So we’re into week five hundred and eighty seven of lockdown in the UK. Feeling connected and separated all at once with the world. Together and apart.
Some people are busier than ever. Whether it be working online and dealing with all that comes with that or some not so much. Bored, stressed out, emotional, content and everything else in between.
I want to address something particularly for those who are worried about gaining extra pounds during lockdown. I read and article in mainstream media this morning which made me quite angry about “Waging the war on fat”
As I’ve said before, now is definitely NOT the time to restrict yourself from eating. In fact you should NEVER deny yourself food for the sake of “losing weight” I know that many are feeling the pressure. I feel very strongly about this and this is another reason why my classes are never focused on weight.
In my line of work there is, in my opinion way too much emphasis on fat/thin. Weight loss and glorifying the ‘perfect’ figure.
Thin doesn’t always equal healthy.
Fat doesn’t always equal unhealthy.
Diet and nutrition, fitness and exercise are not synonymous.
We have been conditioned to believe that ‘obesity’ IS the problem. Someone’s weight isn’t an immediate indicator of the state of health and yet there is a lot of shame surrounding someone’s body weight.
I’ve seen a lot of memes on social media about coming out of lockdown as a hunk, chunk or drunk but frankly, it’s disturbing.
It is true that I’ve never been on a diet to lose weight but I grew up with a mum who yo-yo dieted certainly throughout my lifetime. By the way, diet clubs don’t work. Yep, I said it. At least not in the way that you’d like them to. They have people going back to them year after year but don’t get me started on that!
There is so much unlearning to do.
Exercise and nutritional needs are unique to everybody. It needs to be gender plus age appropriate and that is just the start. For us women where we are in our menstrual cycle and there’s those who’ve just had babies, those going through or have gone through the menopause. These things are baseline.
Stress alone has far reaching implications. It’s a fact that excess cortisol levels affects us negatively in a number of ways including if you are purposefully trying to loose fat or build muscle. Itll make things harder for you.
I urge you not to do this to yourself. Change is well overdue in how we look at weight. The science speaks for itself.
Weight isn’t the problem. More than likely excess or weight deficiency could be highlighting a problem be it physiological or psychological.
I have so much more to tell you but for now, if you are feeling the pressure to exercise excessively and/or deny yourself food because you’re afraid of “rolling out of lockdown” be kind to yourself. Exercise for your physical and mental health because you enjoy it. Celebrate what your body can do. Enjoy eating food knowing that you are choosing to feed your body the healthy nutrients it needs to function well and give you vital energy to live and enjoy life.
If all you want to eat is ‘food type’ stuff that has poor nutritional value, then that is another matter that you probably should address when the time is right for you, but do so firstly with self acceptance, self love if you can is even better, kindness and ask for help where you need to. No woman is an island.
Remember that habits are not formed overnight so go easy on yourself. Be gentle.
If you are interested to find out more about living a pro-nutrition but anti-diet life, sign up to my mailng list here and I’ll keep you in the loop.
You are more than enough. You and your body are beautiful, including the times when you’re just not feeling it. We all have those days.
Don’t believe everything the headlines tell you.
Learn to move and eat intuitively.
There is another way and you are worth the effort but remember to take baby steps
Lots of love,
Simmone x
Simojo 