Badassery Magazine Issue 8 January 2017 | Page 59

Back when I was 40 pounds overweight , I was a self-proclaimed diet guru . I knew all the logic behind weight loss , I knew what and how to count , I tried fad diets to Weight Watchers , I worked out for almost 2 hours a day every day , and yet I couldn ’ t seem to get any of it to work in a way where I was happy on the inside and outside .

And time and time again , I crossed a common piece of advice that said the most important thing you can do is “ love yourself ”. But there was a lot that I didn ’ t love . I didn ’ t love my belly pressing up against my tight waistband . I didn ’ t love seeing a roll of fat hang over the sides of my jeans . I didn ’ t love the back fat that was accentuated every time I hooked my bra together . I didn ’ t love that my body couldn ’ t eat pizza without gaining weight when my slender friends could .
What I wanted was change , and the only way I knew how to do that was through discipline . And I don ’ t think you can really have love and discipline at the same time when it comes to your body .
On the surface , it seems like having discipline is the key to having a brighter and healthier future with your body , but even if I lost weight , I would be worried about gaining it all back . I felt like the only way to meet my fitness goals was to monitor myself for the rest of my life . There was no trust in the relationship I had with my body , and this lack of trust was repelling me from loving it .
I felt like being healthy should be easier . Did Mother Nature really want me to be overweight ?
Shouldn ’ t I just know what to eat for my body without having to count and measure all of my meals ? Modern diets seemed so unnatural with all of the math I had to do , but at the same time , I was too scared not to count everything .
But there were two turning points in my life that made me see diet , exercise , and health in a completely new light .
The first was when I took a trip to Tokyo , Japan . I had a Japanese roommate and I was complaining to her about how Japanese women were so slim despite eating rice , noodles , and not exercising . You didn ’ t see them power walking in spandex with 2 litre bottles of water tucked under their arms like you did in America or other western countries . It seemed like they were doing so much less while also having less health and body issues .
My roommate listed to me complain and then she said , “ Oh , well , maybe you should take a bath ”. I remember looking at her puzzled …. did she think I smelled bad ? I thought we were talking about weight loss ?
But I soon found out that hot baths help your body with digestion , circulation , and detox …. which in turn , helps you with weight regulation . I started making baths part of my routine and started losing weight effortlessly . Plus , I was sleeping like a baby !
I think that gals in the West imagine baths to be a luxury . Something you only do once in a blue moon with a glass of champagne , bubbles , and swanky music playing in the background . But why not have a relaxing bath on a regular basis ? Why not assist your body ’ s natural function with something that feels good ?
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