In today’s blog, I want to talk about the notion that a new year means a ‘new you’.

Let me first start by saying there is absolutely nothing wrong with ‘you’. ‘You’ don’t need to lose weight, change your shape, eliminate food groups, eat ‘clean’ or join a 12 Week Transformation program to conform to Society’s standard of looking ‘good enough’.

Don’t get me wrong, if you’re inclined and motivated to improve on your already-amazing Self, I’m all for it – coz we all know the only person that we need to be better than is the person we were yesterday, right?

There is absolutely nothing wrong in wanting to grow as a person, eat foods that nourish and support our bodies, move our bodies in ways we enjoy, all in the name of being a healthier, fitter version of our Selves.

What is wrong is when we’re being told that we need to go on a certain diet and/or exercise regime in order to obtain a ‘bikini body’, or get rid of unwanted kilos by joining a weight loss program. Phhhhhht, I say! They can all go and get stuffed!

I love the following quote, because I really believe that many industries feed off the insecurities of people (women, in particular) and cash in on their desire to look like the images of ‘beautiful people’ :

“If tomorrow women wake up and decided they really liked their bodies, just think how many industries would go out of business.” —Gail Dines, Professor of Sociology and Women’s Studies at Wheelock College in Boston.

Having worked in the Fitness Industry for more than 23 years, I’ve seen it all. Gyms trying to up-sell products and services to women to remove fat, improve their metabolism, re-shape bellies, butts and thighs, 12 week challenges, and diet plans.

You all know that many of the images we see in advertising, on the telly, in magazines and movies are altered and enhanced, right? Also, a lot of the people who are chosen for modelling and most celebrities have the ‘look’ that ‘everyone’ is looking for. Remember too, that many celebrities have personal trainers, chefs, house-cleaners, nannies and don’t work full-time. They don’t live in the real world like us.

Folks, I’m here to tell you that depriving yourself of calories or whole food groups and/or smashing yourself in the gym is not the answer to being happy.

I’m not saying you won’t feel better about conforming to Society’s standards of beautiful, or that you won’t feel a sense of achievement, but you cannot maintain that lifestyle if you work, have a family, bloody hell, have a LIFE.

At the end of the day, will you truly be happy? Why can you not love your Self just as you are? So what if your boobs are saggy from breast-feeding your beautiful bubbas, or your thighs jiggle, coz that’s just your damn genetics. Does this make you less of a person?

Are you active, eating nutritious foods, practising self-care like yoga, medititation, time with your tribe and/or journalling? Do you have fulfilling, healthy relationships with friends and family? Why can’t this be enough? Why do you have to change your appearance?

I’m here to tell you my friends that you are enough, you are worthy, you are amazeballs.

Start talking to your Self they way you would a loved one.