A New Year’s Resolution That You Can Carry Into February
Ah, yes. January.
The brisk winter air smacks us right in the face and reminds us that all of the seasonal fun is over. Everyone has returned home and set their alarm clocks. Bank accounts show lower than average numbers, while bathroom scales show higher than average numbers. And of course, social media is flooded with “new year, new me [insert random emojis]” posts.
It seems that everyone develops unanimity for one thing — fitness.
That’s right. The omnipresence of health and wellness overtakes our culture as we try and create new lifestyles for ourselves by joining fitness facilities and trying the latest diet trends. Unsurprisingly, losing weight becomes the biggest concern for many individuals. At least until February comes around, that is.
But why? Why is it that so many people want to change their bodies? I mean, most of us know that the models in the magazines are photoshopped and that being truly healthy looks far different from what we envision. But why is it that losing weight remains so urgent to so many people?
I guess the power of achieving an ideal body type is far greater than what I would like to think. I am certainly not against losing weight for a New Year’s resolution, I am just far too familiar with the sacrifices that must be made in order to chase after these socially constructed ideals. I am afraid of hearing someone’s story resemble my own.
With that being said, I want to suggest a New Year’s resolution that everyone can, and arguably should, follow in addition to any other resolutions.
Love yourself.
Yes, I know it sounds like every other depoliticized faux-feminist message floating around in today’s world. But when you truly ponder its meanings, it becomes a powerful message. In order to love yourself, you have to intimately look at yourself and begin to analyze and accept who you currently are. You have to notice all of the “goods” and “bads” of your body and truly recognize that they are all a part of you. Then, you have to think about the notions of beauty and all of its construction. What is beauty? Who gets to decide what beauty is? Who gets to decide what I define as beautiful? How did my ideals of beauty come to what they are today? How was I taught what beauty was? Who and what is not considered beautiful? How does beauty privilege some and disadvantage others? What other intersecting identities influence what people define as beautiful?
These are all questions that should be considered. Losing weight can be a great thing if it is for health reasons or personal development. However, losing weight out of pity or envy can possibly lead to harmful effects. Losing weight is a process and loving yourself is the one step that you must constantly remind yourself of in order to have a healthy weight loss journey.
From my senior year in high school to my freshman year in college, I experienced my own weight loss journey. In the beginning, it was amazing. I was eating better and establishing a regular exercise routine. Everything was going according to plan. But after a while, I began to lose sight of myself. I harshly punished myself for every little thing. If I didn’t go to work out, I would fill my head with negativity and internally berate myself. If I ate something that wasn’t healthy or ate too much, I would force myself to throw it all up. There were many times where I would just look in the mirror and start to cry. I hated the way that I looked. I hated how I didn’t look like the GQ models or those slim guys who could just eat whatever they wanted. I was consumed by the desire to look a different way.
Fast forward to the present. I have reflected on my journey and accepted it for what it is. After all, it is a part of me just like all of my other imperfections. But now I aspire to my goals in a different manner. I have recognized that I must love my body for what it is — even the parts that I do not like. I have grown to be forgiving of myself. And ultimately, that’s what I want for everyone. Do not let losing weight control your life to the extent where your mental sanity diminishes. You deserve happiness, but losing weight will not bring it unless you love yourself first.
So as January slips away and February peeks around the corner, focus on creating a basis of love for yourself. Let self-love be the foundation for all aspects of your life. Create a world where you can determine what you want for yourself. Learn to conquer your insecurities.
Love yourself.
You are worth it.
*The image is not mine and was originally posted by Creative Loafing
