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Wednesday 24 June 2009

No-one to See You

If you were marooned on a desert island fully equipped with a endless supply of any food you could imagine (good and bad) and a fully equipped gym - would you eat and train differently?

If you somehow had a radioactive accident that left you with the super power of shape shifting and you could appear to the world in any way you wanted (but you could still see the 'real' you), would you bother with losing those last 5 kilos?

If humans were all blind and no one was chosen for a job or a relationship on how they looked, would you still spend an hour on the treadmill every morning? Or would you be more interested in how you sounded or how you smelt?

I wonder if it is really the way that we look to other people that is the main reason we drive ourselves to eat well and train hard. If the world was unable to judge us on our appearances would we continue to be so obsessed with the perfect body?

For me, I am fairly certain that I wouldn't change very much at all. I would continue to eat in a way that gives me pleasure, energy and vitality. I would train so that I was fit and strong. Even if no one could see my body, I would still get a flush of pleasure from seeing my hip bones and abs (unless I was blind and then I could still feel them!).

There is no way I would trade the way I feel today for the way I did when I was overweight. A life of heaviness, aching joints, and heat rashes where my legs rubbed together is no longer an option. My life would be less enjoyable if I wasn't actively pursuing a dream to be extraordinary.

If you want to create and keep the body you've always imagined, then your motivation probably needs to go beyond merely wanting other people to consider you attractive. Because when the tough times hit, you will find worrying about how you look low on your list of priorities.

But if you are driven by an overwhelming desire to inhabit the world in a physical form that supports and enhances your ability to think, move, feel, and conquer any challenge, then you will never let anything take that dream away from you.

Uncover the reasons why you behave the way you do, and then live a life that honours those values.

5 comments:

  1. I agree with you - I wouldn't change how you feel when you eat & train well. That is better than how you feel when you eat chocolate or [insert frankenstein food here]... I just need to remember that next time I think I "need" a cake fest

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  2. Hi Katie..

    I think this is the first time that I have left a comment on your blog! I read your post, thought about it and had to come back and re-read it... it has really made think hard about my goals and reasons...
    Thank you for the "brain food" (it has no cals..) But, it made me realise that I don't think I would change anything.. I love my body.. my fitness level, my strength (and biceps ;-) I love them... and really don't think much about what others think about them...
    It was good to think about.. thanks

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  3. I think this exact post explains why I struggle so much to lose weight.

    I would love to be smaller and under 70 kg's, but I also love who I am as me. I can ride 60 km's or 100km's, I have run a half marathon and I did all these things at the size I am now, so I know my body is ok, but I still know that I should be smaller as I am classed as overweight at 74 kg's, I should be 69 kg's to be in the top of the healthy range.

    I think this is why I am struggling to lose weight.

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  4. I was for the past 3 years embarrassed that I had gained 5 kilos of weight after I quit smoking. I really thought people were thinking how fat I looked! It made me turn to food more and get depressed as opposed to now I eat and exercise for me (body and soul)-I don't think of what anyone else sees, I know I see a person living and dealing with daily tribulations trying to get the best of me at every moment-that's all I can do. See it,enjoy it, Live it!!

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  5. @Em - oh but chocolate makes me feel good too :)

    @Yummy Mummy - thanks for commenting. Loving your body is a great place to be.

    @Kristy - the only thing you should be is what makes you happy - screw 'healthy' weight range and live your own life xx

    @Cathy - eating and exercising for body and soul is what this journey is all about.

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