It has taken me so long to realize one simple fact, “I am in control of my body.” It sounds simple, it sounds like common sense, but say it to yourself and then question whether or not this is something you truly believe right now. Even in moments where I have felt like the best version of myself in terms of health and wellness, there were still moments where I felt like I wasn't doing enough. I was eating well but I wasn't exercising enough, or I was eating good but I could be eating better. I realized that all of my anxiety surrounding food and fitness stemmed from one central fear: that I wasn't in control. When we’re constantly bombarded with ads promoting new diets, influencers swearing by going ‘keto’ and fitness fads that promise to be the one thing you've been looking for to ‘burn belly fat’ it's easy to feel like we aren't in control — like we need something outside of ourselves to achieve our health goals. 

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This project was inspired by my own struggles with health, fitness, body image, food, and exercise. Our perception of health and wellness is so tied up in the world of social media and diet culture today that it's necessary to examine the effect this has on our mental health. We are both consciously and subconsciously influenced by the things that we scroll past, click on, and watch every day. My goal for this project is simple, it is to help you find peace and enjoyment in taking care of your body. To stop questioning all of your choices, to stop feeling like you are not in complete control. When creating this project I drew from personal experiences, pages in my journal, the books and podcasts that have changed my life for the better, and so much more. I want to share the things that have helped me develop a more positive outlook on my own relationship with my body, food and exercise. I’ll share my failures, my successes and stories from the places in between the two of those.

 

Our relationship with our bodies is not always linear, but the good news is, there’s no rush. Lets stop setting dates that we have to achieve things by and start falling in love with nourishing our bodies everyday. No more ‘get skinny for summer in 10 days,’ mentality. Let’s create something sustainable, something you’re excited to wake up to. I’m not here to sell you on yet another way of eating or certain workouts that you need to do.  I’m just here to remind you that you already have everything you need to live a healthy and happy life. You have all of the answers within your body and your mind. I hope you enjoy reading and you walk away with more trust placed in your own being.