Beauty Redefined

This is Steph Anderson posting and my mind is so full of thoughts right now. I was so touched by tonight's meeting. I can't even begin to say how refreshing and amazing it was to hear the presentation by Lindsay Kite about the media's representation of women's bodies. I know I learned a lot and cannot even summarize what we learned because it was too awesome. For those not in attendance, please visit the webiste, Beauty Redefined and take in as much as you can.

 One of the things I found most disturbing was that in the 50's Marilyn Monroe was a size 14 and was considered the most sexy woman alive and now the sexiest woman alive is Angelina Jolie who weighs 100 pounds and is a size 0. These ideals are NOT realistic or attainable and it is so sad that we worship being thin at any cost. There is nothing healthy about being dangerously skinny yet so many of use feel an overwhelming pressure to try, even if it's dangerous, to be rail thin. Some body types are petite, thin, and naturally lean but others are not naturally designed to be that way. The important thing to remember is that we have to decide for ourselves what is healthy, attainable, sustainable, and realistic. 

There is no way for all of us to have the same body shape, type, weight, etc. yet somehow we all seem to feel driven to look like people we see in the media. The media not only damages women but it damages men and their ability to develop and seek out "normal" relationships with women. Even after we see through the lies of the media, it's equally important to spread this knowledge to the men in our lives. Some men are sadly too far entrenched in their way of thinking and will probably never understand how unrealistic it is for women to look like models. Some women are too far entrenched in their way of thinking and will continue to support the plastic surgery, weight loss, diet, and vanity industry. It takes awareness and tonight was just one way to help us gain awareness of this massive problem.

It can seem daunting and overwhelming to reject the media and instantly love ourselves and see our true worth and spread the word to all the women we know, but one step at a time, we can make a difference by starting with ourselves and the dialogue in our minds. I hope everyone can take time to check out the website and post their thoughts and feelings here! It was unforgettable and I can't wait to continue spreading the word about this group and having our meetings. 

As another thank you, we had a wonderful presentation by a wellness coach, Heather, that gave us some great information about sugar and the different types of sugar hidden in foods and how the wrong kinds of sugars such as high fructose corn syrup can cause more hunger and cravings and throw our energy out of balance. If anyone is interested in a free wellness evaluation please contact Anne Marie Neff via FB and she will get you hooked up.  

I'll post pictures tomorrow. Thanks everyone for stopping by! 

Yummy Beginnings

Our first meeting was a hit. It was great to discuss our successes, our goals, and the things we love about ourselves. We all have things we can relate to and having a support system is important for us to achieve our goals. We each set a 21 day goal since it takes 21 days of doing something before it becomes a habit. We can do it!! As we modify our lifestyle one baby step at a time, we are so much more likely to sustain whatever progress we make. Diets don't work and will only set us up for failure and together we are rejecting the diet mentality and welcoming healthy habits one step at a time. Here's some tips from Michelle Cramer, Steph's sister-in-law who is a registered dietician. 

: It is important to have support and encouragement in whatever changes you are going through, so meeting together is great!

2: Write down your own individual goal and put it somewhere you will see it often. (make it something simple that you know you can do w/out dreading it)

3: Diets don't work, that is why they keep coming out with more and more. People can lose wt on them but almost always the wt is gained back, and sometimes more is gained w/it.

4: There is no such thing as a quick fix, change takes time

5. Relapse into old ways is not a collapse. Don't give up, try again and again. It takes 21 days to make something a habit.  

5. The 3 steps to losing wt and keeping it off long term are 1. Healthy well balance diet 2. Regular exercise 3. Lifestyle change.  The third part is the most important of the 3. You can't make a healthy change for a short amount of time and expect the results to last. Baby steps that you can maintain for life are what make the difference. 

6. Eat when you are hungry. When you skip meals or get overly hungry, almost always you will find you overeat the next meal,  and therefore cancelled out any calories you tried to save earlier. Part of the word of wisdom in taking care of your body is to feed it when it needs to be fed. H.F. wouldn't want us to starve ourselves, nor would he want us to over feed ourselves. You have to find a balance.

7 Stop eating when you are full. It takes 20 min for our hunger cues to kick in so don't eat on the run. Sit and enjoy your food, taste it. Be mindful of what you are eating w/all 5 senses. Hear it crunch, smell it, taste it, look at it, is it colorful...`

8. It is okay to have a treat every once in a while, enjoy it and don't feel guilty about it.

9. Plan and prepare your meals BEFORE you go shopping. Avoid prepackaged meals they are usually loaded w/fat and salt.

10. Try to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your day any way you can.

We can't wait for the next meeting!