I’m pretty sure those swimsuit model days I never had are over. I have learned and continued to learn ways to make peace in and with my body and build the healthiest body I can. Most of all, I have learned that the path to peace in the body and contentment in the spirit is far from perfect and takes thought and self-examination.
If you're on the same quest and path to finding peace in and with your body, here are some of my tips on how to begin:
1. Eat for your health.
Forget about those gimmicky diets and shakes. Eat real food, in real and reasonable portions. This doesn’t sound as sexy as a quickie plan, but health coaches and nutritionists can help you create your own meal plan!
2. Indulge every now and then, and savor every bite.
There is no power in creating forbidden foods. On the contrary, carefully and mindfully choosing which 'treat' to indulge in can make you feel more in control. Me? I make it something I really want and can enjoy thoroughly.
3. Go back, then look ahead.
When I am tired, needing a new plan and desperately trying to find my way on that healthy path, I go back to what has made me successful in the past and then start there. From that, I can create a concrete way to move myself forward. Any focus on what isn’t working only creates anxiety with no real solution.
4. Find an exercise plan you love.
Whether it is one thing or five that you rotate through, choose exercise that you actually find enjoyable, not something you slog through. Vary the intensities and see how you feel, or if you are like me, change up the exercise daily.
A combo of any kind (I love weight training, yoga, cycling, kickboxing and walking) can be just the thing not only for the body, but more importantly for the brain.
5. Be kind to yourself.
No happy thing comes from comparing yourself to someone else. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. That’s what makes us all individuals. Stop comparing, replace that with a look inside at what you want and create a path from where you are.
6. Clear out!
When I do a closet clean out, I get rid of what is old and worn and what doesn’t fit. I keep only what fits now, so I stay away from that dissatisfaction of putting something on and having it make me feel terrible.
This doesn’t mean I don’t have health goals and maintenance, but it keeps me realistic and in the now. How about you — how do you make peace with your body?