3 Ways To Transform Your Body Image Perception

This week I'm sharing a post I wrote for Wellseek on body image. In this article I highlighted 3 ways to transform your body image perception. 

Wellseek is a collaborate that creates media and programs to help health and nutrition experts inspire happier and nourished lives. They are doing a fantastic job in connecting experts and creating a space that embraces the non-diet, intuitive eating concepts. Check them out!  

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How do you know if your diet is working?

“This time will be different. Starting Monday, eating all the crap will be over. I HAVE to do something about this!”

Can I ask you something honestly speaking? How many times have you said this – same - phrase…

Don’t get me wrong, I am by no means here to judge you, because you know what?

I’ve been there, too.

I know EXACTLY how frustrating trying to change your habits, your diet and your life can be.

I mean, we like to eat food. Food serves so much purpose in our life!

All the happy moments that are only ENHANCED by great food– That fantastic Raspberry-Filled wedding cake at your best friend’s wedding.

                                An AMAZING turkey stuffing your Auntie makes every year for Christmas dinner.

                That perfectly moist Carrot Cake Muffin you had at that little corner bakery during your visit to New York City.

                                                               

And sometimes, food is the end result and BECOMES about the not so great moments….

                That time during that breakup and the only thing that made you feel better was Ben and Jerry’s.

                            Or the time you felt fat and you thought, What’s the point? As you ate another brownie.

Or the time you had a stressful day at work and came home and wanted to eat EVERYTHING even though you’ve been dieting and doing so well and just one cookie can’t hurt and I haven’t had anything BAD so it MUST be okay for me to eat this ------

And then the guilt sets in…………………………….

Why did I eat that?

I was doing so good and now this.

I can’t believe I f'd it up……again.

That’s it! I’m starting a juice cleanse on Monday!

 

Which is the precise reason I cringe when I see that someone is going to start a cleanse, a low-carb diet, a 30 day whatever… Because this is EXACTLY the setup for the Binge-Eat-Repeat Cycle.

And honestly… it’s not good…

Now, let me be clear. There is NOTHING wrong with any particular style of eating. I absolutely love a nutritious green juice or smoothie. They’re staples in my diet almost weekly!

The problem is when we become focused on any one “food rule” and try to make that our lifestyle, hoping for a dieting miracle.

                Then we feel deprived not eating foods we love.

                 We feel frustrated that our efforts are short-lived because we can’t stick to simple rules.

                 We feel disappointed in ourselves for failing – yet again.

In fact, I was just talking about this very thing with the members of our Facebook Group, Mind~Body~Nutrition (have you joined?).

So, I decided to do something about it.

I knew there had to be a better way to reach more people and give them the same information that took me YEARS to discover for myself.

So I started learning about eating disorders, intuitive eating, binge eating, nutrition and HOW to approach these issues from a different perspective.

And that's when Beat the Binge was born.

 

 

How to know if you’re ready to change your relationship with food?

As a Certified Eating Disorder Therapist, I hear certain phrases and questions all the time.

How do I stop giving in to food cravings?

Why do I keep eating things I know are bad for me?

Which diet is best for me?

 

That all stops now. Until you ask yourself one question:

How do I know that my diet is even working?

And I mean, REALLY think about this one.

After all, how many diets have you tried now?

Sure, they might have worked for a little while. You may have even lost a LOT of weight at one time. You may have temporarily altered your blood work and gotten an A from you doctor for a short time.

But you’re here now. And that tells me one thing…

The diet really didn't work.

 You’ve fallen back into old habits.

You’re back to going through the drive-through because you have no idea what to make for dinner.

 You don’t have enough energy to get through the day because you feel sluggish, drained.

You feel hopeless that you’ll ever be able to make the changes you know you need to make and you’re spiraling…

 

Ask Yourself Why

 

You know yourself better than anyone else. Be COMPLETELY HONEST and ask:

“Why do I want to stop binge eating or change my relationship with food?”

Really think about this.

Maybe there’s a clear answer, or an answer you only THINK is clear. But when you really stop to question the motive, maybe more things come to the surface.

 

My number one goal and priority for you is LONG-TERM LIFESTYLE CHANGE.

Meal planning?     Healthy eating?      Exercise?

None of that means anything if you're not ready to be honest with yourself and where your desires are coming from.

After all, that’s been the problem all along. If you’ve ever dieted, then you KNOW eating healthier has the capacity to WORK. If you have ever consistently exercised, then you KNOW it CHANGES your body.

But the problem isn’t necessarily the diet plan or the exercise routine.

The problem is your desire to change something and the reason why you want to change it. Is it because you want to look a certain way? Finally wear that red bikini? Gain validation from your peers or family members?

My goals for you are simple, because I NEVER want you to have to start on Monday again. EVER.

And you know what gets in the way of our best laid plans and intentions?

Our frustrations.

Our self-esteem.

Self-doubt.

Busy schedules.

Food ruts.

Boredom.

Exhaustion.

Fill in the blank ____________________________________.

 

Ask yourself HOW.

How am I going to manage my emotions so they don’t get the better of me?

How am I going to keep self-doubt from interfering with my goals?

How am I going to learn to LOVE nutritious foods without becoming bored? ESPECIALLY if I don't know if I'm ready to make these changes.

 

So here’s the deal…

The answer to how to keep yourself from giving into food cravings and binging is to manage your emotions.

We do this by learning what our triggers are for negative emotions that cause self destructive behaviors. Every behavior or action, is preceded by a thought. Sometimes automatic and seemingly subconscious.

And, if you just had a WTF does all that mean moment? Don’t. Worry.

This is so much easier than it sounds. In fact, we’ll be diving into ALL of this in our Beat the Binge program where we can really SLOOOOW everything down.

But enough about that, we’re here to address the main question:

How do you know if your diet is working?

When will you know you’re “finished” with your diet?

What will your food choices look like once you finish your diet?

Do you LIKE the diet you’re on? I mean, as in, I-can’t-wait-to-eat-the-next-meal-because-food-excites-me-and-food-is-meant-to-be-enjoyed like it?

Do you know what led to the last time you “fell off the wagon” and how do you keep that from happening again? ESPECIALLY if this isn’t the first time and you’ve said that before….

If you do like you’re diet and you’re spending money on meal replacements, shakes, dieting pills, meal plans, etc., how long do you think you’ll have to continue spending money on these strategies? What happens when you stop? What will you eat then?

It’s about creating a lifestyle change that is sustainable, one that doesn’t leave you feeling deprived. One that’s not time-bound because it will be ever-lasting.

It’s about developing a healthy relationship with food, in which ALL foods are neither GOOD nor BAD and you can learn to enjoy all of them in a healthy, manageable way.

THAT is how you know your relationship with food has improved and how you KNOW it’s working because it’s something you will WANT to continue for a lifetime.

Ready to change your relationship and ditch the diet mentality forever?

Beat the Binge is beginning on July 8th and I would love to see you there!

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