There is a reason we are called Vital Body, not Skinny Body.
Maybe it’s a female thing, maybe it’s human thing. On some level, male and female, I think we weigh ourselves up against others. Hollywood has a way of helping us do that and I’m sure even the men who see the latest posters of good ol’ George Clooney in a t-shirt, blue jeans, fancy watch, sitting on a motorbike, might think even for a second about how cool he looks and how cool it would be to look like that too.
Part of the reason we called our company Vital Body and not Skinny Body is to allow each person to find what feels right to them, to find their own sense of vitality. When a dieter comes in for the very first appointment, we ask them if they have a goal in mind. Most are very conservative with their goal out of disbelief that they can truly lose the weight.
As we start to discuss, many have a dream of returning to the body they had pre-kids (men and women alike) or simply want to feel lighter when climbing the stairs at work. We often get asked, as coaches, “what is the perfect weight for my height and age?”. It’s hard to answer because it’s all so personal.
The only factor we like to consider as coaches, is the percentage body fat which tells us the amount of excess fat tissue on the body and we have a great technology that allows us to get this percentage in accurate measures. This is important for the health implications. But the charts that tell you what you should weigh at such and such height have relatively less importance to us. You can’t standardize vitality.
Even as a business person, I find myself comparing how I do business to others. When I’m comparing, it’s usually not in a good light. I see myself as, ‘lesser than’, and I quickly lose sight of how amazing our company is. Despite even receiving a prestigious entrepreneurship award recently, the thought still occurred to me this week that, “I’m not doing enough” and “so and so is doing so much more”. I’ve learned to recognize these very mechanical thoughts, see them objectively and not give them much power. It’s been a fun practice to learn and develop.
With a society that recognizes Hollywood as a credible source for lifestyle, fashion and entertainment, it’s no wonder that young women and men are so susceptible to the comparing themselves in ways that are negative to their spirits and personhood. Who is deciding what is perfect anyway? And is anyone really perfect? I doubt it.
I sometimes content myself in people watching. I love people watching. In much of my time traveling, I’ve found myself sitting in coffee shops in busy areas and watching the people in these different cultures. I absolutely loved the idea of spending time this way. It was so refreshing to see so many different kinds of people and to observe our similarities too. How unique we all are, and how much the same we all are.
In weight loss (and in life) we have an incredible opportunity to connect with our inner unique self and to understand what is right for us. Some get to a certain weight on the scale and decide to go further, while others decide after attaining a certain goal, that they feel great where they are.
I’ve made a point now to observe others and without comparing, admire how a person carries themselves, dresses, smiles. How good of a cook they are and how well they do business is a point of joy for me more and more. The negative self-talk has little room anymore and the enjoyment of living is greater than ever before. No one knows better than me, what is right for me. It’s true of anyone. In my experience, if you are seeking your own truth, without looking elsewhere for an answer, you might even be surprised at what lies inside.
Amrita Ahuja
Clinic Director
Vital Body Weight Loss Centre
Vancouver, BC
