By Coach Lindsay Leigh
“Bad body image is not cured by weight loss. It’s cured through self-care and respect.” I recently read this quote, which inspired this post.
For many (most?) of us, it is hard to repeat the sentence: “I love my body.”
Do you want or need to lose a few pounds? Okay, but you first need to love and respect your body, and appreciate all it does for you, and know that you deserve care for yourself and to be cared for.
Long lasting weight loss will not come from hating your body, or shame or fear. It will come from love, respect, acceptance and care.
To care for your body means to feed it with the best quality foods, to take the time to cook wholesome, balanced meals, and to work out because of the love of sport and movement, not for burning calories or punishment for eating a treat.
Becoming an endurance athlete changed my relationship with my body because it helped me realize that food was fuel. In order to perform my best, I needed to feed my body with the highest quality of foods. It also increased my respect for my body because of the amazing things it could accomplish in training and racing.
I encourage everyone, whether you train or not, to think of yourself as an athlete because of this “athlete mentality” of respecting your body, feeding it what it needs to perform its best (not what the mind may want), and taking the time to care for yourself through healthy eating.
You are worth it, you are deserving, and you can become the strongest, healthiest version of yourself.