I’m not sure I’ve ever met anybody who was entirely content with their own body. This may be part of the Australian way where we would rather die than be seen as ‘up ourselves’. But it’s interesting that when we point out our flaws, they are things like ‘My legs are too short and stocky’, or ‘My chest is too flat’ – not ‘I can’t carry the groceries up a flight of stairs’ or ‘I’m about as flexible as a house brick’.
It’s interesting, but not at all surprising – because the first two can supposedly be seen by the whole world. The second two nobody need ever know about. Our bodies have become something for other people to look at, and we so very rarely think about what they can (or can’t) do.
The issue of body image is one very close to my heart. It makes me so sad and frustrated to think of all those people out there – mostly women – who are making themselves miserable by trying to live up to an ideal that doesn’t actually exist. So many times I’ve read of women who seem to wake up at 35 and not give a toss about what other people think about their looks. I’d like to shake the young women of 16yo+ and say ‘See? You’ll get to that point too! How about you cut out the next 20-odd years of angst and just love yourselves right now?’
I’m no stranger to body consciousness. I still have moments when I’m at the pool with my kids wondering why everyone seems to be looking at me, and whether it’s because my cossie is too small or some such. And occasionally when I see myself in photos I would prefer to see only one chin. However, there is a vast difference between wanting to make the best of yourself - through nutrition and exercise - and loathing the body you've got.
So, are we programmed to find a certain look attractive, through the mass media? Or has the media just picked up on what most people find attractive and run with it? Chicken or egg, I suppose. We often hear about the ‘rubenesque’ models painted by, well, Rubens … and that is supposed to make curvy girls feel better about themselves. But what about the thin women of that time? It seems to me that someone is always missing out.
So, I suppose if you happen to fit into the mould that is considered ‘beautiful’ in your time, enjoy every second of it. If you don’t, learn to love yourself and realise how fickle the world of beauty really is. To paraphrase, beauty is wasted on the young. They’ll always be too insecure to appreciate it. Don’t make that mistake – love yourself right now, and treat your body like the best friend it is.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Good Food vs Bad Food
In the past few years, it’s become very politically incorrect to label specific foods as either ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Personally, I blame Oprah. I’m sure it must have been on one of her public quests for weight loss that this new mantra popped up.
Firstly, let me say that I believe that the idea of ‘everything in moderation’ is great. In fact, I believe that it’s probably the healthiest way to live – both physically and psychologically.
However, there are obviously some genuinely good and bad foods out there, and I think it’s a bit precious not to label them that way. If you put a lovely fresh apple side by side with a deep-fried mars bar, you’d have to be an idiot not to see that there is a good choice and a bad choice.
If there are certain foods that we shouldn’t be eating every day (those with too much saturated fat, for example), it stands to reason that these are probably not ‘good’ foods. There would be few nutritionists recommending their clients should avoid eating an apple every day, but most (if not all) would suggest their clients should avoid eating a jam donut every day. Therefore, it seems logical to suggest that the apple is a higher-quality food compared to the donut.
I know the thinking is that food is just food, it’s not good or evil or indifferent – unless we choose to make it so. I understand that we can make good or bad choices. However, the idea that all food is equal is quite obviously ridiculous. It’s now recommended by the powers-that-be that we label food ‘every day’ food or ‘sometimes’ food. I’d prefer to just call a spade a spade.
We don’t need to label foods consciously. We don’t need to stand in the chocolate aisle and say ‘No, I can’t eat that. It’s bad.’ However, we do need to understand that not all foods are created equal, and that different foods have vastly different effects on our bodies and our minds. If we want to eat the chocolate, we have to understand that although it may be good for our mind right then, it will never be the best choice for our body.
But who wants to go through life always choosing Brussels sprouts over Belgian chocolate? Certainly not me. As long as we are aware of WHY we are making that choice, and that we are also choosing the RESULTS of that choice. So by all means choose the chocolate, but we must accept the outcome as well. It’s no good eating fatty foods six days out of seven, and then throwing our hands in the air and wondering why we feel and move and look the way we do – as if one has nothing to do with the other.
Firstly, let me say that I believe that the idea of ‘everything in moderation’ is great. In fact, I believe that it’s probably the healthiest way to live – both physically and psychologically.
However, there are obviously some genuinely good and bad foods out there, and I think it’s a bit precious not to label them that way. If you put a lovely fresh apple side by side with a deep-fried mars bar, you’d have to be an idiot not to see that there is a good choice and a bad choice.
If there are certain foods that we shouldn’t be eating every day (those with too much saturated fat, for example), it stands to reason that these are probably not ‘good’ foods. There would be few nutritionists recommending their clients should avoid eating an apple every day, but most (if not all) would suggest their clients should avoid eating a jam donut every day. Therefore, it seems logical to suggest that the apple is a higher-quality food compared to the donut.
I know the thinking is that food is just food, it’s not good or evil or indifferent – unless we choose to make it so. I understand that we can make good or bad choices. However, the idea that all food is equal is quite obviously ridiculous. It’s now recommended by the powers-that-be that we label food ‘every day’ food or ‘sometimes’ food. I’d prefer to just call a spade a spade.
We don’t need to label foods consciously. We don’t need to stand in the chocolate aisle and say ‘No, I can’t eat that. It’s bad.’ However, we do need to understand that not all foods are created equal, and that different foods have vastly different effects on our bodies and our minds. If we want to eat the chocolate, we have to understand that although it may be good for our mind right then, it will never be the best choice for our body.
But who wants to go through life always choosing Brussels sprouts over Belgian chocolate? Certainly not me. As long as we are aware of WHY we are making that choice, and that we are also choosing the RESULTS of that choice. So by all means choose the chocolate, but we must accept the outcome as well. It’s no good eating fatty foods six days out of seven, and then throwing our hands in the air and wondering why we feel and move and look the way we do – as if one has nothing to do with the other.
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