I’m pretty self conscious about my body. Not the most original thing for a young woman to say, but there it is. A lot of people will act shocked when I talk about this kind of stuff because I’m good looking. “You have nothing to worry about; you’re beautiful!” they say. The assumption is you can’t think you’re beautiful AND be self conscious.
That’s not only ridiculous, but it’s a great way to breed either narcissism or body dysmorphia. Women in particular are constantly bombarded with conflicting messages about their image. Ergo, a paradoxical opinion of oneself can only be expected.
I am no exception.
But I’m not here today to beat myself up or vie for compliments. I’m here to talk about how zero waste has changed the way I look at my body, weight gain, and sustainability.
One of the hardest things for me to get under control is maintaining a consistent weight.
I’m not talking 5-10 pounds. I’m talking 40-60 pounds over a given six to twelve month period. In the past year, the skinniest I’ve been is 119 pounds. The heaviest? 165 pounds.
I wish I could say my weight fluctuation was a conscious choice, but it usually aligns with events that change my diet and lifestyle as a matter of course. Have less money for groceries? Eat less. Start dating a guy who knows how to cook? Eat more. Live within walking distance of work? Exercise more. Live a 20 minute drive from work? …Well, you get the idea.
However, I can only blame the fates for my suffering for so long. It’s time I start taking responsibility for my health!
I’ve said this all before to little avail, but this time is going to be different (hopefully). Why? Because I just realized that gaining weight has an effect on my zero waste lifestyle.
You see, a big part of being zero waste is just buying less stuff. Regardless of how sustainably you shop, refusing and reducing are the most important steps in shrinking your carbon footprint. Therefore, if I can’t fit into my current wardrobe and have to buy new (or secondhand) clothing that fits, I’m not living the zero waste way.
Everyone needs their motivation, right?
So a couple weeks ago I took the plunge and joined a gym. Treadmills aren’t the most eco-friendly way to exercise, but as I learned last year when it gets dark at 3:30pm in Seattle it’s unlikely that I will go for a run without one. Plus it’s easier to stay in stride with friends who are more in shape than me if we’re all running in place.
Normally my attitude would be, “We’ll see how this goes,” or “Wish me luck,” but I am determined to be more optimistic with my word choice in regards to my weight moving forward. Let’s go with, “Watch me become a healthier human being in the name of reducing my waste.”
Do you have the ability to exercise at work? It is definitely hard to workout outside when it’s pitch black by 4:30!
In my pre-kid days, my go-to exercise was to go for a run over my lunch hour. Minnesota has some of the same daylight issues, and I found it easier to exercise with sunshine than inside.
Unfortunately no. It’s just the gym for me!