Chicken or Egg: Body love or Healthy Habits?

I do a lot of reading about body image and yesterday, I came across an article that has me considering an intriguing question: Is my ability to accept my body as it is the result of the effort I’ve put into shaping it, or is the process of taking care of my body a reflection of the self-acceptance I feel?

 

Hmmm….I’m pondering.

 

OK, I’ve got it: It’s both.

 

Spending a year as Shape magazine’s Weight-Loss Diary columnist – with all the workouts, healthy eating and life coaching involved in that process – definitely brought me to a place of self-acceptance. Why? Not because I was suddenly “perfect.” But there’s a new body image perspective that results when you’ve spent a full year making your body a priority. After working so hard on slimming down and getting healthy, I knew – without a doubt – that the body I have is the best body I can have. I have met my body potential, so to speak.

 

At the same time, though, going through the weight-loss process with Shape was not a magic ticket to a healthy body image. If I wanted to, I could still spend time fixating on all the “flaws” I wasn’t able to change. But here’s the thing: I choose not to. Because, really, what does that say to me, to my daughter and to all the other women out there? That I can be the best, healthiest version of myself and still not be good enough?

 

I really loved what Melissa King, the article’s author, said here: “Lose weight because you love your body. Stop trying to lose weight because you hate your body. If it’s not weight you want to lose, but muscle you want to tone, then be active because you love your body…decide you are beautiful now and attack life as a beautiful woman.”

 

Don’t you love that last line?

 

Thanks, Melissa, for that great image. How will you “attack life as a beautiful woman” today?

Comments

[Sagan]

Nailed it. And I've also found that when I'm happy, when I'm around people that I love and doing what I really want to do, I am prouder of my body than when I'm not as happy. They're all tied in together.

[Pat Barone]

I like the "both" and think you can start with "either" too. I've lost 70+ lbs and kept it off 9+ years and I've been coaching clients to permanent weight loss for 8 years. Some people learn to love their bodies as they are, and that gives them the freedom to lose weight. Some start building healthy habits and that makes them feel cared for, special, loved. It's only after losing weight, and seeing that it's a result of their positive effort, that they start to appreciate their bodies.

That's how it worked for me, by the way. I thought I was loving myself by giving food to myself constantly but, when I started to really take the time and effort to make healthy food for myself I felt remarkably special. I realized I was truly caring for myself by getting healthy.

This is not to say I recommend focusing on food, I don't, that only gets you more food! but looking beneath your actions and knowing why are you are eating the way you eat is powerful. Getting out of mindless eating is essential.

No matter what comes first for you, think long-term. Think permanent. I'm on a mission to spread the word about permanent weight loss (weight loss sustained for over 5 years). I think we could talk about that more in our society!

Pat Barone, CPCC, PCC
"America's Weight Loss Catalyst"
www.patbarone.com

[Dara Chadwick]

Thanks, Sagan.

Pat, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. Your perspective is such a valuable one!