Accept, Respect & Love the Body You Have
by peacejoypilates
Most often when people start a diet to lose weight they are coming from a place of disdain or not liking the body they have, hence the reason they are dieting. I did this for years. With every diet, new weight loss book or extreme exercise regime, I was coming from a place of hating the body I was living in and tried several times to change it. The problem back then was I was making choices for my weight and health from a negative place. I know some people believe that negative motivation can bring change-and it may. But often enough, this backfires at some point.
Probably the most important turning point in my weight and health came when I stopped trying to lose weight and accepted the body I had. Not giving up, not throwing in the towel and just eating whatever I wanted. No, it was acceptance that I am shaped and built a certain way and some of it I just can’t change. It was the first step I made toward loving the body I was living in.
Are you tired of “fighting against yourself”? Fighting against the body you have? I was. Constantly criticizing, hating and covering your body is exhausting. Admit it. Accepting your body will in turn, lead you to respect your body. And when you respect the only body you will ever have, you will begin to take care of it. Not punishing it with crazy, extreme workouts or diets you truly cannot live on. I mean loving your body well.
By placing your body at a higher value, you’ll begin to invest in your health in ways you haven’t before. You begin to spend the extra 5 dollars for the salad, when before you would buy a bagel with cream cheese because it was cheaper. Do you see your motivation has changed? Do you see how you are making choices from a place of love for your body rather than hate and punishment for not being “perfect”?
Try it. Right now. Have a little pow wow with yourself and truly make the decision to accept, respect and love the body you are in.
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You are so right! I struggled with boulimia for years, and it was only after I learned to accept my body that it turned into how I wanted it to be in the first place. Now that I don’t stress about being fat any more, it has the paradoxical but good effect that I actually lose weight. Just because – as you say – I take good care of my body now. This means that apart from running and eating healthy, I drink looooots of water, and eat very consciously. I enjoy every piece of food that I put in my mouth, especially if it’s on the ‘bad stuff’ list (I still adoooooore chocolate and chips :-)).
I hope many girls will read your post, because all that dieting is good for nothing. Just focus on living healthily and eating consciously, and you’ll feel so much better!
That makes me so happy to hear you have discovered the same thing. Sounds like you are heading in the right direction on a path of health and wellness! Good for you and glad you enjoyed the post:)
Such a truly inspiring post! Once you stop angst-ing and obsessing over diet and food and calories and working out, your body is able to relax and focus on being healthy. That’s when I feel lightest with the most energy! When you start to love your body, it loves you back.
I love that-“When you start to love your body, it loves you back.” Well said!