She's everyone's personal trainer (Madonna, Gwyneth) and although she looks kind of scary, I'm into her philosophy. She had a few words in LA Times Magazine last month and I thought I should share. With the holidays coming up, everyone is always thinking about the food they're going to eat and what it's going to do to their bodies. Then comes New Year's Resolutions about losing all of that holiday weight.
One of the most revelatory moments in my life (not really, but eye-opening) was when I was at a girls-night dinner a few years ago and I mentioned my concern for a friend who went up to the bathroom after we ate. I told the girls what I thought she might be doing (after months of thinking about it) and one of my girlfriends said, "Whatever, everyone has an eating disorder." Whether it's physical of mental (or both), obsessing about what we eat and how we look (whether or not we're purging or starving) could be an eating disorder.
Over the last few years, I've definitely upped my game on eating well and exercising regularly. I've always been pretty active and love "eating healthy" but it's definitely reached a whole new level (though I've cut back for health reasons). Reading Tracy Anderson's few points really captures what a healthy day-to-day should be like, which I am proud to say is my philosophy--on food and life and exercise. For example, she mentions that food-journaling is an over-obsessive way of thinking about food and "screw[s] the natural emotional connection you allow yourself to have with food". And it really is about the emotional connection you have with food--it drives you and energizes you and nourishes your entire being. Which is why I can't imagine cutting out food groups completely (for dieting or detoxing or for a certain lifestyle i.e. low carb, vegan.. etc). I love food too much and respect food. But then again, not everyone is food-obsessed.
She basically says to be really real about being healthy. Eat what you want and be active. Give six days a week to exercise and eat mac-n-cheese after. "Anyone can lose weight. That’s not the problem. It’s about designing your body, designing your health, designing what makes you happy."
Read the LA Times Magazine article here.
