Perfect.
It’s a word so fraught, so limiting and constrained and such a product of this weird world we live in. It’s also always in flux. The perfect anything in 1987 was different from the perfect anything in 2007. And guess what? That same perfect thing is different yet again today.
But for as much as I can say to you there’s no such thing as an objectively perfect anything, and for as much as you can know that logically, the fact remains we live in a world where constructed ideas about “perfect” bombard us from every corner: perfect partner, perfect job, perfect life. Especially in the cam industry, one biggie is the idea of a “perfect” body.
In spite of what ads continue to tell us, there is no such thing as a universally perfect body. Your perfect body is the one that works for you and with you, and helps you achieve your goals. Regardless your version of what perfection looks like, you can’t neglect your body. Besides makeup and hair and smile and emotional wellbeing (yep, you need to prioritize that), cam models should also take care of their bodies. How does this happen when you work 10-12 hours a day?
Your mantra is the key: Make yourself a priority. Or at least that’s how Eva Devine sees it.
“I think that no matter how good one may look or feel, there is always room for improvement,” Devine said. “There’s no such thing like the perfect body.
“It’s really important to love yourself enough to take care of yourself,” she continued. “We need to look and feel good, first of all, for ourselves. I want to make myself my best self. This is where I get my motivation. I want to look healthy and to feel good in my own skin.”
For Devine, this means prioritizing healthy eating, hydration and exercise.
One key to eating healthy is establishing healthy habits. On average, it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic. Sixty-six days, to be exact. This is a lot longer that the three-week myth that gets tossed around pop-psychology so frequently, but it’s also not impossibly long.
According to Devine, the healthy eating habit has been a pattern for a long time. “I have had this diet since I was [very young],” she said. “My family has the healthy eating culture, and for me it is like second nature.”
Making healthy eating convenient, thus limiting your excuses, is also a biggie.
“You can, of course, take the easy way and say that you have no time to eat healthy,” Devine said. “But, if you think about it, you can make yourself a healthy meal consisting of salmon and some veggies in no time. Just put them in the oven, and while they’re cooking you can do something around the house or whatever you want to do.”
Another important aspect to overall health and wellness is to stay hydrated. Just because you’re drinking some kind of beverage doesn’t mean it’s hydrating you.
Sounds simple, but “Drink a lot of water,” Devine urged. “I try to drink two liters of water every day, and I only drink alcohol when I’m at a party — and even then, I drink a glass of wine or champagne. No cocktails for me.”
Which brings us to exercising.
You have to get some form of exercise to stay healthy. This doesn’t mean CrossFit five days a week, but according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), adults need:
- 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (such as brisk walking) every week and muscle strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on two or more days a week.
Or
- 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (such as jogging or running) every week and muscle strengthening activitiesthat work all major muscle groups on two or more days a week.
Or
- An equivalent mix of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups on two or more days a week.
(You can totally mix and match your cardio intensity, thank goodness.)
Besides the food and healthy eating, Devine works out four times a week.
“I like to exercise a lot, but smart, so I don’t risk injuring myself,” she said. “I like to run, so I run 8-10km per day. It’s more relaxing than going to the gym.
“I know it might sound hard, and people might wonder where do I find the energy to go on cam for as many hours as I do and then go to the gym, but this is the way I get my energy,” she continued. “If I were to be sedentary, I would be unhappy, I would be lacking in energy and I would always find reasons not to do things that would make me happy.”
The most important thing to remember, aside from maintaining a baseline for health and wellness, is “perfect” is subjective. What makes you feel good should rule the day. Our world is wildly diverse and constantly evolving. Wellness on every level, from emotional to physical, will help you meet your goals. Just remember wellness looks different on everyone — and that’s awesome.
Find Eva Devine on Twitter at @EvaDevineOff and on evadevine.org.
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Check out Jenna Andre’s take on ChooseMyPlate, a super-cool site that can help you plan healthy meals. She’s also written about online fitness apps you can use while your salmon and veggies bake. No need to leave the house like a damn 9-5er.
