Nourish Yourself

Have you bought into diet culture? Counted calories or macros? Cut carbs? Kept track of points? Paid a lot of money to change your psychology? If you have and those things work for you, this post isn’t for you. But, on the other hand, if you have and all those things do is lead to a restrict/binge cycle or, even worse, restrict-binge-purge cycle, then stay put because, of course, I have an opinion about this and some resources hopefully you find helpful. If you read no further, please take this advice – nourish yourself!

Statistics & Success

I tried to look for some diet statistics to wow you with my research skills, but as it turns out, the “95% of diets fail” stat that’s been tossed around forever was poorly founded. There wasn’t any random sampling or a large study group. That statistic comes from a study of 100 patients treated for obesity in the 1950s. I’d hardly call that reliable. Anyway, enough with the science. No one I know has ever been successful long-term at following a specific diet plan. Are there successful people? Of course! I just don’t know any of them. Can you be successful on a diet? Maybe. Everyone’s mentality and bodies are different, and you must evaluate what is best for you. I will tell you that dieting likely isn’t it.

I’ve relentlessly counted calories and macros, I’ve done the points system, and I’ve been really tempted on multiple occasions to click the link telling me to “build healthier eating habits with psychology, no dieting required.” Still, I read further into it and find that it’s just counting calories and maybe some psychological motivation. I have had an out-of-control eating disorder and have struggled most of my adult life with disordered eating in general. If you’re as OCD as me, tracking only worsens the disease. I get obsessed with my caloric intake! Do you know what happens a few weeks or months later? I binge. Like a lot. On everything. I will eat an entire tub of cookie dough or an extra-large pizza like it ain’t no thing. Then I get depressed and start extreme restrictions again. If only there were a way to be satiated and healthy…

Healthy is a subjective term, by the way, and thin does not necessarily equal healthy.

 

Eat Girl!

There have been so many occasions where I thought I was a fat ass because 1200 calories didn’t cut it for me. I was still starving! I researched ways to control my appetite and looked for healthy, filling food substitutes. After my most recent weight gain and subsequent depression, I had an epiphany; if eating an amount of food that satisfies my appetite makes me gain weight, then maybe my body needed to gain weight. I’m on a journey to accept my body where it is right now and honor my hunger. It’s possible to have a healthy relationship with food and your body, but it takes work and doesn’t happen overnight. People have told me that this journey seems way too complicated or involved. Still, it’s less problematic than figuring out how many calories are in everything I eat and constantly monitoring what I have left in the day or passing on lunch so I can have dessert later. The plan I’m following is called Intuitive Eating. It’s harder some days than others, but as I make peace with food and eat more, I’m learning that many of the issues I have, such as headaches, fatigue, etc., are because I’m hungry. Food is fuel, and we don’t have to think of it in terms of good and bad. We don’t have to beat ourselves up for having that extra cookie or going to the drive-thru instead of cooking. All that does is lead to a cycle of negative self-talk and hatred. Having a positive mindset is much easier when you aren’t hangry. 

 

About three weeks ago, I got a dietician. I’ve paid for personal training and various training plans over the years, but it took until I was 32 to realize that working out isn’t my problem – food is. My dietician isn’t teaching me about serving sizes, though. Yes, she wants me to be healthy and well-nourished, but mostly she wants me to be happy and accept my body.

 

Support Yourself – You’re Beautiful

If this all sounds very cultish to you, I get that. Stay with me, though. You can be happy, healthy, and not hungry all at once without paying for any memberships. I pay for my dietician, but I’m not paying for one-on-one guidance (which she also offers). I am part of a group where we discuss our struggles and our wins. We do food homework. These are things you can do without joining a particular group. Hell, create your own group! I’ll moderate for you; it’ll be a blast.

If you took nothing else from this post, please understand and accept this: you are beautiful exactly where you are right now. We all have goals but be kind to yourself when you look in the mirror. You’re supposed to have rolls when you’re sitting, women have back fat, and it’s okay if you don’t have a thigh gap.

 

My challenge to you is to unfollow everyone who makes you feel bad about yourself and wishes you looked different. If you’re as in love with Instagram as I am, follow people who make you feel good about yourself! Some of my favorites are:

• food.peace.nutritionist
• bodyimagewithbri
• danaemercer
• jennifer.garner (I know, I know, but I had to)
• thenutritiontea
• heytiffanyroe
• myeasytherapy

So, let’s start there. Remove the toxic people from your feed and replace them with people who make you smile and love yourself!

 

Don’t hesitate to contact me! I got you, boo.