Why you shouldn't go 0-60 with food or body goals this New Year

I talk a lot about working with your body instead of against it. And while having motivation, persistence and drive are incredibly positive attributes in many aspects of our lives, when it comes to our relationship with food and our bodies, a much more gentle, gradual approach that leaves room for trial and error is best. 

Think about it this way - if you wanted a child to do something, would you yell at them, or ask them kindly? If you wanted a friend to pick you up from the airport, would you beat them up and hate on them to get them to do it, or graciously ask them for a favor?

If you want to get healthy does it make more sense to punish yourself through a restrictive diet, workout twice a day, never eat foods you like, isolate yourself from all fun so you can eat clean, sacrifice, torture and willpower your way through it OR incorporate small shifts to what you’re eating, doing and thinking that feel nourishing, supportive, and healing?

You get to decide.

You can go quick, fast, hard and 0-60…but I’m willing to bet you’ve tried that before. 

• You can lose 10 pounds through a strict calorie deficit, but once the diet is over are you going to gain back 20?

• You can cut out all carbs and eat the trendy high-fat diet, but how long can you last doing that and will dates, trips and holidays be as enjoyable?

• You can punish yourself in the gym till you burnout, but what will happen to your stress levels and hormones; is it worth sacrificing your health for the perfect body?

I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong. That weight loss is bad. That certain diets can’t be used therapeutically for a period of time but what I’ve found from working 1:1 with women for the last 5 years is that there’s a very fine line between healthy and disordered, and that it’s a really big challenge for us to do anything but black and white, good and bad, on or off. We struggle with balance and the in between.

My wish for you this year is that you do things differently this time.

• That you approach your health goals from a place of self-love, not self-hate.

• That you go slow, so the changes become comfortable vs. fear-producing.

• That you focus on learning why you’re making the choices you are, and checking in consistently to make sure they align with you and your lifestyle vs. following  a non-individualized diet plan, program, or protocol you found on the internet.

• That you take into consideration your stress, lifestyle, sleep, relationships and MINDSET as just as important as what you eat and how you move and place focus and intention on improving those aspects of your life that feel out of balance too.

It’s not worth going 0-60 NOW only to end up right back where you started come February 1st. It’s worth going a little slower, being a little kinder, pushing less, working with your body, and overall forgiving yourself (learning from *mistakes*) vs. punishing yourself for not figuring it out yet.

Is this helpful? Comment below and let me know.

And if you’re interest in getting some 1:1 support learn more about working with me privately (I work world-wide) + setting up a free consultation.