Do you look good enough?
The svelte figure, light skin, silky tresses — do you have it all?
Many of our choices are made on the basis of appearance. Often pets that are adopted find homes not only because we are sure they will love us unconditionally, but because an intrinsic part of their value is how “cute” they are. And dare I say what we are least likely to publicly acknowledge — that which is judged the most — the appearances of people. But the age old adage always serves to comfort us: Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Right?
“We are bombarded with standards of beauty that seem almost unrealistic.”
So, what happens when the beholder is brainwashed? We are bombarded with standards of beauty that seem almost unrealistic. (Read: photoshop)
We’ve been sold a kind of beauty whose mould doesn’t necessarily fit us all. Svelte figures, light skin, straightened silky tresses seem to be what we should aspire to have. While such physical traits are striking, surely they aren’t the only kind of beauty that deserves representation, right ?
When we are young, we are impressionable to the point of not knowing any better.
The pretty toned girl gets the boy. The ripped boy has a better chance of winning over the pretty girl. The fairness cream using young lady has more chances of getting married as opposed to her hitherto darker self. The fat friend is the wingman, while the thin friend scores the date. Popular culture is rife with such references.
As someone who struggled with an eating disorder, I can vouch for how real the damage is, mental trauma aside.
Starving, following fad diets and over working my body with unsuitable exercises were the many things I did just to be thin. Just to be more socially accepted.
I love the way I look
If experience counts for something then I would like to shed light on the importance of loving your body for exactly what it is instead of aspiring to meet artificially created standards of beauty. Loving your body doesn’t imply not exercising it. Exercise by all means, but not on over drive or over kill. Moderation is the key to sustenance.
I often hear people wanting to be fit. Many times though this term is used synonymously with weight loss. Being fit seems to wrongly imply wash board abs, toned arms and a thigh gap(Why is that even a thing!) I was guilty of using the term fit and ‘weight loss’ interchangeably myself. While the latter is a core part of the former, the two should not be mistaken for synonyms.
“Being fit seems to wrongly imply wash board abs, toned arms and a thigh gap(Why is that even a thing!)”
Being fit is being able to sustain a physical activity without tiring one’s self out. Fitness is a form that results from exercise and the right nutrition. It should not have a deadline instead it should be a lifestyle.
Eating clean, avoiding copious amount of junk food, and not depriving your body of the occasional indulgence is a good way to stay in shape. Exercise may seem arduous, expensive and almost impossible. I’ve listed a few ways which could make the process easier on your body and your pocket:
- Misery loves company
If you’re just about starting out, if you have only recently decided to give this sordid thing called exercise a shot, then rope in some company. A little encouragement from a partner in crime goes a long way.
Plan workout schedules together, and mix it up. Doing different kind of physical activities not only results in keeping you engaged but also challenges the body to push its limits.
2. Walk or bike
I scoffed myself as I typed those words out because it seems like the most redundant thing to say, but if you could squeeze 20 minutes out in the morning atleast thrice a week for a brisk walk, you would feel a noticeable difference to your day.
3. When you’re on said walk try to look out for a fitness park aka jungle gym
Working out in a gym with a personal trainer surely does have a dozen advantages, but most often gyms are air-conditioned environments. Let your skin breathe while youre exercising and what better way to do so than out in the open.
Everyday on my way to work I see a few elderly people killing’ their workout sessions in a jungle gym and that sight leaves me with no excuse to be marinating in my lethargy.
4.Take advantage of free videos online
I do not want to be giving you another reason to stay indoors and stare at a screen, which seems to be the greater half of most of our days, but sometimes the options are few and far. Amazingly educative and helpful fitness channels are coulouring the web in the brightest hues!
Fitness Blender is an example of a channel started by a young couple. With more than 400 free videos online, they can be your personal saviors. From high intensity workouts which help in strength training to lighter pilates centred work outs, this duo has made exercise look super simple.
5.Running
Now here’s something I cannot get myself to do/ enjoy. Its still a work in progress thanks to the many apps that help train people to run kilometers over a course of time.
I do have friends who swear by it though, just like a good proportion of fitness enthusiasts in this world.
And while they too have admitted to facing difficulties in the initial stages, what keeps them going is focusing on events like marathons and obstacle races that happen almost every week in most cities. It lends purpose to training and also shifts importance to being healthy rather than just on weight loss. Running they say is deeply personal, but it helps to have a partner to keep the motivation up, in addition to being guided well and avoiding injuries.
Nothing else matters
I have so much to say, but I wouldn’t be able to say it quite like Baz Luhrmann in his great song called “Everybody’s free to wear sunscreen”, so I will just be a cognitive miser and quote him :
“Enjoy your body, use it every way you can
Don’t be afraid of it or what other people think of it
It’s the greatest instrument you will ever own
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room
And do not read beauty magazines.
They will only make you feel ugly”
