This
destructive inner dialog has played a major role in keeping us stuck in our
unhealthy relationships with food and our bodies. When we eat too much, or eat
a “forbidden” food, we add an additional layer of shame to our predicament. And
then the shame itself, not the overeating, drives us to over-eat again!
We can begin
to interrupt this negative pattern by being willing to accept ourselves as we
are right now! This feels like a paradox! How can we achieve our weight loss
goals if we feel OK as we are? Don’t we need
to criticize ourselves and make ourselves bad, wrong and not enough in order to
succeed? The simple answer is an emphatic “NO”!
The
unhealthy habits we have engaged in are an attempt to take care of ourselves!
We are not bad or weak willed for succumbing to these powerful urges! The flood of feel good brain chemicals,
provide immediate relief for low blood sugar, physical pain, fatigue and
emotional stress. But because this is a temporary fix, we need to repeat the
cycle, fueling a downward spiral. The pain of being stuck in these destructive
habits can motivate us to devise and practice new strategies to soothe
ourselves physically or emotionally without food! This takes self awareness and
the willingness to do things differently.
The food industry wants and needs us to buy their toxic, chemical laden food. It has devised myriad ways to tempt us and
get us addicted to a lethal brew of fat, sugar and salt. This is not our fault!
We are innocent
and doing the best we can, given the awareness, understanding and knowledge we
have gleaned. This is what creates a foundation for healing these unhealthy
habits. And the point of power is always in the present moment! So let us
forgive ourselves right now as we learn new ways to soothe ourselves without
food.
God’s love for us is not conditional on
losing x amount of pounds, yet we feel we need to make constant withdrawals
from our own bank of healthy, self acceptance and self esteem. Ironically, the
more we criticize ourselves, the harder it is to lose weight.
Becoming aware that we are judging ourselves
is the first step in changing these well worn, neurological grooves in our
brains. Forging new, healthy pathways of self kindness and compassion takes
practice. Establishing these positive mental habits will encourage us to eat
only when we are hungry and stop eating when we are full. We can learn to
listen to our bodies and trust what they tell us. We deserve to talk to ourselves lovingly, no
matter what our shape or size!
The next
time you look at yourself in the mirror, look deeply into your eyes and say: “I
am willing to love and accept you the way God loves you, (or your choice of Higher
Power) exactly as you are.” This new practice is sure to feel awkward at first,
but if you stay with it, you will not only support a sustainable, healthy
weight loss, but also positively impact every area of your life!
