One of the bigger obstacles I've noticed that gets in the way of a woman having a great relationship with food is the inner conflict she feels about what she WANTS to eat versus what she feels she SHOULD eat.
For example, if you think you should only be eating chicken breast and salads for most of your meals, that means that if you choose a burger or some tacos, its likely you'll feel a sense of failure before you even start eating.
If you think you should be eating a low-to-no carbohydrate diet that means that whenever you want a slice of sourdough bread or are craving a bowl of warm oatmeal or a banana with peanut butter, you'll feel like you're already messing things up.
If you think you should eliminate sugar in your diet and you're craving some chocolate or a sweet treat, you might feel a sense of defeat.
Feeling defeated before one even takes a first bite of food is disempowering!
When a woman sits down to eat already feeling defeated or like she's failing, she might eat quickly or eat more than what would truly satisfy her, because she already feels guilty for "not doing it right" so "what's the point anyway?"
These woman are waiting for just the right amount of motivation and will, that soon a day will arrive that chicken breast and salad always sounds great and that the motivation to change the body will outweigh the desire for certain foods forever.
The problem is, that day rarely ever arrives. At least permanently...
So what's the solution?
The solution is empowerment.
Empowerment has become an over-used word, so I am cautious to use it. But really, when I say empowerment, I mean arming yourself with good, solid nutritional information, body sensation awareness, and a sense of self-responsibility to make decisions for yourself as an adult woman who eats food.
No one is forcing you to do anything, eat anything, or not eat anything. Remember, you are an adult.
If you're not sure how to empower yourself, just ask yourself where you feel disempowered and you'll get an idea.
Disempowered around sugar? Make it a goal to learn more about your relationship with sugar.
Disempowered around body weight or body image? Make it a goal to invest in support and knowledge around body weight or body image.
Disempowered around meal preparation? Make it a goal to learn gentle steps to empower your meal planning and cooking each week.
Note: Anyone who expects perfection and instantaneous results or change are those most vulnerable to giving up of feeling defeated very, very early on. Those that accept themselves and the step-wise process of change tend to fare much, much better.
~ Laura
[Healing the Split: Embodiment, Parts Work, & Spiritual Practice is coming up, live in Grand Rapids on Sunday, October 20th. Read all the details and join me here. Early bird rate ends on October 1st!]
Comments