Oats N Boats ~ Smile & Glow

“I should lose some weight.”
“I shouldn’t have all those sweets.”
“I shouldn’t have eaten that ice cream.”

… sound familiar? Most of us have had similar thoughts – not being happy with how we look, feeling guilty for what we’re eating – thinking we should change, be different, or that we’re wrong for being who we are. Now what would you say if I told you that the words above are those of a 98 year old woman? Issues with body image know no bounds. We might academically know that it should all be about moderation, that it’s about a balanced life style, that we shouldn’t feel guilty because we have one cookie or one cup of ice cream – but that’s not what our brains tell us.

My grandmother would go on diets through her 80s, thinking that she had to lose some weight. Now that she’s older, her brain isn’t there enough for her to diet, but she still feels guilty for eating sweets. Let me repeat that – she’s 98 years old and she feels guilty for what she eats! The problems of body image are not limited to today’s youth, it’s ageless – it affects everyone. We all have an awareness of how we look and what we believe we should be. Not only do we have children trying to control what they eat, we also have women in their 90s doing the same thing. Women who can’t necessarily remember what they did that morning, or who get memories confused, these same women are so deeply entrenched with the idea that their body should be a certain way, that they still feel guilty for what they eat.

This has raised so many thoughts in my head…

First of all, it shows me that the issues I have with body image did not arrive late in life – it’s something that every female in my family deals with. I grew up with people worried about their weight and what they should/shouldn’t be eating.

My next thought – this is why it’s so important that we really embrace the balanced life style. That it’s not about feeling guilty for eating something, but instead about listening to what fuels your body, what will make you happy, what balances your life. Intuitive eating. Respecting your body. Thanking your body. We need to change our mindsets now so we don’t spend the next 70 years feeling guilty every time we take a bite of ice cream.

It’s not about deserve or don’t deserve. We build food up so much in our society – food becomes a reward, a solace, our balm. How often have you heard “We should celebrate! Where do you want to go to dinner?” Food becomes an obligation.

I can’t help but wonder, how many generations have women been beating themselves up over food. Clearly for at least 3 generations in my family (which in terms of time is about 4-5 generations for most other families).

I challenge myself to see food as a simple part of my life. To banish the thought that it’s the ultimate treat/reward, and instead remember that food is fuel, that it’s something for my body to use, that I should respect myself and consider what it is that my body wants instead of what my brain wants. I love strawberries more than any traditional sweet treat. I don’t have to have a cake for my birthday – I can have a bowl of strawberries if I want. And in the same way challenge myself to enjoy my senses – food might be great for my taste buds, but a beautiful walk in the park, a hike along the coast – that embraces sight, smell, sound, and touch!

My body yearns for freedom – for freedom from my oppressive mind.  I’m still on a journey for health, I’m not arguing that I need to change myself for my health – but that as a part of my journey for health, I need to change how I see food. I really, really don’t want my relationship with food to be such that when I’m 98 I feel guilty for eating a bowl of ice cream.

Isn’t that what we’re all struggling for? Feeling comfortable with ourselves, feeling okay with our choices, loving ourselves and respecting our bodies. We’re all trying to find out what makes us happy – body and mind.

I challenge you to eat your dinner free of guilt tonight. And thing of the 98 year old, who loves a small bowl of strawberry ice cream during the moments her mind goes blank, and she forgets that she’s supposed to feel guilty about it.

Embrace your body. Live for health, not for guilt.