According to wiki, the definition of body positivity is this: “Body positivity is acceptance and appreciation of all human body types. It is a social movement rooted in the belief that all human beings should have a positive body image, and be accepting of their own bodies as well as the bodies of others.”
I like this definition. It sounds good to me. It feels good to me.
What doesn’t sound good to me or feel good to me is when I see the diet and fitness industry come in and ruin a good thing; twisting the message of having a positive body image to mean: “We are ALL for you having a positive body image, but before you can be granted access to that gift you give yourself, you need to try this powder or take this pill or go on this diet or work out like this. THEN you can go ahead and have a positive body image.”
THAT part really irks me.
Because it implies that we really don’t deserve to love our bodies until they LOOK a certain way. When we succumb to this brainwashing, we will never, ever be GOOD ENOUGH.
And not being good enough plagued me for…forever. I was constantly comparing myself to others, desperately trying to figure out how to measure up or feel comfortable in my own skin. Until I learned how to love and accept myself in the body I have in this moment, I could have never worked towards making positive changes that my future body would thank me for.
What also irks me is the way proponents of the movement have twisted its meaning to imply “healthy at any size”. Because, while I believe in loving–not hating–our bodies to good health, this interpretation falsely recommends that we can make unhealthy choices as long as we are saying we love ourselves in spite of making them.
Here is what I believe with every fiber of my being: We do NOT show our bodies love when we knowingly and regularly flood them with toxic substances or when we refuse to move them around and care for them.
It simply doesn’t work that way.
Because the truth is, we are NOT healthy at ANY size (and if you know me, you know I refuse scales and diets and comparisons).
BUT, what I do believe is that WHATEVER size we are RIGHT NOW, we can make healthy choices! In fact, we MUST make healthy choices if we want to change the size we are right now. That’s EXACTLY how it happens; through the ACTIONS we take. And, as adults, those actions have a lasting and dramatic impact on our children. As things stand right now, many of our children are suffering. They take in far more sugar and junk food than their bodies can handle, and the habits get built up over time, setting them up for a lifetime of struggle.
Our children’s physical, mental and emotional health is being compromised.
As adults, we need to model the behaviour by nourishing our own bodies with REAL FOOD and feeding the same to our kids. Parents must prioritize healthy habits that will help them improve their own health and enable their children to do the same.
We can NOT keep feeding our bodies garbage and expect them to function well, no matter what the marketing tries to tell us.
It is NOT how this works.
I know, because I’ve been there.
I KNOW because I did it for YEARS.
For over a decade, I knew that drinking was ravaging my entire life. In every single way, my life was falling apart. And yet, I held onto that bottle for dear life. I didn’t have a clue how to cope without it. Once I hit my rock bottom, sugar was waiting for me, ready to take me down, and I had to dig in and really DO THE WORK in order to change my life.
Doing the work, to me, means treating this vessel like the most precious gift I will ever be given. These miraculous bodies of ours are the ONLY thing we ever really have.
Just our BODIES and the PRESENT moment.
And knowing this, I realize that in EVERY SINGLE MOMENT OF EVERY SINGLE DAY, I have choices to make. Having a positive body image means that I treat my body as if I love it. We all know that actions speak louder than words, and this is never more true than when it comes to the way we treat ourselves.
I am a work in progress.
I am not “perfect” (there is no such thing) and I know it’s not EASY, especially when getting started.
But we HAVE to do this work!!! For ourselves and for our kids. And I believe that there is no such thing as “other people’s children”.
If we want to truly thrive and be free in our lives, then we have to remember that we are working with a human body; and our human body has VERY specific needs. And they are not even complicated! In fact, one of my favourite teachers is Michael Pollan. He has boiled down all we ever really need to know about food into three short sentences: Eat Food. Not Too Much, Mostly Plants.
Eat Food (like, ACTUAL food). Not Too Much (like, not becoming “stuffed”). Mostly Plants (emphasis on mostly as we receive our vitamins and minerals from our fruits & vegetables!).
