So I finally watched ‘A star is Born’, the movie by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaaga, and as you can probably guess, I loved it! Awh! It was sooo sweet and real. I really loved it. My best Bradley Cooper move yet taking over from Silver linings Playbook. Apart from the great acting and the perfect ensemble of songs in the movie, what really struck me was the ability of Jack to spot Ally’s talent and give her the platform to shine even in a world that judges people harshly for the most trivial things. I liked the part where she told him she did not like her nose and how so many promoters had turned her down because they felt she did not have the appearance, her nose was too big, and blaga blaga blaga! But this is the reality right? We are raised in a society that craves ‘Approval’. Approval for who and what you are, for things you had no influence to decide about yourself, for things you can’t really control.

So I bring this to the issue of weight, looks, appearance and all. In my fitness journey, I have had people take the liberty to tell me what they think about my size, how I am too fat or maybe just a little too ‘chubby’ and I need to do something about it. “If you don’t lose some weight, the opposite sex will not find you attractive bla bla bla”. Or people would say things like ” You know it is in the family, you guys are  fat, your metabolism is slow, so you need to get on a treadmill”, more bla bla bla. Like who asked for your unsolicited bull@$&* advice or thoughts?? In fact, the more I have had people feel like they should let me know how ‘unattractive’ or ‘unsexy’ I look, the less motivated I am to do anything about my weight…lol! At my age and at this point in my life, I care less what anyone thinks about me or how I look. I don’t think I need anyone’s approval to exist or to feel beautiful in my own skin. But I know this is not the case for many of us out there. Many people care what others think, constantly seeking approval of their peers, their colleagues, their spouses (you should, right?) e.t.c, but guys, let’s face it, whose approval really matters?

We have to get to a point in our lives where we live for who we are and what we believe in. Don’t let other people determine what makes you happy or beautiful. If you are born to be fat, then accept it, but work on it to live a healthy life. Don’t beat down on yourself because some person thinks you are fat and ugly by their own assessment or because the world glorifies a certain type of appearance or whatever. And this brings me to why we should exercise and eat right. I think we should do these things to stay fit and happy. If your aim is to lose the weight just so you can gain other people’s approval, and you are genetically programmed to be fat, what would happen when you pile it back on again? I know so many people who have gone through ‘Yo-yo’ phases of weight loss and weight gain and eventually give up on it becoming depressed or resigning to their fate and what others have defined them to be. My advice, don’t give up on being fit. Keep at it. At the end of the day, enjoy your life, be happy with who you are, how you are, work towards being healthy, and love the shape of your body. If YOU don’t approve of your body shape, then do what you want to do about it, but do it because you want to.

In the end, only YOUR approval really matters……