This Is What Self-Respect Looks Like: Eating Well and Walking More

It’s a new year, so let’s set some much needed NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS:

• WE ARE EATING HEALTHY THIS YEAR.

• WE ARE HAVING LOVING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FOOD AND OUR BODIES.

• WE ARE NOT BODY SHAMING PERIOD. SKINNY SHAMING OR FAT SHAMING, THE ONLY SHAMING THAT SHOULD BE DONE IS IF YOU ARE SHAMING! SHAME ON YOU FOR SHAMING!

I am still struggling to be a woman in the 21st century. Every day we are adding more things to the pile of stuff women have to deal with on a daily basis and we are in 2026, the great ‘future’ —the year all the cartoons predicted we’d have flying cars and live in the sky...Well, guess what, we have body shaming; anorexia is back after years of pining for a BBL, Ozempic is possibly to blame for this epidemic and what’s sadder, is there are kids around the world, specifically Congo, Palestine and Sudan due to the urgency of their indispensable situations, are actually facing famine and their mortality rates outnumber any previous records in history, and yet we have Hollywood zealously promoting emaciation like never before, worse than the Paris Hilton epidemic of the 2000's. And it is NOT HOT.

It started with Ariana Grande and us thinking something wasn’t quite right with her appearance, which led to investigating her co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Michelle Yeoh’s health and suddenly every second celebrity in Hollywood was on ozempic or some kind of vicious “diet” (I say this, as the word is masking the factual term; eating disorder) that’s making their overall facade concerningly alarming. What’s worse is they were body shaming the young star in the hit series The Summer I Turned Pretty, Lola Tung, for being “too big” , “has a tummy pooch she should hide” or “thick arms” when the evergreen, naturally beautiful girl is a HEALTHY, BODY POSITIVE QUEEN. Truly when did being a healthy weight categorise women as being overweight or on the “larger” side. ARE WE HEARING THIS RIGHT?

First it was an issue being too skinny, then we all wanted BBL’s and tried appropriating beautiful African bodies, now we’re done with that and have gravitated back to being anorexic and skinny once again, and having weight approved by a doctor, that is perfect according to your body’s BMI, is considered “big.”

I am floored and forever perplexed by the impossible standards women are held to, especially the standards our bodies are held to. As we grow older, our bodies stretch and prepare for the internal changes occurring, in simple terms; it’s preparing to house a little life, and even though we might not be there in our current stage of life emotionally, but physically, our bodies are constantly preparing for the most extraordinary thing it could do.

When you think about it like that, it only makes sense that we have to alter what we put into our bodies, whether it’s nourishing or damaging, as well as how do we nurture the exterior body? Do we run? Do we go for pilates? Do we lift weights? If you struggle to do any of those, allow me to let you in on a secret. You could just walk after eating. Yeah, I didn’t think that worked, but mindful walking after every meal not only serves your body and digestion, but it clears your mind, empties your heart and fills your body with much needed air.

On my honeymoon, I let go a little... I indulged in a sweet treat everyday, I enjoyed the different kinds of breads and especially enjoyed a good potato corner, but what I had noticed is I wasn’t bloating as much, didn’t feel sluggish, didn’t look 5 months pregnant. When I looked at my health app, I saw that we averaged 15 000 steps and were burning over 100 calories a day.

It took me by complete surprise as I didn’t think all the walking to the train stations, walking to restaurants, or countless hours at the incredible shopping malls were benefiting my health—physically, mentally and emotionally. It changed the way I perceived walking and being back home, I miss all the walking and decided to incorporate it here back home because it’s like my body is sending me an urgent PSA: WALK MORE. So, at least once a day or if you can, after every meal, try to do 5000 steps so you are hitting your 15k goals by the end of the day, with a flatter stomach too.

10 Benefits of Walking

1. Better digestion:

   A walk after meals helps food move through your system, reducing bloating and discomfort.

   
   

2. Stable energy levels:

   Walking keeps blood sugar steady, meaning fewer crashes and more sustained energy.

   
   

3. Gentle fat loss:

   Consistent steps support fat loss without stressing your body or hormones.

   
   

4. Stronger joints & posture:

   Walking keeps your joints mobile and your body aligned, especially hips and spine.

   
   

5. Lower stress:

   It calms your nervous system and brings cortisol down a notch.

   
   

6. Better mood:

   Endorphins boost your mood naturally, no intense workouts required.

   
   

7. Deeper sleep:

   Daily movement helps regulate your sleep cycle and improve rest quality.

   
   

8. Healthier relationship with food:

   Walking after eating shifts food from guilt to nourishment.

   
   

9. Mental clarity:

   It creates space for thinking, processing, and breathing.

   
   

10. Body respect over control:

    Walking builds consistency without punishment; care over control.

So with that being said, I ask you: If there are all these natural methods to maintaining a healthy-happy body, why are we starving ourselves? ED’s are mental health conditions that severely affect the relationship between food—self image—mental wellbeing. It can’t be helped for most people, and they struggle to overcome body dysmorphia and self acceptance.

I find it blasphemous when Hollywood conceals emaciation as being a ‘skinny legend’. There’s nothing prideful about being unhealthy and unwell. When the opponent in your head becomes so loud you can’t look yourself in the mirror and love who’s looking back at you. It’s not glamorous or chic to see the bones around your collar and shoulders protrude out like a spinosaurus.

Nor is it any fun when you are rushed to the ER due to dehydration and malnutrition. It’s so easy for Hollywood to mask life-threatening issues around the world, like famine, with no aid able to reach the struggling children, people, animals.

Please don’t be fooled by what you see online, having arms Tim Burton could use in his next film is not a goal to have; having curves, hip dips, lekker thighs, that’s worth having. Why? It makes you real. Something extremely rare to be in 2026.