Therapist Blog

labels

Media Bombards Us All the Time

I have heard the word "slim" and "lean" replace the word "thin" or "skinny" recently, in an effort to be more, what? In my opinion stating words the represent a body size other that what the reader is can alter the way an individual feels about their own body. These "diets" of eat as much as you want and stay slim.... well isn't that a wonder plan, just like every other diet that ever existed. All of that language and thought process still can lead anyone to a dangerous mind set where their focus is on the size of their body, not the health of their body. 

I recently even saw a yoga teach post on Facebook about the joys of "allowing herself to eat a fruit bowl", ummm excuse me? Why do we need to have these rules where we "allow" ourselves to enjoy something?! Its food, its purpose isn't to be moral, or good and bad, or off limits. Having this mentality enables the relationship we have with food have so much power over our mindset.

What happened to when we were all toddlers and we ate intuitively what and how much our body was asking for? When eating till were was satisfied was exactly what we needed, and eating fruit was a necessity not a privilege we allow ourselves. After all we do live in a country and a world where people cannot always have access to the foods they need to survive, so why are we denying ourselves from what we need, if many of us middle class Americans can eat what we need to be healthy almost everyday. 

At times I think about how other countries and people look at us, having this estranged relationship with food when we have so much access to it. So I'm just asking every individual that the next time they label a food, remember that your thoughts and feelings about that food, isn't necessary a "fact", its just what we have told ourselves about it. Start to be curious about those thoughts and feelings, and figure out what you truly believe for you start putting labels on things. 

Okay, end of rant.