It's the first of January which is as good a day as any to start something new. SWIK (Strongest Women I Know) is my brand representing all kinds of strength not just physical but emotional, financial, creative all those things that make women powerful and cool. I like to think of SWIK as an adjective for something that is strong but also hip and creative. In this blog, I want to explore a healthier lifestyle, particularly with regards to my eating so I can be the SWIKest I can be, reaching my full potential or something like that.
I'm pretty good at getting in regular exercise, at least three days week and generally four. I don't eat horribly, but like most New Yorkers I eat a lot of take-out. Why don't I cook more? How does food affect not only my weight but everything else in my life? What are the best foods for me? I don't want a diet, I want a lifelong strategy for eating right for me. I have a long and troubled past with food. It began with an ill-fated trip to Weight Watchers when I was 13 years old. I probably didn't need to be there. I was the same height I am now and about 30 lbs lighter. I played sports and was a cheerleader. Seriously, think about it, cheerleaders aren't fat. I was just tall and developed for my age. Unfortunately, the pressure to be thin, or rather look less like a woman and remain looking like a girl, loomed large. The pressure was not just from me and society but also from my parents who encouraged the dieting. The early weight obsession led to bulimia later in high-school, years of body hatred (regardless of my size), fear of physical intimacy, and decades of therapy.
Somewhere in my mid-30's I finally achieved some modicum of body acceptance. It was acupuncture that really helped in the end, and maybe an actual sex life. Funny how NYC, where every woman looks like a model, was where I finally realized the men care a lot less about size than I believed. Of course some do, but for almost every woman's body type there is a man who thinks she's the hottest thing on the planet. I also cut out most gluten and decided to think vegetables first whenever I ate. I lost about 15 lbs without any major effort and have been here for about five years.
Now that I'm in my 40's my feelings about my physical appearance have improved. I can look in the mirror and believe that I look pretty good. I like shopping for clothes now. Thanks to good genetics I have great skin and hair, making me appear younger. Yet, there's still a nagging feeling that I'm carrying a little extra weight and not eating as well as I should or could or want to. I would like to feel confident in a two piece bathing suit before my skin starts sagging. So it's time to turn the corner and to move forward. This blog will be the start of a new approach, not simply just documenting what I eat but also how what I eat makes me feel. No judgement here, just looking to explore. This is not a diet. What I eat will not be right for everyone. That is the first myth of dieting, that someone else has the answer for you. There are some basics. Fruits and vegetables are good. Too much fat and sugar is bad. Reducing gluten has worked for me, but may not for others. Healthy eating habits are not hard to understand. However they are extremely hard to put into action. Today is a perfect example.
As one friend said,
I'm pretty good at getting in regular exercise, at least three days week and generally four. I don't eat horribly, but like most New Yorkers I eat a lot of take-out. Why don't I cook more? How does food affect not only my weight but everything else in my life? What are the best foods for me? I don't want a diet, I want a lifelong strategy for eating right for me. I have a long and troubled past with food. It began with an ill-fated trip to Weight Watchers when I was 13 years old. I probably didn't need to be there. I was the same height I am now and about 30 lbs lighter. I played sports and was a cheerleader. Seriously, think about it, cheerleaders aren't fat. I was just tall and developed for my age. Unfortunately, the pressure to be thin, or rather look less like a woman and remain looking like a girl, loomed large. The pressure was not just from me and society but also from my parents who encouraged the dieting. The early weight obsession led to bulimia later in high-school, years of body hatred (regardless of my size), fear of physical intimacy, and decades of therapy.
Somewhere in my mid-30's I finally achieved some modicum of body acceptance. It was acupuncture that really helped in the end, and maybe an actual sex life. Funny how NYC, where every woman looks like a model, was where I finally realized the men care a lot less about size than I believed. Of course some do, but for almost every woman's body type there is a man who thinks she's the hottest thing on the planet. I also cut out most gluten and decided to think vegetables first whenever I ate. I lost about 15 lbs without any major effort and have been here for about five years.
Now that I'm in my 40's my feelings about my physical appearance have improved. I can look in the mirror and believe that I look pretty good. I like shopping for clothes now. Thanks to good genetics I have great skin and hair, making me appear younger. Yet, there's still a nagging feeling that I'm carrying a little extra weight and not eating as well as I should or could or want to. I would like to feel confident in a two piece bathing suit before my skin starts sagging. So it's time to turn the corner and to move forward. This blog will be the start of a new approach, not simply just documenting what I eat but also how what I eat makes me feel. No judgement here, just looking to explore. This is not a diet. What I eat will not be right for everyone. That is the first myth of dieting, that someone else has the answer for you. There are some basics. Fruits and vegetables are good. Too much fat and sugar is bad. Reducing gluten has worked for me, but may not for others. Healthy eating habits are not hard to understand. However they are extremely hard to put into action. Today is a perfect example.
As one friend said,
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