Are You Perfect Yet?

I've been making a vow to myself to practice yoga more; to reap the mental and physical benefits; to build a strong, aesthetically pleasing body from passion over movement, rather than jumping and lifting and forcing my body into a particular shape as defined by work out videos or fitness magazines. 

This is easier said than done. I, like you, I'm sure, want to look attractive and be at my physical best. There's nothing wrong with that; I'm all for enhancing attractiveness (if this is a goal you care about, as I do). But, when we're scrutinising our bodies, wondering why that stubborn area of fat won't shift, or why your waist isn't this size or your ass that shape, stop and think about where that insecurity is coming from.

If you take care of yourself through diet and exercise, the chances are that you are already a wonderful, healthy and attractive version of yourself.  

How did health and beauty become such a narrow, ego-tripping category? Why do we limit ourselves to such constrained definitions, when beauty is, in fact, so gloriously varied? 

And, crucially, why are we plagued by these insecurities, and what do they mean? 

Well, this:

Those body hang ups of yours are nothing. They should be meaningless, if you are healthy (as in, you eat well and move well) and your body allows you to experience the things you love in life. (Or, perhaps your body isn't healthy, but is doing its damned best to be; that power, and how you care for it in that time, should also leave you body-hang up free. It's trying to do something amazing and keep you experiencing this planet, and that's beautiful, right?)

It's this culture of sexual objectification that has us trying to jump through hoops to fit something that was never intended to benefit us. 

I love beauty, I love health. I love eating so that my skin glows and my hair is thick, and moving so that I can create strong legs and a strong core. I'm not denouncing that. I'm denouncing those narrow standards that are the reason your best friend, who is so gorgeous already, looks in the mirror and says, 'not enough!'.

I think we could all do with a little more awareness as we move around the world with the ways in which we are manipulated to think about our own bodies, our own self value, and those of others...

We create our own bodies through our diet and exercise choices, but, we should work with them (our bodies), not against them. 

... so here's to a little self-love and appreciation. 

What amazing, simple, complicated, beautiful things did you experience through your body today?

A Kind Approach

Do you recognise this lady?

If you've ever been into 90s pop culture, then you probably have, but you'll remember her as being this:

(Cult 90s film Clueless, encase you're of a different generation...)

Wide eyed, shallow Cher bears no resemblance in person to the kind hearted, intelligent actress and author Alicia Silverstone, who's popularised being vegan (for both health and compassionate reasons) through her book, The Kind Diet: A Simple Way to Losing Weight, Feeling Great, and Saving the Planet.

This is not, absolutely not, a celebrity lifestyle book, but truly something that the actress is passionate about. A plant-based lifestyle is presented in a gentle and informative way; the reader does not have veganism forced upon them, but is offered suggestions on everything from 'flirting' with veganism (and hey, no pressure! But your health will improve, and you'll be benefiting animals and the planet. And yay! New foods!) to being a 'Superhero' (close to a macrobiotic diet; oh boy, you will glow, and you're positively saving farm loads of animals from suffering.... you truly area dietary superhero...)

I've read many, many health books and articles in my time, especially those that promote a plant-based way of eating, but The Kind Diet sticks out in my mind for its wonderful, earthy recipes, the beautiful imagery that shows me of the gentleness and loveliness of the animals we exploit for food (which, I should state, health is my motivating force for eating plant based, but this book compassionately takes me out of this self-absorbed 'just for health zone', reminding me of living creatures that are affected by my actions), and its engaging, informative chapters. I've read health/lifestyle books in the past, only to become infused with a vaguely anxious feeling, as my current lifestyle/diet was 'failing' their suggestions. But with the Kind Diet? Absolutely not. Silverstone is not selling you recipes and bizarre fads to turn you into an airbrushed A-lister look-a-like, she simply informs you that looking good is a wonderful side effect of eating plant-based. You don't need to stress out. The reader is left enlightened and itching for change, without anxiety, only passion infused from Silverstone herself.

When it comes to the recipes, there's certainly a Japanese influence seen in the book, from mochi waffles and umeboshi plum for breakfast to nori wraps for lunch, but the book also features hearty stews, plenty of healthy greens recipes and wonderful healthified treats such as chocolate peanut butter cups...

(Mmm, could you try not wanting these? Impossible...)

So, be kind. Feel and look fabulous as a side effect. Oh, and save the planet, and animals from suffering.

I see why she calls it being a superhero...