Leading By Example

TODAY'S MOTIVATION

I know I have been using a lot of shallow (for lack of a better word) reasons for motivation, mostly to do with how I want to look on the outside, but really it goes deeper than that.  I want to be a good example for my little itty bitty girl. I can't stand it when I see parents who basically say to their kids "Do as I say, not as I do".  I don't want to feed Maya healthy food and lecture her about being active when she is older, only for her to see that I am not taking care of myself. Besides, everyone knows that the most effective way to influence your children is through your actions. So today my motivation is to remember that I am now setting an example for Maya, and that it is not just about me anymore. I am convinced that most of the positive traits I possess today are a direct result of my Mother's good example growing up. 

I also feel that everyone develops some bad habits from their parents (it's only natural) which they bring into their adulthood and I want to break those habits so I don't pass them on to Maya.  My mantra today will be "do as I do", not "do as I say". 

RANT OR RAVE

I randomly came across this person's blog post the other day and it got me thinking a bit more about why I am doing all of this. She talked about how she feels that our society is too obsessed about dieting and losing weight. She feels that people should just accept themselves and start to love themselves on the inside. Though I agree on a basic level with what she says, I think it's more complicated than that.  Yes society has made women feel they have to look perfect and be stick thin for years. Yes obsession with dieting may inadvertently be causing our society to become more overweight. All of our distortions aside, the fact remains that we have an obesity problem in this country and people need to lose weight if they want to live longer.

I think "diet" really is a relative term. With all the processed foods, hormones, and increasing portion sizes, we have forgotten what eating normal looks like. We think that "dieting" is giving up junk food and eating more natural healthy food, when in fact, that is just eating normal.  We have grown up with so many bad eating habits that we don't even recognize that these habits are not supposed to be the norm. There are fad diets out there that promise you will lose ten pounds in two days, and they work, but that is not eating healthy - that is a short term solution to a much bigger problem.  I think we need to start defending food and aiming to get back to what really is a normal way of eating.  

The eating guidelines I am following allow me to get back to that, with some limited consumption in the meantime while I slowly lose weight (while enabling me to establish better habits for when I don't have to lose anymore).  I think that people who are successful in getting healthy are the people who change their lifestyle for the better, and challenge the distorted thoughts that often lead to bad choices.  In the end they do like themselves better and are not obsessed with being a size two.  So I agree we have to get away from "dieting" per se, but we do have to change our values and start taking care of ourselves! 

NOTE TO SELF