Rubens, Anorexy or Feeling Good about Ourselves?

It seems that there is nothing left to be told on the subject of diets and how to keep yourself slender and in shape. There have been published all round the world scientific studies on the over-weight problem and the consequences it brings about in that which concerns the body's physical and psychological health.

It is true that we have to take care of our body not so much for its "external" significance, seen as a "casing", but for having a balanced life, without suffering from any disorder or disease. What I really mean is that we don't have to leave in the lap of the gods our nutrition and the effects it has upon our body; but, at the same time, we don't have to be concerned only with the way we look, getting ourselves to starve in order to look "good" - adverb of manner that is associated nowadays, beyond the classical 90-60-90 - with a feminine standard consisting in bony structure, tanned skin (in the solarium) and beautiful smile.

The solution in-between is the most convenient for our stomach, as well as for our health - losing weight if necessary, but not by appealing to "rapid" diets, keeping in shape once we consider we have reached the optimum weight and being confident in ourselves.

Whether we are dealing with cellulite, a few extra kilos or obesity, the remedies for a beautiful shaped body are always coming down to the food consumed and the eventual therapeutic means for curing the related medical imbalance. It is also important to keep away the factors that lead to obesity and that worsen the tendency towards overweight: a stressful professional life, sedentariness or hormonal alterations.

Every case is a special one, in conclusion there has to be adopted a solution depending on the individual and his type of existence, taking into account the fact that, besides the difficulties along the way to losing weight, there will also appear problems during the optimum weight maintaining process.

Losing weight is an extraordinary thing and the ones who succeeded in doing so continually discover many advantages of their actions. When you grow thinner you gradually come to enjoy the feeling of being slim and agile. You praise life more intensely and you feel good about being yourself.

Once you have got the ideal weight, you start a new life. Try to think positively, to cultivate your volition and will to get thinner because if you don't do it, no one else will. Don't think about reasons to be sad, but find out more to make you happier: try to enjoy every moment. When you are bored or frustrated, find a healthy method for escaping these moods, do not take refuge in food.

Anyone knows that we have to eat for living, not to live for eating. Fortunately, life has many other methods to make us happy.

Why do we eat, after all? Biologically, we eat because we have to ensure the survival of our body, to compensate for the daily energetic losses, to preserve our vital functions.

The so-called "hunger law" consists in satisfying the basic needs of our body, to balance out the losses it goes through. It is then important to eat when we are hungry, not when we crave for something or when we want to find a method to quench our frustrations.

Therefore, we can eat without getting fat, enjoying at the same time the pleasures of a healthy and balanced meal: meat, fish, cheese, eggs, cereals, yoghurts, vegetables and fruits. Satisfy your appetites without any fear of gaining weight but do not exaggerate, because afterwards you won't feel well, you will lack enthusiasm and energy.

When it comes to food and the way of alimentation we have to distinguish hunger from appetite. Hunger is an organic and elementary need. It is defined as a negative, even painful sensation. It is manifested as an empty stomach which, if not fed, causes disorders such as a general ill state and weakness of the organism.

Appetite means craving for food, it is not a necessity and manifests itself as a wish to eat. Appetite is the need of being pleased, not necessarily vital. Many factors influence the appetite, among which: the way the foods are prepared and presented, the seasoning and flavors used, the ambiance.

In conclusion, if we do not wish to gain weight, it would be ideal to keep a balance between appetite and hunger, in that the former should be the same as the latter.

Nevertheless, the alimentary behavior of the human being remains a complex phenomenon, being associated and depending on various sensorial, emotional, social factors that we have to take into consideration.

That is why we should simply accept ourselves the way we are, good and bad, with flaws and qualities. It would be wrong to become indifferent and ignorant about the weight issue, but we need not to push to the limits our wish to be the slimmest and most gracious. The essential thing is to be confident and satisfied with being yourself, nothing more… or less!