Yesterday I watched a video where a young woman spoke about her recent weight loss journey and there was something about it that didn't sit right with me. A few elements of the video came across as slightly toxic and I put it down to this diet culture that has become the obsession of many in recent years. From fad diets to the media linking ones happiness to how slim someone looks, I want to tear my hair out every time I see the promotion of low calorie diets.
Now, I am all about feeling good about yourself and being in a place where you are happy with your body and if losing a few pounds will do that for you then that's great, just as if you are happy with your body the way it is at the moment then that is also great. But what isn't great is when people think it is okay to promote low calorie diets and/or a substantial amount of exercise without doing the appropriate research and having some sort of professional input and guidance.
Did you know that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calories a day is just an average? It all depends on your gender, age, height, weight and amount of physical activity. Your body actually needs a good amount of calories to just sit and do nothing! Yes, even sitting at your computer or lying in your bed needs a good, substantial amount of energy. Now, of course I'm not a professional but even I know that if you are following a low calorie diet without doing so with caution and with the correct research you are at risk of developing unhealthy behaviours and an unhealthy relationship with food and/or exercise.
When you start to live off a low number of calories a day your body can enter 'starvation.' This means that slowly your body will begin to shut down as it is no longer energy balanced. Your body's main priority is to keep you breathing and your heart beating, so your body will take the energy that would usually be used for other bodily functions and put it towards keeping you alive. One of the main examples of this for females is the loss of your period. If you are serious about losing weight in a healthy way it is important to remember that if you are consuming a low number of calories and also doing a substantial amount of exercise then you must make up the calories that you have lost. It is also important that when you have reached your goal weight and are happy with what you have achieved, you MUST increase your calorie intake slowly to a number where you are able to healthily maintain that weight. If you continue to eat the same number of calories that you were losing weight on, you will continue to lose weight.
It is possible for you to be fit and healthy and still eat a slice of pizza. It's all about balance!! The media is forever highlighting the negatives of fat, carbs and sugar yet they never seem to highlight the positives of these and how they contribute to a healthy body.
To conclude this slightly different post, I want to remind you all that if you are wanting to lose weight then make sure that you are doing it for yourself and nobody else, and also make sure that you do your research, query a professional about it and ensure that you are doing it in a healthy manner.
Until next time,
Elijah xo
No comments:
Post a Comment