I once had a client who desperately wanted to improve her eating habits and feel better in her body. Since the pandemic, she reported, her focus on her health and diet waned, and she felt tired, heavy, and disempowered around eating ever since.
The problem was, she could barely tolerate the body she was currently in. She wanted to live in a different body so badly, she got trapped in a pattern of following strict diets, which she could do for a while.
Things got complicated, though, when she felt deprived and wanted more enjoyable food. She also experienced strong waves of defeat when she didn't experience rapid weight loss and the changes in her body she expected.
Those two things alone would throw her into (in her words) "a very dark place" leading her to overeat or binge on foods she was trying to avoid. Her attempts to get her eating in order, kept back-firing.
She wanted to feel more empowered about eating, but didn't.
This story isn't uncommon and many women experience their own version or variation of something similar.
So I will say this here...
To feel more freedom and more power around food requires two things:
1.) a general acceptance of the body as it is right now, and
2.) honestly putting all foods and ways of eating on your menu of possibility (from the most austere to the most indulgent)
*These generally feel quite counter-intuitive to people
One MUST be able to accept or at least tolerate one's current circumstance. No, you do not have to love it, but you must work to accept it. Acceptance affords us the patience and calm to put manageable and maintainable habits into place. This invites us into "adulthood" as eaters.
You must also know that you truly have permission to eat anything. It an interesting form of dietary-psychological-judo and cannot be faked. Deep down in your bones you must know you can truly have whatever you want whenever you want, which reduces the emotional charge around certain foods.
How will you know you're healing and growing in this direction? Your decisions about food will feel more grounded. You'll remember you have a choice to do or not do anything.
This is work worth doing and a step-wise process. Fortunately it does not take a lifetime to make significant improvements.
With love & respect,
Laura
Ready for support? Contact me here: www.realfoodwellness.com/connect/
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