When Your Relationship With Food Is A Struggle Do These 4 Things
How many “I’m starting Monday” promises have you made in your lifetime?
How many “this is the last brownie I’ll ever eat” vows have you broken?
How many programs, food plans, workouts, diets, gym memberships, and weight loss books have you bought into over the years?
If you are like most people…the answer is too many.
Maybe you lost a few pounds and felt great only to see the weight come back on as soon as you stopped following the latest program or diet… or maybe you have barely made it to the start line before something or someone swooped in and sabotaged your efforts.
Programs and diets don’t seem to recognize the realities of birthday cakes, wine nights, bake sale fundraisers or family pizza Fridays and when faced with the prospect of social deprivation…most people are going to opt into the fun and food.
So what do you do when your relationship to food is an ongoing struggle?
First, recognize and give thanks for all the previous efforts you have made to address your weight issues…because whether it was a negative or positive experience…you learned something from each attempt and set down at least some pathways of patterns and habits that you can return to if they served you well.
Secondly, you need to learn to love your body as it is now…yes…every part of it! This can be a difficult process but so freeing when you are fully released from the ideas that your worth is in any way dependent upon the shape or health of your body. Releasing unrealistic expectations can lift the unwanted weight of despair or devaluing feelings which can lead to the unwanted physical weight being released as well.
In addition to loving your body…you also need to make healthy choices for yourself only…not for your partner, family or society. Maybe you don’t want to lose 60 pounds…maybe you only want to lose 20 pounds? If that’s the case, then make THAT your goal…not what someone else says your goal should be.
Thirdly, make your weight and health goals about something bigger than yourself. Being good stewards of our bodies and adopting habits of self-care can help us fulfill the purposes we have been set here on earth to do without being impeded by lack of energy or weight-related health conditions. What is your larger purpose that brings you to life? If this is more important to you than the taste of your favorite indulgence than use that as motivation to start the journey.
Forth and most importantly, we need to address the root issues of your unhealthy relationship with food. There are always unconscious patterns, beliefs, and energies at play that may have initially been put in place for your protection but are now working against you. Some of these root issues have probably been passed down over a few generations.
Maybe your parents showed you how they loved you by cooking large meals or baking for you?
Maybe all your activities with friends involve eating a lot of food and that is how you feel loved and connected?
Maybe poverty is part of your history and the learned behavior became ‘eat it now because later there may not be any’?
Whatever the underlying pattern is, it needs to be recognized and transformed into new helpful patterns that will lead to health and vitality
Repeat these affirmations to begin the process of releasing ways of relating to food that is no longer serving your highest good.
I love my body and I treat it with respect, by eating healthy well-balanced meals
I only eat when I am physically hungry
I love and honor my body and give thanks for this life experience it allows me to enjoy
I honor self-care, it brings me freedom and expansion
I am no longer hiding behind bad choices or self-indulgence that no longer serve my highest good
My self-worth is no longer dependent upon my outward appearance. I choose my weight and health
When you take time each day to make your health your priority, your relationship with food will begin to change and move into a healthier place without a constant struggle.
You never want to be in a position where you are ‘battling’ with your body. It must always be slow, agreed upon movement, forward.
Make these ideas the foundation of whatever program or support you require to meet your goals. This will set you up for success as you move into the flow and leave the struggle behind!
