News articles, healthcare packages and diet plans claim to help you become your ‘healthiest’ self. But what does that actually mean?
News articles, healthcare packages and diet plans claim to help you become your ‘healthiest’ self. But what does that actually mean?
The last decade has seen obesity morph into a global crisis, fuelling our plight to lose weight and be more active. A good outcome for productivity, lifespan and healthcare costs; but how healthy are we actually becoming? Are you focused simply on BMI and fitness, or taking time to improve mental well-being and life balance too?
SOCIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Social media has been at the forefront of the health trend, with a quick scroll through tags such as ‘healthy’ or ‘fitness’ producing an image stream of toned bodies and macro-perfect meals. Some may be honest depictions, with others the result of food styling, rigorous exercise and over-editing behind the scenes. How this kind of visual exposure affects us as individuals can vary widely from being inspired to take control of our health, to self-deprecating thoughts as we struggle to meet the supposed ‘ideal’.
Sadly the latter is becoming more common, and can even be a gateway to issues such as body dysmorphic and eating disorders and over-exercising. Put into context, the very photos that allege to promote healthy living could be a path to the exact opposite. Sound too serious to be relevant to you? When asked about those who take their pursuit for ‘better health’ too far, health and lifestyle coach Lara Dalch, INHC discusses orthorexia, a term used to describe an obsession with eating only foods that one considers ‘healthy’.
“It can be satisfying when you start to see results from eating better, and can be easy to put stricter rules on your eating habits than is actually healthy,” the US-based expert explains. “Even those who don’t have eating disorders can go down the path of overexercising or under-eating as we try to lead a healthier life.”
The rising prevalence of these issues has led to body confidence campaigns such as ‘fit not skinny’. Through their mantras, they promote a strong and healthy body via real, nutritious diets and regular (but not excessive) exercise. One keen advocate is awardwinning personal trainer Hollie Grant. She says, “Exercise, when performed correctly and safely has very few negative side effects but trying to be ‘skinny’ has many. Perhaps ironically, you will often find that those with the most enviable bodies care less about how their bodies look and more about what their bodies do; just look at Olympians.” To counteract the negativity that can be found online, Grant advocates following “positive role models who eat nourishing foods, train their bodies similar to athletes and care about what they put on their skin.”
GET MOVING
It’s no surprise that personal trainers consider exercise essential, but for Grant, the benefits are more than just physical. She says, “A lot of the positive side effects of exercise are to do with mental health. When clients exercise, their bodies are flushed with endorphins, making them feel happy and content. They tend to eat healthier as they don’t want to undo the hard work they put in, and look in the mirror feeling happier with what they see.”
On the flip side, “When clients don’t exercise or eat well, their moods are affected, they’re less likely to make good food choices and can feel lethargic.” Grant adds, “If we focus on our minds, we can improve our health overall. If we’re happy, we’re less likely to eat for comfort; if well rested we will not reach for sugar; if less stressed we will not put extra pressure on our hearts. And if we are happy in our own skin, we will exercise to be healthy rather than skinny.”
HABITS FOR CHANGE
Research conducted by the University of Scranton in the Journal of Clinical Psychology shows that losing weight, enjoying life and being fit and healthy are among the top five New Year resolutions set each year, but that only eight per cent of people manage to achieve them. Are our personal goals simply unattainable? Or are our plans unrealistic in the long term? Those who manage to lead a healthier lifestyle often talk about foregoing strict regimes and restrictions, and focusing on improving their habits.
Health coach Dalch says, “The three things that ‘healthy’ people tend to do and that I see in women able to maintain their health and weight are normal weight’ (or ‘skinny fat’). This refers to those of a slender build who lack muscle and have a disproportionately high amount of unhealthy fat. Their shape may look great to the eye, but a host of problems may lie beneath the surface. Those who have gone to unhealthy lengths to fall under this umbrella, as do naturally svelte individuals who don’t eat well or exercise often, can appear to maintain their slight figures irrespective of lifestyle.
The body can only sustain itself on inadequate nourishment for so long regardless of size, and much like a car needs high-quality fuel to perform at its best. There are other signs too: dry hair and skin, blemishes, lack of energy and difficulty sleeping, to name just a few. Put simply, better nutrition is essential for better health. And it doesn’t need to be complicated. Choose whole foods over processed and keep in mind that nutrients are often most plentiful when consumed in the most natural state.
CHANGING PERCEPTION
Gabrielle Bernstein, spiritual activist and bestselling author took charge of her health through diet. Her inspirational story focuses on how perception boils down to interpretation and its effect on well-being. In Bernstein’s book The Universe Has moving their bodies regularly, managing stress via meditation or deep breathing, and prioritising sleep.”
Dalch adds that planning meals and following a nutritious yet flexible diet may seem obvious, but mindful eating is equally important. This she describes as “slowing down and enjoying your food, rather than sitting in front of the computer or television and eating quickly without thinking about it.”
WHAT HIDES BENEATH
Whatever the reason, failing to meet the daily nutrient recommendations means you’re struggling with your health. Remember too that what meets the eye isn’t always the full story. A woman that looks slim, for example, could be a prime example of the term ‘metabolically obese, Your Back, she says, “My shift in perception about my body led me to receive the exact help I needed for a radical healing journey.”
With the help of a doctor, she cleaned up her diet by removing sugar, dairy, yeast and gluten and started taking supplements and doing cleanses. “I became aware of how food, travel and stress affected my body. This knowledge gave me power.” And it’s not just about diet. The phrase ‘treat others how you would like to be treated’ is a common one when teaching children how to behave, but the other way around is equally as important. Bernstein asks, “Do you treat yourself how you would like others to treat you?”
Bernstein believes that self-acceptance and acknowledgement of your own behaviour are vital, as the persona or attitude you put forward can often be returned through others. A simple shift in perception and outlook could be all it takes to improve your well-being. Rather than thinking about what you still want in life, or have not yet achieved, decide to view the world from a positive perspective and appreciate what you already have. This is the first step towards contentment.
Also striving to improve perceptions is health coach Dalch, who challenges the notion of work/life balance in favour of better work/life integration. “I believe in prioritising things that allow you to be your most vibrant, healthy, confident and effective self,” she says. “Self-care and putting your personal priorities first, particularly health-related ones, allows you to be more effective both at work and in life.” When asked how to achieve this, Dalch suggests creating a ‘you’ to-do list, rather than separating your to-do’s for ‘work’ and ‘personal’. She says, “An integrated to-do list allows you to see the big picture of your life. Prioritising things that really matter and that help you feel balanced, calm and focused.”
Decide to view the world from a positive perspective and appreciate what you already have.
Running together/thinkstock; Woman pouring herbs into bowl of salad in kitchen/thinkstock.
