it does, how might it be negatively impacting your life, your view of yourself, your relationship with your partner, or how you raise your children?
Here are a few things we know from research: 1. Diets do not work. 2. Treating exercise as a form of punishment for what you ate or as permission to "cheat" on a meal is not a sustainable way to approach your health. 3. There is more and more research coming out showing that at an individual level, weight is not an accurate predictor of health! But again, these things— diets, working off your dessert, or checking weight/height/BMI to determine your appropriate weight— seem to be the accepted standard of how we should approach health.
I have been thinking a lot about these concepts over the past few years and learning different ways. What if we ate what made us feel good instead of what we thought we "should" eat? What if we were able to recognize when we are hungry and also recognize when we are satisfied— not having to rely on predetermined meal times or cleaning our plates as cues of when to start or stop eating? What if we could recognize our own individual tendencies towards emotional eating and learn new ways to navigate those emotions that don't involve turning to food? What if exercise is replaced with movement of all kinds, and done in a way that is enjoyable instead of punishing or prescriptive? What if we learned to appreciate our bodies for what they can do and how they feel instead of only focusing on what they look like?
Maybe we could shift the norm. Maybe the standards would change. Maybe our children would not grow up believing that skinny is healthy and that pant size is more important than physical ability and happiness. Maybe we could enjoy the birthday cake at our kid's party without feeling a tinge of guilt about it. Maybe body movement becomes functional and important for engaging in the activities we want to do (chase your kid in the yard, go on the hike, run the 5k, carry your toddler around) instead of just a way to burn calories. It's possible that everything could change. Body shapes could change. Stress could decrease. The symptoms of depression or anxiety could improve. By taking an approach of mindful and intuitive eating, I am becoming more convinced that all of this is possible. I have yet to find one negative outcome of learning to listen to what our bodies need when it comes to food and movement and treating them in a way that shows respect and care. And I believe it is all possible.
The process is slow, and one that I have been exploring and learning since having my daughter. I am learning a new way, and I have to say it is kind of liberating. As women and moms, we experience a lot of pressure to be and look a certain way. It can be exhausting. Having children changes our bodies in a way that is beautiful in the moment, but can be hard to reconcile with during the postpartum period and beyond. Changes happen and resistance to those changes can create so much difficulty with personal identity and in your relationships. It is common, but that does not mean it should be normal.
If you are interested in learning more, here are a few books I recommend.
The Mindfulness Based Eating Solution by Dr. Lynn Rossy
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Breaking Free From Emotional Eating by Geneen Roth
If you are a Colorado resident and believe that you struggle with body image, emotional eating, or wonder if you have an unhealthy relationship with food and/or exercise, contact me. I work with women to help rediscover enjoyment in good food and body movement and learn to find appreciation and respect for the body you have. You can learn more here.
