In Perfect Shape

I admit. I am not as slim and svelte as I was about a decade ago. This is not something I am proud of nor am willing to accept as something I have to live with for the rest of my life. The flame of hope still burns deep within me – my heart, my mind, and my body, that one day I will once again fit into my little red dress without much squirming and struggling. Getting to be that perfect shape again is a goal that has not been stricken off my list of life goals just yet. While I am so concerned about losing weight and getting back in shape, it is regretful that I seem to have forgotten what we have been taught in school and at home about taking care of our bodies and staying healthy. In between getting on and off fad diets, I have unconsciously deprived myself of food or eaten the wrong kinds of food. I have even gone to the extent of modifying certain fad diets to the extreme in hopes that I would see better results faster. And yes, even when I am really not a hefty eater, I have considered more drastic means to get thinner like bariatric surgery -- if only I could afford it and did not feel that there are more important things to spend my money on. Just as most experts would tell you, this yo-yo dieting simply resulted in more weight gain after successful fad dieting. Now, after losing my gallbladder to a laparoscopic cholecystectomy – which was supposedly aggravated by my wanton dieting, it is quite clear that being in perfect shape is not simply an outward physical state. Being in perfect shape is being healthy in heart, mind, and body.
To get in perfect shape, here are three important things that you should do first:

1. Be thankful. Everyone knows that wallowing in self-pity or in feelings of misery leads to emotional eating. Binge eating is most often turned to by people who need to find comfort or solace. They might experience some amount of satisfaction from their consumption of high carbohydrates and sugars, but in the end, all they have succeeded in doing is to overwork their systems and to pack on unnecessary fat and sugar into their bodies, leading them to feel even more sluggish. Instead of wallowing in self-disapproval, think about all the things in your life that you should be thankful for. You might just surprise yourself when you come up with a long list of things to be grateful for – all this far outweighs everything else that distresses you.

2. Love yourself. No one can love you more than yourself. When you love yourself, you will not do anything that could be harmful to you. Loving yourself means accepting yourself in any size, shape, or color you might be. Loving yourself means keeping yourself in a healthy state that you could be more than proud of. Loving yourself means not letting public judgment to sway you into doing things you should not do. Loving yourself means being happy with who you are, inside and out.

3. Switch to a healthy lifestyle. There is a natural high that comes from living healthy. When you eat the right kinds of food, exercise regularly, and have enough rest, you get a natural glow that comes from a truly rejuvenated body not at all starved of any of the nutrients it needs. Eating healthy is all about making the right food choices in the right portions. Making sure that your body is not nutritionally deprived will allow its metabolic processes to work optimally. Regular exercise is also another enjoyable way to stay in shape. Find a physical activity that you enjoy – either by yourself or with your friends, and commit to engage in it regularly. Before you know it, you will not only feel great about your body, your body will also look good. Do not forget to give your body at least 8 hours of rest everyday to allow it to repair and recharge itself.