Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Not a Diet Really...

Ande and I went to see Forks Over Knives today at Park Terrace, which was about the correlation between eating meat and dairy with rates of cancer and heart disease and diabetes. The film was interesting and prompted some interesting discussion between my husband and I about trying our own experiment in better health. Not to lose weight, but to lower my cholesterol and improve Ande's overall health. I am not going to step on the scale during this change, because I don't want this to be another stressful attempt to look better; but one more step to improving my self esteem through feeling healthier.
Sooo we are planning to eliminate the majority of meat and dairy from our diet. It will be a once a week, if that, presence in our overall diet. I am expecting the dairy part to be a little harder for me, but we'll see.

Here's to more veggies!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Bathing Suit thing

I went to the pool this afternoon with the two girls I care for during the summer. While we were there I spent time looking around at all the women in bathing suits, and I found myself judging other women on their choice to wear bikinis or revealing suits when maybe they weren't as toned as some of the other women.

Then I thought to myself "Wow girl, what gives you the right?" As soon as I had corrected my thoughts I looked again and saw beautiful women with lush bodies, like a Renoir painting instead.

It seems to me a testament to the power of suggestion that we judge not only ourselves in a bathing suit, but other women. And not only with bathing suits, but clothes in general. If we can get past what the advertising industry tells us we "should" look like in a bathing suit, maybe it won't be torture to buy one, or put one on at the beginning of the season. Maybe we can rejoice in the sun, and enjoy swimming with our children, or lovers, and friends without being distracted by our own self loathing.

I suggest you go dig your favorite swim suit out of the bottom drawer, put it on, and go run outside in the sprinkler, or go to the pool if you are brave, and soak up some sun! (wear sunscreen of course) I plan to  :)