KOJA Blog
I’m pretty sure that every woman has something they’d like to change about their body. Whether you obsess over your weight, your size, the spots on your skin, your height, your hair, please, I am begging you, it’s time to stop.
Working in the health industry I meet women every week who’ve been inspired by their own health battles to join this industry. More and more there seems to be a collective movement to stop the body shaming and to stop companies and the media promoting one ‘perfect’ body shape. Health is not defined in the definition of your abs. It’s so much more than that…
We need to stop the diets, the fads, anorexia, orthorexia, bulimia, body hate and the overall need to be fitter/leaner/skinnier/prettier/whatever. It’s time to accept that what’s different about your body is what makes you unique.
Is Instagram the cause of your negative body image?
We are constantly faced with images of tall, fit, toned, skinny, sexy, clear skinned women. What we don’t see is whether or not they’re really happy and healthy. I'm sure these women work their butts off to train, eat clean and thank the heavens every day for their genetically blessed physiques. But more importantly, does looking at these images make us feel happy and good about ourselves?
So Instagram and the bloggers constantly posting images of the ‘perfect’ body…. Please stop. It’s not inspiring, it’s sending the message to a lot of women that we are not good enough.
Last time I checked, happiness and fulfillment was not found in a coffee body scrub, a detoxing laxative tea, or a workout training guide.
As educated, intelligent, independent and strong women, we know that these brands aren’t going to instantly transform our lives and our bodies as soon as we buy whatever they’re selling. Yet we continue to follow them and continue to be seduced by it all.
Wake up!
What’s really important to our health?
My health philosophy is that we’ve all got to get our mindset sorted first.
Health is NOT all about your bikini body, it’s NOT all about how toned your butt looks in your lululemon tights. It’s NOT all about how many calories you ate today or how many grams of protein are in that snack bar. It’s NOT all about how you don’t eat grains or dairy or how many supplements you added to your morning smoothie.
The ultimate definition of health for me is a healthy mind. A happy, content, ambitious, and grateful mind. Emotional health, and an understanding that there’s so much more to life than the size of your jeans.
When your mind is healthy, and the relationship that you have with yourself is healthy, you are guaranteed to make better choices for your body. You’ll eat with love, eat for nourishment, not with guilt and deprivation in mind. You’ll move your body because it feels good, because you enjoy feeling strong and fit, and you’ll rest when you need to because you know your body and your mind needs it.
Life does not instantly become happy the moment you lose 2 kilos, or 5 kilos, or 30kilos. It’s time to choose to be happy, love yourself and let go of all the hate, anxiety and hangups about your body. Happiness comes when you accept yourself, do the things you love in life, and surround yourself with people who inspire you.
This is my goal for health, and it’s what I strive for personally. Even in my size 12 jeans, even with my stretch marks, and the cellulite on my ass, (can’t believe I just wrote that ahhhh!!) I focus on leading a life I love, being positive, active and happy.
Be the change
The best advice I’ve ever been given is to be you, because everyone else is taken. Being imperfect is what makes you beautiful.
There's so much more to life than worrying about the size of jeans you wear.
You are beautiful.
You do not have to change to be good enough.
You are perfect just the way you are.
Now go and unfollow the Instagram accounts that make you feel s**t about yourself! Now!
Kate xx
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