A self-proclaimed "informed layman," James' rare personal perspective on self-transformation and real (as opposed to merely apparent) victory over an eating disorder has given her insight into compulsive self-sabotage — and freedom from it — beyond what most doctors and nutritionists can grasp. As someone who actually transformed herself beyond recognition (beyond dropping ten dresses, she reversed a serious liver disorder, chronic eczema and myriad other problems, in addition to banishing a twelve-year eating disorder) she has faithfully translated her principles, and the copious medical references that now support it, into a book and a cruise experience that are as exciting to experience as they are physically rewarding.
I would have never imagined the physical image vitality had in store for me.
Starting today, we post our exclusive interview with Kat James, including her philosophy for cultivating beauty, insights into overcoming vices and self-sabotage, and how the remarkably painless, yet science-backed holistic lifestyle upgrades she recommends in her book and her cruise program, Total Transformation® have changed both women’s — and men’s lives.
HealthWorld: Kat, without being esoteric, your book brings home an entirely different concept of beauty and how to achieve and honor it than many people have been exposed to. Please give us your definition of beauty and tell us how others can evolve their concept to one that is more meaningful and self-affirming?
Kat James: Beauty is the fruit of our self-creation, and of our cultivation of what nature gave us — both in our bodies and the world around us. Self knowledge is the catalyst for cultivating our inherent beauty.
Redefining beauty in our minds is not a decision, but a process. Through a process of "shedding" the mindsets, distractions and modern assaults from our essence, then replacing them with uplifting, self-affirming choices— from what goes on and in our bodies to the thoughts and cues that go into our heads, we evolve our own concept — and manifestation — of beauty. By shedding the stubborn, self-endangering myths about achieving beauty (I illuminate some of the more insidious, self-sabotaging myths in my book), we can then begin to peel away the layers of physical self-sabotage. And once we’ve recovered our senses and sensibilities and risen above the old merry-go-round of synthetic beauty pursuits, we can then look back at it in wonder that we were caught up in something so wasteful of our lives and beauty in every sense. The Truth About Beauty has fulfilled my need to share what happened to me and to make that process of shedding accessible to everyone. The process of shedding is a joyful journey that is rewarding at every turn, gradually changing our perception our views about beauty as we achieve it from the inside out, one choice at a time. And as we let go of society’s imposed ideals and the physical self-sabotage it encourages and allow our inner vitality to emerge. Vitality has untold plans for each of us. I would have never imagined the physical image vitality had in store for me.
A connection with one’s inner wisdom and a connection with nature (nature's intention can only be realized through natural choices) are two unchangeable prerequisites to beauty. Neither of those is included in today’s "virtual" beauty pursuit. Vitality is the universal beauty aesthetic; a physical, radiant medium for expressing our essence to the world. Contrary to the nature of the pursuit we are "sold," beauty is not a frivolous pursuit. It is a birthright we forfeit far too easily by buying into standard lifestyle choices and maintenance plans that allow us to take our body’s unique biochemical issues for granted. And those are the issues that count the most when it comes to achieving vitality — the universal beauty aesthetic.