I know, never say never. But I feel so connected with these statements that I don’t feel uneasy with my word choice.
Start over with a new food plan on Monday
I used to feel addicted to the excitement of starting something new on Monday morning. It felt liberating to be able to wash away the past “mistakes” and know that I was going to start fresh. But guess what? It feels even better to know that I don’t actually make mistakes when it comes to food and eating. And if I want that excitement that comes with something new, I can put my energy towards a cause that I find even more meaningful and fulfilling.
Wear clothes that are too small for my body
It feels SO GOOD to wear clothes that actually fit. If something is too tight for my here and now body I immediately put it in a donation bag or fold it up and put it in a bin in the back of my closet - because sometimes I’m not ready to completely let go, and that’s okay.
Automatically assume that I will get motion sick in on an airplane
After working with Jenni Glad I’ve discovered that getting sick is a protection mechanism that goes way back to my early childhood. (Mind to body: if you get sick, Lisa will feel loved and special because she will receive attention from her parents/friends/etc.) While the nausea has always been real, it’s not necessarily hereditary or a foregone conclusion like I thought it was.
Say that I am not a pet person
I love my pet mice so much. If only my apartment allowed dogs!
Assume a strict diet can cure disordered eating
When I was struggling with disordered eating I clung to the belief that there must be one perfect way to eat. And that perfect way would cure the chaos that I had around food. So I tried different diets thinking that their rules would provide the structure that I needed. Now I know, external rules simply create more anxiety around food because they completely remove us from our own inner experience.
Feel guilty for eating something sweet
It feels so liberating to see all foods equally. I know that the nutritional content of a candy bar is not the same as celery, but who cares. I have finally given myself full permission to eat exactly what sounds good and satisfying from day to day, meal to meal, and snack to snack.
Get up at 4:30am to work out
I loved my 5:20am crossfit crew, but I can honestly say that I 4:30am is just too early to get up!
Feel ashamed of my calves
Even though I used to say with a smile, “My calves are just big, I can’t help it,” I carried a deep sense of shame for the way that my legs looked. I felt like I wasn’t good enough because of this physical “flaw.” After working hard to tap into my true beliefs, I see that my legs are in no way a problem and now the shame is gone. (I say true beliefs because deep down it turns out that I didn’t think anything was wrong with my legs, I was just conditioned to think so because of what society tells us is “right” and “beautiful”)
Go on a beach-only vacation
Maybe I’m not doing it right, but I just get so bored!
Go hungry all morning because later on I’m having brunch with friends
One thing I’ve learned through the intuitive eating process is that my body needs to know that it can trust me. It needs to know that I’m not trying to starve it or restrict food. If it’s sending hunger signals then I’m going to feed it. This is what builds trust.
What about you? What’s one thing that you are never going to do again?
Would you like some support around that? I'm here for you.