If we can do these three things, I believe we will have solved 90% of the obesity crisis in the western world.
Yes, moving our bodies helps us to FEEL better.
Yes, meditation helps us to CALM down and connects us to the truth of who we really are.
Yes, SERVING others and engaging in MEANINGFUL work and being KIND and creating COMMUNITY and all the rest of what colours this life are keys to increased joy and happiness.
But nothing–NOTHING–compares to the impact that food makes on our health.
Nothing else even comes close.
It is what I know for sure.
I know this so deep in my bones that it almost hurts at times; the ache I feel for people struggling because they just don’t believe that they can ever, ever, live in a body that feels like HOME.
But I promise, it’s possible.
In my work, I have witnessed countless people developing deeper connections with themselves through the power of what they PUT INTO THEIR BODIES. And I’ve had the privilege of seeing people shed thoughts, beliefs habits and weight that no longer serves them. It is is why I will continue to walk this path for the rest of my life.
No matter how much we want to fight it, there is nothing–NOTHING–like the feeling of DOING THE RIGHT THING.
We may not WANT to do the work of fueling our bodies properly; but we will never, ever regret having done it.
And this habit is like a muscle that we build…over time.
If YOU want to release the pain and shame of excess weight and baggage and poor habits, then I want to help you. I want nothing more than to help you, and I am confident that I can.
We start by showing our bodies–through the daily actions we take–the respect they deserve in order to cultivate deep, meaningful, genuine and positive connections with them; being body positive.
I have opened up my 3 month Group Coaching Program called “One Bite At A Time” (or “OBAAT” for short), and should you choose to join me, you are going to create MASSIVE change in your life and your body.
BUT there’s a catch.
This is NOT the program for you if you are not willing to do things differently.
Because you will be doing things differently.
While resistance is NORMAL when making changes, it’s in the resistance–specifically pushing through it–that we GROW. It’s there that the magic happens! NOTHING changes inside our comfort zone.
I am seeking only those who will set aside fear or doubt or past failures, and realize that the ONLY time is NOW. I am seeking those who are ready to draw their line in the sand.
What will success look like?
You will have a deeper understanding of food, nutrition, and your body.
You will understand–for once and for all–why diets fail and why creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t.
You will develop a greater understanding of the food industry and the addictive nature of the products they sell.
You will have strategies to help you manage cravings so that you can remain in control.
You will know why willpower doesn’t work long-term.
You will learn to harness the power of rituals.
You will become more purposeful with your time and energy.
You will wake up every day knowing EXACTLY what to do to care for your body.
You will go through your day feeling CONFIDENT that you can stick with your plan.
You will experience more ENERGY in your body.
You will improve–and feel more OPTIMISTIC about–your health.
You will heal from old patterns and wounds.
You will feel EXCITED in the present moment and HOPEFUL about your future.
You will INSPIRE your friends and family to prioritize their own health.
You will learn what it feels like to cultivate a deep, loving relationship with the most important person on earth–yourself.
Your success is my only priority.
You will feel loved and nurtured by me every step of the way and you will be supported and cared for by a close group of people who are along the same journey.
Will ONE of them be YOU?
I can not wait to get started and I can not WAIT for you to begin seeing the changes. Because body positivity is about being positive about where we are now and where we are going. And until we take our last breath, we do it all inside these precious bodies.
We only get ONE.
One BODY.
ONE life.
Because the ONLY time is NOW.
Because I want you to love your life one bite at a time.
P.S. For more information about One Bite At A Time group coaching (OBAAT) or to register for the next round, please visit OBAATCoaching.com.
P.P.S. If you haven’t already signed up, you might enjoy my 14 Days of Wellness. It is a wonderful way to begin to develop a more positive body image and it will introduce you to my style. Simply enter your name and email address here. It’s free, with no diets, products, challenges or catches (you’ll just start getting a Tuesday email from me and you can unsubscribe at any time). I’d love to stay connected. xo
P.P.P.S. Let’s be friends! I’d love to connect socially on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram.
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