Kindness to Our Bodies

"People think, 'Oh, I'm loving myself by sitting on this sofa for four hours.'  Love yourself enough to get up!"
— Alison Sweeney, host, The Biggest Loser
 

Many of us choose Monday as the day to begin a new habit, especially a health-related one.  So today seems like a good day to tackle a tough question:  Why do so many of us find it hard to be kind to our bodies?

Two-thirds of us in the U.S. are overweight or obese.   A similar percentage of the population is not getting enough sleep.  And while about 50 percent of the population exercises three times a week, only about 20 percent of U.S. adults meet both the aerobic and muscle strengthening components of the federal government's physical activity recommendations, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May.

Losing weight is not easy, but it is simple -- for most people, it is a matter of what and how much we eat.  I know that I will be on the front lines of the weight battle for the rest of my life, but I have been able to make some progress by realizing that healthier food choices, exercise, sleep and meditation are important ways to be kind to me.

One of my relatives, who could be a poster child for physical fitness, works out every day.  He says that he is kind to his body "so it will be kind to me."  He attributes his professional success in part to being in good shape.  (Studies confirm this.)  And he adds:  "When you push your body and make it do things, that translates into persistence and perseverance at work.  Many mornings I leave the gym at 7:30 with the explicit thought, 'the tough part of the day is over.'  We even tell each other that on the way out of the gym.  Nothing they throw at you that day is going to be tougher than what you just went through."

One of my Kindness Muses in her mid-50s was able to lower her cholesterol by 75 points and avoid taking statins by changing her diet.  She looks terrific and admits to being very intentional about her health.  "If I keep up my healthy eating, work out at least 30 minutes, and get 8 hours of sleep a day, I am able to face almost anything," she shared recently.  "It's when I let any one of those go that I am at risk of not being able to function well -- as in: getting impatient, being in a bad mood, not treating the ones I'm closest to (i.e., my husband) well, and not being able to think straight.  So, absolutely, good nutrition and exercising are essential for being kind to your body."

Why aren't we kind to our bodies?  Having lost some weight in the last couple of years, I remember thinking at the beginning of the journey, "Well, if I lose x amount of weight, I will then treat myself to ..."  And the treats that completed the thought were of the high-calorie, fat-rich variety.  At one point, it dawned on me that it was counter-productive to reward myself for progress with a "treat" that would only move me backward.  And learning about the many benefits of eating colorful vegetables, for example, has increased my enthusiasm and even appetite for them.

 

Maybe if we realize that the "treats" that give us immediate gratification -- the cookie, hanging out on the couch -- do not represent kindness to ourselves, we will begin to take even small steps (literally) toward more healthful and kind behavior.  As kindness toward our body becomes more of a habit, we can grow accustomed to it and relish it.  Kindness to our body and enjoying a healthy lifestyle can become part of who we are.