Could this be your missing weight-loss puzzle piece?
I wonder how long you have spent over the course of your life searching for the magic pill when it comes to weight loss? And how much money you have spent on miracle products that promised to make the weight drop off over night – or at least not make the business of losing weight seem so tricky?
If you are someone who has spent a significant amount of times in slimming clubs, what you should know is that almost certainly you have been taught to eat the wrong things. And the community mindset seems to be about finding ways to cheat the diet. It’s no wonder people lose weight and put it straight back on again. Of course, actually eating the right things will help you lose the weight naturally, without calorie counting. And eating the way I show my clients, has them naturally wanting to eat the foods that will love their body rather than deciding to seek solace in a bag of chocolate buttons!
What the slimming clubs miss is the vital mindset element of losing weight. Part of that is taking care of your self-care. If you are an emotional eater, no ‘diet’ in the world is going to help you deal with what the REAL issue is – your wonky relationship with food. You need to rewire your food brain, because emotional eating or binge eating are major causes of diet failure but, unless you get to the root of the problem, you’re destined to yo-yo diet … forever.
Self care is the recognition that only YOU can make yourself happy and that, if you make sure that you dedicate some time EVERY DAY purely for your own enjoyment, you will have more fun, you will be more fun and you will have far greater reserves to deal with the stresses of everyday life.
The miracle of self care doesn’t end there. When you dedicate a small amount of time each day to your own happiness, there is less need to reach for the chocolate biscuits. I’m guessing you’re like many of my clients – you are usually so time poor, that rewarding yourself with treat foods like cake and biscuits is the easiest way to show yourself some self love. However, during these unprecedented times (unless of course you are a key worker) you can give yourself the gift of time to really focus on your self care and health.
My experience in running a nutrition clinic is that so little of why you eat what you eat has to do with nourishing your body. The greater part is to do with how you feel about yourself and about life in general. Eating half a packet of chocolate biscuits is much easier than working out or getting – what you really need, which might be a way to de-stress, feel loved, get attention, relax and even sleep.
I am sure that you get what I am saying, but this is not enough for the magic to work. Just understanding won’t get you the benefits. You have to be in action. Are you doing AT LEAST three things EVERY DAY just because they make you happy?
Self care is a skill and it is a discipline. It is something that can be very easy to do (which is why it is something you often don’t bother to do). So, this week’s challenge: make a list of at least 20 things (even really frivolous things) that you LOVE to do just because they bring you pleasure. Some take hardly any time; some take a little longer. You don’t have to spend long for this to be effective. You have to write them down, too. Just thinking about them is not enough.
I know from working with my clients that coming up with a list can feel difficult to start with. That’s why I’m offering you this little bit of inspiration: a printable self care planner packed with ideas to get you started. You will also need to keep your list somewhere handy so it is easy to turn to for inspiration.
I promise you that if you make a commitment to yourself, other challenges in your life will start to feel that bit easier. Maybe you need some support with deep rooted struggles; a slave to food, your weight or appearance or worry about every calorie that enters your mouth. Perhaps you’re unable to break free from the endless cycle of yo- yo dieting, binge eating or constantly overeating, I want you to know, you are not alone.
I work with people just like you who need a new approach to gaining balance and moderation in their life. I will help you to take back control without feeling deprived or hungry. My signature one to one programme (which I am currently running via video call sessions) is designed to help you shed the layers of shame and guilt and be able to accept yourself. You will discover how to make sense of what your brain and body are going through, feel supported and empowered.
