Happy new year everyone!
I spent mine eating sushi with some friends and I most certainly overate! In fact, I even unbuttoned my jeans to feel more comfortable. But guess what... it was NO BIG DEAL! I don't binge eat anymore. In fact, I haven't felt out of control around food for years. But I am human, and from time to time I over eat or emotionally eat. The difference between then and now is that it doesn't trigger me. I don't spiral into days, weeks, or months of unhealthy eating. I don't beat myself up about it and consequently feel out of control. In fact, I now understand from a scientific perspective just how totally counterproductive it is to ever feel guilty or stressed out about eating.(Click here to learn how stress impacts your metabolism) And because it is no big deal in my mind, I can easily let it go and get back to eating in a way that makes me FEEL my best.
Everybody loves new beginnings. A fresh start. And when you struggle with challenges such as weight, emotional eating, binge eating, overeating, body image, or endless dieting, this tends to be the time of year when you are making a firm resolve to change your body and finally get all this food stuff under control.
If you are anything like how I used to be, you are probably telling yourself that this is the year you are going to stick with your perfect diet and find happiness by changing your body. You may be convinced that you just need to adhere to this or that diet, buy that pill, drink, supplement, cleanse, ETC and all your food and weight issues will be solved.
Well guess what... the perfect diet does not exist. There is not one right way to eat. Everyone has a unique biochemistry with ever changing needs. So don't bother getting caught up feeling like you have to eat perfectly all of the time. It isn't possible. Allow yourself to be human and to be messy.
We tend to look outside of ourselves for answers, but they are within. Your relationship with food and your body is a mirror for your relationship with life. Start to work on it from that level. Instead of looking for the latest quick fix or "diet", start to work on your inner world in 2015. Explore your internal dialogue and your challenges. What are your reoccurring thoughts, beliefs, and mindsets around food and body? Create awareness here. This is what will make all the difference for you in the long run.