If I had a nickel for every time I heard someone say, “Oh, well, I will start over again on Monday” or “That’s ok, my diet starts on Monday”. Mondays have become the preverbal reset button we hit on our lifestyle habits.
It’s bad enough that Mondays signify the start of the work week grind and the distant memory of rest, relaxation and fun, but now we have to worry about choosing the perfect diet come Monday too.
So why does it feel so natural to start over on a Monday?
Well, if you stop giving up you never have to start over, have you heard this saying?
As women (and of course men – but mostly women) we are bombarded with diet propaganda that promises quick fixes. The problem with these quick fixes besides that they are health destroying they put women in an extremely restrictive food box.
Restriction leads to bingeing, overeating, emotional eating, shame, guilt, and an overall sense of no control over your body.
Sure, if you restrict for a couple of weeks, you will see the scale go down, that is until your body & brain realizes what’s happening and puts the brakes on your energy as well as amps up key hormones like ghrelin, cortisol, and adrenaline to keep you safe and ensure your survival.
Cue rebound weight gain.
Did you know that your body doesn’t know the difference between a crash diet and getting chased by a lioness?? Crazy right?!
So, when you’re trying to shed excess weight, the only way to keep your body out of survival mode aka fat storing mode is to feed it, but if it was that easy we wouldn’t read statistics like 98% of people that lose weight from a diet will gain it back and more.
What is the missing link you may be wondering?
Diets fail you because you never address your emotional connection with food. Our psychological well-being plays a leading role in sustainable weight loss. In order to lose weight and keep it off for good, we need to do more than just think about what we eat, we also need to understand why & how we’re eating.
I have compiled the 3 most common scenarios that can sabotage your success if you haven’t mastered your emotions & mindset.
Scenario #1:
Something else always seems more important. We have thoughts like “I should just keep working” or “I need to make dinner for the family” or “Maybe I should clean my desk instead”. When we know dang well we will feel great if we just got in that 30 minute workout or took 5 minutes to make an energy rich lunch.
But instead, we talk ourselves out of saying YES to our internal commitments.
Scenario #2:
We desire acceptance. We are humans and we crave love and hate disappointing people, especially the ones we love. If we are using food or beverage to bond with people, then it makes total sense why it is so hard for us to hold boundaries when we begin new healthy habits. We worry about getting outcasted or the possibility of growing apart from our friendship group.
Scenario #3:
“I’ve been good, I deserve a little extra.” We all have our own punish and reward systems that we have come up with in our minds. You reward yourself for “good” behaviors and punish yourself for “bad” behaviors.
Too much reward or too much punishment can lead to diet backlash sending you right back into that weight gain – lose weight – weight gain cycle.
What all three of these scenarios have in common is the fear of not being loved.
Clearly this has nothing to do with carbs, proteins, fats, or even exercise.
Are you beginning to see why the emotional and mindset aspects of wellness can make or break your progress and it’s really not about the food?
Some may call this balance, I like to call it finding your rhythm. Because let’s be real, balance is also unrealistic. Your priorities will change based on the season of life you are living, but when you can master your emotions & mindset you will be able to thrive inside your body no matter the season.
As you are working through becoming more aware of how your emotions and mindset are holding you back from success in your wellness journey know this, when you commit to saying yes to valuing yourself more, your relationships are forced to shift.
Choosing yourself will be a challenge, but oh so worth it in the end.
What if you no longer could hide behind excuses for not becoming your healthiest version of you? It’s up to you to take responsibility for how your health & life turn out.
You are not the victim you are the victor! Now go and take 100% responsibility for the bad a$$ that you are and crush those wellness goals.
Jessica Vargas
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About the author
Hello! I’m Jessica. I am the Founder and Owner of Be Body Empowered. I am a mom of 2 little boys and hold a full-time career in the semiconductor industry. I know how it feels to be out of your mind busy, want the career, want the family, and want to look and feel smokin’ hot all at the same time. I want it all just like many of you reading this…and guess what we deserve to have it all! However, to get to where I am today (which is still a work in progress) I have overcome some demons of my own.
I spent the greater part of my life obsessing over food, counting calories, and over exercising. I also struggled with debilitating body dysmorphia. In 2011, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and that is when everything changed for me. I was forced to find a sustainable way to feel and look good in my skin that had nothing to do with extreme dieting or exercise. I have been a boutique fitness instructor for over 12 years and hold certifications in Health & Life coaching as well as my Nutrition certification. After I became my own success story it sparked a desire in me to help transform other like-minded perfectionist driven women.
As I continue my own journey through discovering my healthiest mind & body, I am focused on offering women a premium service which supports their weight loss and wellness goals without crazy restriction with a method that is enjoyable and provides deep healing along the journey.
You can have it all if you want it…the career, the family, the body, and your sanity. You just have to decide it’s yours…and then let yourself have it. All my love!
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