Kathy Smith’s fitness blog
Do you remember Kathy Smith, the star of many fitness videos? I found a couple of her videos at the thrift store today and decided to hop online and see what she had to say for herself these days. It turns out that she has quite a lot to say.
Click here to check out Kathy Smith’s fitness blog.
She is pro women’s sports, pro exercising and eating healthy, pro women of all shapes and sizes, and anti-deprivation. So, I think she’s my kind of gal. I found many of her posts to be really inspiring (even though some also link to her products.)
Check out what she says about deprivation:
“I’ve noticed that most people get caught up in that vicious cycle of dieting and then blowing the diet. It usually goes like this: You’re unhappy with the way you look and feel. You seek a diet that promises instant weight loss through complete control of what, when, and how you eat. Soon you discover that you can’t stick with it, and you end up right back where you started…
“To be successful, you have to move out of a diet mentality. Most plans don’t take into account what food really means to us. They don’t consider how the flavor and color and texture and presentation of food can give us so much pleasure. They don’t consider how eating foods that you don’t like leaves you unsatisfied.
“It was a good reminder for me today that, as I support others in their efforts to lose weight, choosing foods you truly love and that also enhance your physiological well-being are the key to becoming an independent eater.”
Well said, Kathy! And a timely reminder for me as I was about to launch into diet-like behavior by eating a protein shake on a regular basis, rather than a really yummy breakfast. My diet like thoughts may help explain why I was eating cake mix out of the package with a spoon this week. (I know, pretty image.)
When I just decide to eat really delicious and mostly healthy food, I end up eating a very healthy, balanced diet. (It doesn’t necessarily make me lose weight, but I do feel and look healthier.) But if I start thinking that I need to get thinner and then focus on that goal, the fearful gorging begins.
Breathe in, deep breath. I’m letting go of needing to look a certain way. That won’t guarantee me love. People of all shapes and sizes are loved. (I’m already loved, why am I trying to get all thin to get love?) Just focus on moving my awesome body and eating very delicious, mostly healthy food. Breath out…
Amen to that. I hate diets. Like with you, with me the mere threat of deprivation is enough to provoke bingeing. And I think diets are diabolical in that they’re nearly impossibly to maintain, but the blame never falls rightfully on the ridiculous and hubristic designers of the diet - they know that dieters will blame themselves for being weak. Grrrrrr….. And I vilify “fasts” with the same breath. You know - juice fasts, Medifast, the maple-syrup-nastiness fasts (my own name for one my roommate tried. We convinced her to stop after a day).
What does work for me is to (like you) eat as a way of nourishing my system with good things instead of eating as a discipline. Same with exercising to feel better and healthen up my system rather than as some kind of penance.
Here’s something random: I sometimes slim down when I’m being extra-conscientious about posture exercises, or keeping my room in order. I have a few theories about this - but essentially I’m becoming convinced that it’s all tied together, and that increasing balance and order always has healthy overflow effects, even if very gradual.
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“Here’s something random: I sometimes slim down when I’m being extra-conscientious about posture exercises, or keeping my room in order. I have a few theories about this - but essentially I’m becoming convinced that it’s all tied together, and that increasing balance and order always has healthy overflow effects, even if very gradual.”
Wow, that is fascinating because I have never heard anyone say anything about cleanliness and weight before reading Kathy Smith’s blog, and now you mention it too! Your perspective that balance and order in several areas is all tied together is really helpful to me right now. I’m feeling some extra stress in my life and I think that is why I am over focusing on some areas.
I find that a very relaxing idea as well. And I just have a whole bunch of extra motivation to go clean my room! (I did hang my clean clothes by type and color yesterday and now my closet looks so pretty. :)
Thanks, Andrea. I appreciate your insight.
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