It’s the week of Valentine’s Day and I have been thinking about losing weight. Not that I want to lose weight because of that day, but rather what the “day of love” has to do with losing weight!
We know that a lot of what we've been told over the years has been totally debunked, so we often need to rethink our approach to nutrition, counting calories, eating schedules, goal weights, fitness, etc. But do you know what has really been debunked? The WHY behind losing weight. We do not lose weight because we are broken and need to be fixed. We do not lose weight because we need to look a certain way. We do not lose weight because we want to feel more love or find someone to love us. We do not lose weight because we need to be valued more by society or any one person.
In short, we lose weight because we LOVE OURSELVES. We lose weight because we want to care for ourselves. We lose weight because we deserve to feel better. We lose weight because we deserve to put ourselves first. We lose weight because it represents an area of growth and development for our journey here on earth.
So some thoughts on weight loss…
Act from feelings of self love and care
Nobody has ever bullied their bodies into losing weight long term. It’s just not gonna happen that way. When we develop thoughts and feelings of love and self care, we can take the actions required to have the results that we want. Periodt. If you are coming from feelings of frustration, overwhelm, guilt, shame, inadequacy, we need to start with that. I promise you.
Enjoy the journey
The most important thing in my opinion is to be very proud of yourself for ANY health changes you are making. Even if you don't see the number move on the scale, ALL nutrition and activity improvements are making you healthier. ALL stress neutralizing efforts are making you healthier. ALL good nights of sleep are making you healthier. ALL improvements in relationships, finances, and your environment are making you healthier!
We sometimes get SO caught up in the (arbitrary) goal of what we think our body should be doing that we forget to realize that our body actually knows best. It’s our job to treat it well, investigate how it's reacting to how we’re treating it, remove roadblocks to healing, augment its natural approaches and adjust from there. Sometimes that means you need to spend weeks adjusting your metabolism/building muscle/hydrating before you lose a pound. And that is just fine!
Take small layered steps
There is no one overhaul that gets the job done. I know, it's frustrating… But! Small, layered changes over time in the areas of nutrition, activity, stress management, sleep, supplements, medications, etc. are the way to go. They are the most sustainable. They are the most well-received by the body. Imagine if you set a micro goal every week for yourself. What would your life be like after 52 new health habits after a year?!
You come first
I know it can be difficult to make time for exercise, healthy eating, sleeping, fun and all the things that life brings.. Being a mom, working a full time job, and just trying to stay on top of everything life throws at you, you might be thinking, “there’s no way I can squeeze that into my schedule and make it a routine.”. Don’t worry, we got you on that. Losing weight isn’t just about dealing with nutrition, fitness and mindset, it’s about dealing with life. : )
Personalize your journey
I get a little nervous when I see a piece of clothing labeled “one size fits all.” really? Me though? Nonetheless, we are very quick to look at what everyone else is doing for weight loss and assume there is a new, never before discovered, one size fits all approach. Not the case. We have to invest in investigating what works for each of us and go from there.
What would weight loss look like for you from a place of self love?
PS - We are so excited to invite more members to Signature Health Path, our holistic health coaching program that combines a personalized professional care plan (from me!), your unique self-care plan (we help you with this) and a safe space for support and accountability. Are you on the waitlist for more info? If not, be sure to sign up here!
