BODY
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I still to this day am continually amazed by the limitless possibilities in which our bodies have. I know it may seem like to some a silly topic or concept to talk about, and personally it never was something until I hit adolescences that crossed my mind. As I have mentioned in blog and across social media; I was severely bullied growing up due to being overweight and what some would define as 'fat'. I was a little bit chubby, carried a few extra kilos and I was slightly on the bigger side to other girls my age. I wont go into too much detail but this bullying lead to 13 years of a life threatening mental illness known as Anorexia Nervosa which nearly took my life.
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I feel as a society we tend to overlook the whole idea surrounding our bodies (in particular woman) and are so focused on losing weight, our appearance and how we are viewed by others, that we forget what else our bodies are for. In some respect yes I agree our bodies are a physical figure that is visible for all to see, but why not look a little further and appreciate what else they do. Our bodies allow us to move, to breathe, to see, and to hear, but most importantly they allow us to be present and living in this big world we are all apart of. Once I began appreciating my body for more than just what people could physically see, my appreciation has deepened so much further. If everyday we choose to be grateful for one thing; personally it would be the fact I have a body, I can walk, run, breathe, laugh, smile and express gratitude by the way in which I portray myself to others.
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In order to truly appreciate our bodies we need to nourish them with good foods, exercise and self love whether that be in the form of a massage, or by laying down for 30 minutes in the sun soaking up some vitamin D. I am the first to admit through years of fighting an eating disorder I abused my body for all it was worth and now have to live with permanent consequences and damage both internally and externally. It has taken me a long time to accept my body for what it is now (very thin due to the illness gastroparesis) but I ensure each and everyday I nourish it with all I can; and for myself this is maintaining an active, healthy and happy plant based vegan lifestyle filled with high carbohydrates ingredients such as fresh fruits, vegetables, potatoes, dates, green juices/smoothies and whole foods. I nourish my body in an abundance eating as much of these foods as I like, never thinking about calories or restricting and what most woman are worried about, weight gain. When I found this lifestyle it changed my life completely and I will never look back. Eating a diet made up of 90% plant based carbohydrates with the other 10% fats and proteins, my body has only but shown positive results such as stronger nails, clear skin (although I never really struggled with bad skin) but now I NEVER get even the occasional breakout, hair growth, and increased energy levels which some days I don't know what to do with!
I encourage you to move your body, your body will thank you for it in the long run and it will leave you feeling amazing and energised. I enjoy working out and for those who don't I recommend finding something you do enjoy (if you don't like running maybe try something like boxing, or pilates or even just a 30 minute walk everyday). I love running and tend to do so 4-5 days a week outside in the local neighbour, usually between 45 minutes to an hour. I also enjoy the spin classes, the occasional yoga or pilates session and my a recent discovery of boxing. If you begin incorporating different workouts and activities into your daily life, you'll be amazed and how much you may actually enjoy exercise and will soon begin reaping the benefits.
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'Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live'.
- Jim Rohn
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