I.GET.IT. Losing weight or maintaining weight for some can feel like a lifetime battle. There was a period of my life where I struggled with body image, extreme yo-yo dieting, and the endless cycle of watching my weight go up and down. But really it got me nowhere. After all the diets I was never any more healthier. I didn’t understand the impact of my food choices and I was always back to the same spot I started in.
My big “AHA” moment came when I stopped looking at the scale and dug deep to figure out why I was doing this to myself. What I learned in my journey is that I was not using food as it was intended and that is to FUEL YOUR BODY. I understood nothing about nutrition and had made no connections between what I was eating and how I was feeling.
I decided to make a change and never looked back! My first eye opener was in my first year of college when I took a holistic health course and this truly changed my life and put me in pursuit of all things healthy and nutritious for my body. I learned I never had to diet again and that fueling my body with REAL clean food and daily exercise was a sure way to success. Here are a few more insights I learned along the way…..
Nutrition is a ever refining process and once you know even just a little doors begin to open.
How you eat is usually reflective of the way you live. Chaos / stress will lead to chaotic stressful mindless eating. Aim to live a life of gratitude despite all that goes on around you to help change this cycle.
Diets DON’T teach you whats going on with your relationship with food.
When diets are based on deprivation, guilt, and punishment you start wanting what you think you are not allowed to have. This leads to a perpetual cycle of negative self talk and diet failure.
You don’t learn to trust yourself or your body when you are obsessed in the latest diet, cleanse, or “miracle” supplement.
People use food for some good reasons and here few I can think of...safety, reward, boredom, comfort, and to hide from pain but these are NOT the right reasons! Eating this way tends to lead to everyday struggles and stress about eating and ultimately an unhealthy relationship with food.
SO STOP NOW , TAKE A DEEP BREATH, AND ASK YOURSELF WHY? WHEN? AND HOW DO YOU EAT?
If your answer is not something you are happy with then you need to do some YOU work!
NEVER underestimate the inclination to bolt (WE LEAVE OUR BODIES) to escape. Emotional eaters don’t want to feel sad or “feel” at all so they go eat and escape hence “leave their body.” Don’t leave your experience , feel what you feel! THIS IS HOW YOU HEAL!!
Healing is about opening our hearts, its a process and its personal. But YOU need to do this work within!
Next follow these GUIDELINES
- Eat when you are hungry
- Eat clean (ditch the junk-you know what that is!)
- Slow down while eating
- Eat sitting down in a calm environment
- Eat without distractions
- Eat only what your body wants (listen and know when to stop)
- Eat with enjoyment, enjoy your meal every last bite and engage all of your senses.
- EAT WITH THE INTENTION OF BEING IN FULL VIEW OF OTHERS!
- Keep a food diary (this is a HUGE eye opener)
- Observe the way you eat and become more aware of your “autopilot” eating tendencies.
- Remember that you DO have control over cravings. So acknowledge them but find another way to respond besides food. Have some tools ready and on hand such as walking the dog or calling a friend.
MOST IMPORTANT TAKE AWAY …….
If you are on a perpetual cycle of dieting and tired of it than change it up! Do the work within first (this might take time and thats o.k,!) Practice PATIENCE and SELF-COMPASSION and focus on PROGRESS not perfection. Fuel your passions whatever they are and pursue them. Learn about REAL food,nutrition and clean eating and get rid of detrimental diets for good. Embracing a healthy lifestyle with purposeful living and mindful clean eating will keep you healthy, happy, and pain-free as you journey through life!
Be Well,
Susie R 🙂