“In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die, and where you invest your love, you invest your life…” this Mumford and Sons lyric has always stood out to me. When you stop to think about it, how are you investing positively in the body you have? Are you looking at yourself and just deciding you aren’t good enough because you’re too thin or too curvy?
Here’s the thing… You. Are. Enough. Just as you are.
There are many collegiettes that suffer from or have recovered from an eating disorder. In today’s culture, we have been trained that we need to see a gap between our thighs and a waist that fits into size 2… but at the same time, have that hourglass figure, with full hips and breasts. Seems a bit demanding, doesn’t it? What happens if our chest is a little flatter, our thighs are way far apart, and there isn’t an “a** to smack”? What happens if our breasts and hips are really full, and our thighs touch? What happens if we have a combination of different things going on with our body? That’s the thing. No one is the same body type, and yet society wants us to fit into their definition of “beautiful” – something that seems pretty unattainable.
Eating disorders can come from societal pressures, family pressures, performance pressures and putting pressure on our own self. Just like there are different body types and different influences on suffering from an eating disorder, there are different types and combinations of eating disorders across an entire spectrum. You learn at a young age in your health class what an eating disorder is, and you probably think, “no, that will never be me.” I’ll never eat so much because I can’t control my emotions only to throw it up later. I’ll never starve myself of nutrition. You think, people who do things like that are crazy.
How crazy is it really, to want to fit in with society, to live up to an expectation of beauty you have in your mind? Humans naturally want to be accepted into a group, and we will do almost anything to be accepted.
This week, the first week of March, is Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and Appalachian State’s UREC is working to encourage participants of Group Fitness classes to embrace their bodies and feel great about themselves no matter their shape or size. The gym’s and class areas will cover up all the mirrors so participants are really focusing on their workouts, not how they look doing them. The goal here is that participants won’t be worrying about how they look compared to instructors or other participants, and for participants to embrace their bodies how they are. At the end of each class, participants will be invited to write an inspiring message on the covered mirrors.
The thing about eating disorders is it could happen to anyone in any form, and you could not even realize that you have it. The other thing is, if you suffer from an eating disorder, you can come back from it. No matter what, when you look in the mirror you should be more than satisfied with the person you see looking back at you. Invest your life into loving your body!
Here are some things to try doing to take steps to loving your body and yourself more:
1. Become aware of what your body can do each day. Your body is an instrument, not an ornament.
2. Don’t think you can’t do something you enjoy just because of your shape.
3. Count your blessings, not your blemishes.
4. Wear clothes you feel good in, not what others think you should wear.
5. Find a way to exercise that you like to do and keep it up. Don’t do it to lose weight, do it to keep your body healthy and strong, and because it makes you feel good.
6. Write on your mirror an inspiring quote, like “I am beautiful inside and out”.
7. Eat when you’re hungry, rest when you’re tired. Don’t fight it; your body needs nourishment and rest!
8. Surround yourself with people who remind you of your beauty.
Images:
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/health-fitness/a24494/body-acceptance-quotes-2014/
http://www.dumpaday.com/random-pictures/inspirational-quotes-of-the-week-22-pics/