Heather Evans Editorial

As I’m sat unashamedly eating my weight in chocolate digestive biscuits, I scroll through my Instagram to see the wonderful Megan Crabbe (@bodyposipanda) gracing my screen with her bright words, wisdom and rainbow hair. I’ve been following her for about a year now after my sister recommended her to me.  Like most girls, and guys in fact, I definitely have my ‘off’ moments when I forget how fabulous I am, looking at my socially constructed ‘flaws’ and feeling like I need to go for a 5k run or do 100 squats to feel somewhat good about myself again. But Megan’s account is forever giving me a reality check. She has helped me reset my mind in thinking that I can go for a run to feel healthy and maintain a healthy lifestyle, but I’m not any less valued if I don’t. And if I want to treat myself, I should never feel the need to punish myself for it. Everybody, and every ‘body’ is lovable and worthy of being loved.

This is why I was so stoked to see her latest post (whilst eating previously discussed biscuits) about her new book that discusses her journey and message of body positivity. If one thing is for certain, the world of letters and lifestyle publishing definitely needs some more books like hers.

I think on a personal level, anyone that knew me before university, and possibly a little bit during my first year, is aware that I’ve had my issues with body image. Especially during my A levels, I sacrificed my love for food to the point where my relationship with eating and calorie counting was obsessive,  and my mental and physical health suffered for it. Luckily, although some demons will always remain in dark corners, I’ve rekindled my relationship with my pals that are Mr Carb and Mr Chocolate Biscuit, and I’m extremely healthy and happy in myself most of the time. Like I said, we all have our bad days.

One thing I do remember of that time though was the literature that I read. Or rather did not read. The lifestyle and food section in every book store I went to was always filled with EAT GREEN AND BE LEAN books. Books that fed into our society’s insecurities that we need to be slimmer, eat leaner, drink more smoothies than actual food,  and run more miles. Telling us that we need to eat these magical ‘superfoods’ in order to be happy; to fit into that dress size to make us feel whole and complete. Well, I’m afraid, I’m calling bullshit.

Please, don’t get me wrong. I definitely understand the need for these books. To be the best versions of ourselves, we need to be fit and healthy to experience life to the fullest. Everyone needs to learn to cook a balanced diet, and establish a way to remain active that works for them. These books are there for an equally positive purpose – some people need guidance to a healthy lifestyle, and these texts facilitate this. I mean, I even have some of these books on my bookshelf.  However, for a while there was only these books telling us we need to be this way, constantly trying to achieve a body ‘goal’. Where were the books telling us we are fine just the way we are? It seemed in the publishing world there was only one side of the spectrum being represented.

Until now. The publishing world is speaking my body language, and the breadth of books getting published is getting bigger in figure and positivity than ever before. It is incredibly easy in our capitalist society to get sucked into consumerism, and with the majority of books telling us we need to be like the future ‘that’ and not the present ‘this’, we need books like Megan’s to prevent people’s insecurities being exploited. We need books that engage with real life experiences, not photo-shopped pictures of toned, exercising women that are simply not human, allegedly diving into salads when she really wants some carbs. That just isn’t real life, so why are non-fiction books telling us readers something that is fiction?

I think really what I want to continue is honesty in books of this kind. Another example of this is Fearne Cotton’s new book Happy. In her book, Fearne discusses her own personal difficulties with happiness, but sends the message that we should try to find happiness in our lives everyday rather than treating happiness as a destination to travel to. With more and more books getting published on the market that possess such light and rawness, hopefully we will stop reading what we should be according to societal ideals, but start reading ourselves and loving who we are as individuals.

Anyway, I am so excited to read Megan’s new book when it comes out, and hopefully this will accelerate the trend of positivity in publishing.

Happy reading!

Hev xo