Achieving healthy weight loss goals starts with self-acceptance

Rina Factor/Contributing Writer

Recently, I attended my cousin’s wedding, and to prepare for this event, my goal was to lose enough weight so that I could fit into my dress without any noticeable stomach fat.

I have always been a size zero, but after dress shopping, I was shocked when I slipped on a size eight ball gown and it barely hung off my figure.

With a hectic spring semester and tons of stress eating, it’s no surprise that I gained a couple of pounds. However, when I notice and compare other people’s diets and exercise routines, it adds a level of frustration to my day.

I have a friend who can never seem to gain weight regardless of how much she eats without working out. My own brother consumes copious amounts of food and works out intensely, while physically remaining fit.

And yet when I do the same thing, I only gain unwanted weight.

If you are weight conscious, then you’ve probably looked up a supermodel diet at some point, either out of curiosity or desperation.

Some of these diets are pretty extreme but the way each model’s body accommodates to these eating habits are also pretty fascinating (and frustrating as well).  

For instance, Alessandra Ambrosio, a Victoria Secret model, only consumed 1,200 calories per day for three months after giving birth to get in shape for the Victoria’s Secret fashion show.

But another model, Taylor Hill, who is younger, reportedly consumes 3,000 calories daily, but has a tiny figure.All across YouTube, the Internet, and health magazines, people are sharing their tips for weight loss. There are all kinds of diets, fitness workouts, and fads being offered to us constantly in order for us to stay fit.

But what works for one person is simply not going to work for everyone else. Everyone’s body is different and processes food differently.

It’s a fact that I have to continually remind myself whenever I feel bad over a weight gain or how my body looks in the mirror. It’s something we should all remind ourselves, to be fairly honest.

If you have been eating healthy and working out, tried everything from counting calories, to the newest fad diet, and still can’t hit your goal weight, stop beating yourself up. You’re not a professional trainer or a nutritionist.

Because of the misconceptions regarding weight loss and body image, I would love to see all body types, whether lanky or curvy, represented more often in the media.

All types of women, of all body shapes and sizes, buy lingerie. To see someone confident and beautiful with the same body shape on an advertisement or runway walk lifts the pressure off your own fears when it comes to weight loss.

There are already countless articles denouncing body standards for women in the fashion industry. I am not here to hold my pitchfork and scream at casting directors to change their ways.

Most of us are not models or celebrities. And as such, we don’t have as much time to devote to our physiques. I know the torturous feeling of looking at the scale and the fear that the number will never stop creeping up.

I also know what it’s like to become obsessed with the idea of being thin to the point where it’s never thin enough.

Just like beauty, the body is perceived in the eye of the beholder. It’s time we started accepting ourselves on the way to reaching our goals.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

 

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash.

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