Newsflash! You’re not a failure, your diet is. Our bodies go through phases; it is a natural and beautiful part of life. You weren’t placed on this earth to lose weight — that isn’t your soul purpose.
And contrary to popular belief, you can’t actually control your body… It literally changes on a daily basis. Dieting is a risky business and the odds aren’t in your favor! Why work so hard to stay the same when it’s physically impossible? Why chase after an ideal based on the past/future? Why insist on negating your present body?
I guarantee that obsessively checking your appearance in the mirror, stepping on the scale after every meal, or belittling yourself for not fitting into your jeans from high-school, will NOT change your physical form. However, it definitely messes with your head. Chances are high that such behavior will damage the relationship you have with your food, cause you to constantly question your worth, and negatively affect your ability to trust your body.
Instead of jumping on the next bandwagon (where you’re bound to fall off), start making baby steps to loving yourself NOW. Stop comparing your body to others, including versions of your own. This life is a gift, so spend it wisely and show up 100% just as you are.
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Stop waiting on weight
When I ask people what their food/body goals are, the answer is usually weight loss for health. Most people conflate the two and they have nothing to do with each other! So, what is health? The definition of health is steeped in nuance at best, and drowning in diet culture at worst.
My own form of disordered eating manifested under the guise of health for years. And then I realized that spending hours at the gym in order to counter my food choices might not be healthy. But I really started to question my own definition of health when my eating habits included not eating, because not eating was better than eating junk food.
All of this was wrapped up in striving to be better. As if being healthy made me more spiritual, more righteous. It’s only been the past few years where I’ve really explored what health means to me, based on my own inner wisdom and connection with God rather than what the world would have me believe.
Stop waiting on weight! What does health REALLY mean for you and YOUR body? What would you experience if you were healthy, and what’s preventing you from experiencing those things now?
How much should I be eating?
Eating to live vs. living to eat. First of all, food is more than fuel — it’s an experience. It is completely acceptable to find joy in eating! You are NOT a bad person for eating more than you “should.” And second of all, you might not be eating as much as you think you are.
In order for your body to eat, sleep, and breathe a woman needs at least 1200 calories. Yup, that’s right. Simply existing and functioning at a bare minimum requires a minimum of 1200 calories as an adult female. Interestingly enough, this is the same amount necessary for a developing 4 year old… If you’re reading this, then I’m willing to bet you’re older than a child.
You might be saying, “I’m so confused! What about all those diets that promise amazing results if you slash your caloric intake to 1200 calories, or less???”
>>> Read more about caloric needs at Joyfully Inspired Life
