Focus on Awareness, Not Dieting
The start of a new year brings new resolutions, new habits, new motivation. A lot of these new year goals tend to revolve around health and wellness. You know what I’m talking about - a new diet or a new workout routine to stick to this year! New year, new you, right? But how many times have you set this goal for yourself only to “fall off track”?
It’s because you’re listening to what worked for someone else.
The diets (Paleo, vegan, etc.) and workouts (Pilates, spin classes, yoga) all exist because they worked for someone but that doesn’t mean they’ll work for everyone. Our bodies and our minds are different, so the same diet or workout is not going to work for you simply because it worked for your coworker, friend, or favorite influencer.
Diets and workout regimens are based on rules that someone else spelled out without fully understanding your body and your needs. Oftentimes, we find ourselves “falling off track” because we are listening to these rules and are either ignoring or misunderstanding what our bodies are telling us. Developing body awareness is the key to discerning what works for you and what doesn’t. Read below for some tips on how to better tune into your body’s signals and live a lifestyle that suits your individual needs.
Food Tips
If your goal is to eat healthier, stay away from the word diet. This word has a negative connotation and can leave you feeling unmotivated or restricted before you even start to clean up what you’re eating.
Don’t completely overhaul what you’re eating. Making a big change or going “cold turkey” with something can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Focus on making small changes and figuring out what works best for you. If you’re trying to eat more vegetables, try to incorporate 1 or 2 new vegetables a week and see which ones you like. If you’re trying to eliminate processed foods, cut back on caffeine, or reduce your sugar intake, eliminate/reduce one thing at a time.
To better understand how your body responds to certain foods, keep a food log. Here is the food log I use on a regular basis that helps me track any symptoms I’m having. I’m currently detoxing from mold and addressing candida overgrowth, so having this food log helps me track my progress and understand what foods are working for me right now and what foods aren’t. Keep in mind, this is meant to be a food/symptom tracker, not a calorie or macronutrient tracker. The goal is to better understand how your body reacts to certain foods, not to achieve certain food goals or make food seem like the enemy.
Eating what feels good to you is all about your mindset. Keeping a food log can help you narrow down the list of foods that trigger symptoms (bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, fatigue, insomnia, etc.). When you have the list (aka awareness) of foods that cause not-so-fun symptoms, you then have the power to say no to these foods without feeling restricted. I’ve found it way easier to say no to certain foods simply because I know I don’t want to deal with the symptoms they trigger. And because it’s not a rule that someone else made, I sometimes choose to eat those foods without feeling guilty or shameful. Instead of chasing perfection or rules, be confident in making choices that feel right to you and your body.
Movement Tips
Similar to the word diet, I think exercise or workout can have a negative connotation. Instead of using those words, use the word movement. See, movement doesn’t sound so intimidating and scary, right?
Find something you actually enjoy! If you try to add something to your routine simply because someone else said to, you most likely are not looking forward to it and will skip it. Instead, find something you enjoy so it’s a part of your day that you look forward to.
Even if you can only get in 10 minutes of movement, do it! Go for a short walk when you have a break in meetings or as a quick way to end your work day. You don’t have to always block a full 30, 45, or 60 minutes. Sometimes, I only have 15 minutes in my day to take a spin class. Instead of skipping because it’s not my usual 30 minute class, I hop on the bike and give that 15 minutes my best effort. Similar to the food tips, don’t chase perfection!
Not sure what movement works well for you? Try different routines and see how you feel. Even better, keep track of them in your food log and refer to this to look for patterns. Maybe when you incorporate yoga once a week, you feel less sore. Maybe when you incorporate a little weight training, you relieve stress. Maybe moving in the morning helps you start your day on a positive note - or maybe, like me, moving after the work day is a good way to relieve stress. What you need is different from everyone else, so focus on what feels good for your body and mind.
Living a sustainable, healthy lifestyle should not be difficult or something that makes you feel unhappy or restricted. As you develop more and more awareness, you will be more confident in the choices you make because inside, you’ll know it’s what your body needs. If you need help developing more awareness, check out my coaching programs. My programs are all centered around awareness and clean living.
*This article is shared for educational purposes only. Please consult with your doctor to see if these tools are right for you, especially if you are pregnant, are taking medication, or have a medical condition.
**If you’re struggling with your relationship with food, please refrain from using the food log and reach out to a mental health professional to help you heal this relationship first.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash