I'll be 25 in two weeks and couldn't be more confused. As we age, women go through a metamorphosis of identity, mostly centered around society's standards of beauty and success. After a certain age, we stop being excited about birthdays and more concerned about life's more pressing philosophical questions:
Are these apples organic? Should I go vegan? Have I accomplished enough in my life? Am I happy with the state of my overall physical and mental health?
Coming of age soon seems to feel more like a death sentence than a milestone to be celebrated, and trailblazers like Demi Lovato are among the women of color seeking to change that. She recently opened up about how growing up for her meant finding balance between the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of her life.
Growing up a child star, Demi has had a sordid past in the media, but that didn't stop her quest to living her best life. Her history of bulimia and bipolar disorder led her to self-medicate and spiral into a dark hole of addiction. Now, after winning a battle with depression and substance abuse, the 25-year-old superstar is her own #LifeGoals. Demi is now 6 years sober and devoted to sharing her story in hopes that it will encourage others to live healthier lifestyles.
The actress and singer recently shared secrets about how she stays fully aligned and ready to slay despite her chaotic entertainment career and tumultuous history in the media. True wellness, according to Demi, is rooted in unconditional self-love.
Today, Demi has been successful on her road to recovery with 6 years sober under her belt, and a lifetime of wellness to pursue.
In an interview with Coveteur, Demi had a few words of advice for anyone seeking to live a healthier lifestyle, physically or mentally. Here are a few gems we got from Demi about keeping your body and mind in perfect shape:
Get a Hobby
"I love training [mixed martial arts]. A part of that is learning jujitsu. You can throw people and take people down. [It's] really cool. It just feels powerful when you do it.
"Because I've started training MMA and because now I feel like I'm able to protect myself, it's given me a confidence that I didn't have before and I didn't realize I was missing. I just feel safe and proud of myself that I know these skills. And that I might be able to take care of myself if something happens and, god forbid, security wasn't around. It also helps with my mental clarity—taking care of my body helps my mind."
Pick a hobby that gets you active and makes you feel good, and you'll look good in no time. If you're not a runner, you don't have to run to get your blood pumping. Try swimming or bicycling if you feel like they'll be a better fit to the skills you have, as long as you get that booty moving.
Break a Sweat
"Get in the gym. I think that breaking a sweat can make you feel so much better and release stress. Eating healthier helps a lot, too. What we're putting in our bodies affects our minds and our bodies. It's important that if we want to feel good, we treat ourselves good.
There's a direct correlation between exercise and mood, so if you want to get out of a funk, get in the gym! If there's a Planet Fitness in your area, you can get a membership for as low as $11 a month. If a membership isn't in your budget, just get outside! I have to remind myself how important it is to take care of my body, I mean, it is the only place I have to live.
Chill Out, Girl
When asked how she likes to relax, Demi said:
"I like to put on my sweats, take off my makeup, and watch some crime shows like 'Forensic Files', 'Dateline', and '48 Hours.'"
Are you taking time the unwind? Make sure you're not working at full power on a low battery because you'll certainly crash soon! Sometimes I'm so goal-focused that I forget to eat, or catch up on my favorite shows, or… breathe. Name the things that you like to do or make you feel alive and use your downtime to actually do those things and not feel guilty about it.
Lighten Up, Buttercup
"I don't put any rules for my diet [on] myself. When you start doing that, you start craving those things more. That's how it is for me. I say, 'I'm not going to eat carbs.' Well, I'm just going to crave carbs tomorrow, and then when I get carbs, I'm just going to eat a lot of them. I don't put rules on my food anymore."
Am I keto? Or paleo? Or vegan? Or just thicker than a snicker?
I have no clue what I'm doing, I just know I have to make sure that it feels good to me. Demi admitted to taking a dip in the candy bowl, as chocolate is her vice of choice, and that's what makes her so dope.
None of us are perfect, but Demi proves that it's up to us as women to seek and nurture our own perceptions of beauty and wellness so that they won't be defined for us.
Read her Coveteur feature in full by clicking here.
