Another guest post by my colleague, Tanya Mark
What’s your “ideal” weight? I have no idea!!! because “ideal” weight is a myth.
But, I can hear you now, “but I DO have an ideal weight. When I used to weigh _____ (fill in your number, when I was 22, last year, before the baby, according to BMI calculations, etc.), that’s when I felt my best.” - says most of us.
So let’s talk about some truths when it comes to weight and health before we get into the 8 tips to ditch the scale by learning Intuitive Eating, a self-care eating framework.
First things first, the scale can make us crazy. It can shift our mindset in an instant.
One moment you’re having a great day, the next you’re not…just because of a number on the scale. Let’s take our power back!
Scale fluctuations are normal
So no, you didn’t really gain/lose X pounds of actual body weight in one day.
“It [is] physiologically impossible to gain or lose three to five pounds of fat overnight, no matter what the scale says,” says Kelly Hogan, MS, RD, CDN
So let’s move on from the scale.
BMI is not an accurate measure of your health.
I love sharing this fun fact and (BMI) Body Mass Index from Jennifer Rollin, Eating Disorder Therapist:
“…in the 1990’s a bunch of Americans went to bed and woke up “overweight.” Their body size hadn’t changed-however against recommendations from The World Health Organization, an “obesity task force” (which was funded by the makers of a weight-loss drug) decided to lower the BMI. The reality is that BMI really tells you nothing about someone’s health or behaviors.”
So instead of focusing on weight or BMI, shift to practicing these healthy behaviors instead:
8 tips to ditch the scale with Intuitive Eating
1. Learn to honor your hunger when it's gentle and honor your fullness when it's comfortable. Of course you don't have to be perfect as there’s no such thing as perfect eating and it's not necessary to be healthy.
2. Acknowledge that we are all emotional eaters. So no, emotional eating isn’t “bad.” Instead, notice if going to food is your only coping strategy and let’s find you some new ones.
3. Bring presence to your plate. Slow down and eat in a relaxed and conscious manner - again, for the most part. How can you create a pleasurable experience around meal times? Prioritize meal time as a nourishing experience for optimal digestion.
4. Be in touch with your body’s internal cues and be aware of which foods energize you versus deplete you. How do the foods that you choose to eat make you feel? This awareness is known as food-body congruence in Intuitive Eating and is part of honoring gentle nutrition, principle 10. Take the time to explore because every body’s digestion is unique.
5. Move your body in whatever way works for you and because it brings you joy not because you “should.” Fitness looks different on every body! Did you know that more muscular bodies naturally weigh more than less muscular bodies?
6. Honor your genetics. Body diversity is part of the human experience. We’re not all meant to look a certain way and health doesn’t come in a certain body size, shape or weight.
7. Prioritize stress management and be aware of “who you are bringing to the plate.” Are you constantly worried about food, your body? Stress impacts how your body digests foods and poor digestion is often unfairly blamed on the food itself!
8. Honor the importance of basic nutritional knowledge. Learn how to balance your blood sugar (which stabilizes mood, cravings and energy), strengthen your digestion and more. Ditch the diet mentality and practice gentle nutrition.
So no, it’s not necessarily what you weighed when you were 22, 2 years ago, 2 months ago, pre-baby, or when you dieted, obsessed over and restricted your food and over-exercised to achieve it.
🤔 Consider - if you feel like you’re struggling to lose X pounds despite great self-care that maybe you’re at your healthiest weight (range) because it’s the weight your body wants to maintain when you are caring for yourself and you can enjoy a healthy relationship with food and your body. You can enjoy having dinner with your friends without being hypervigilant with your food or beating yourself up for missing a workout. ♡♡♡
Thus your body is healthiest when you engage in healthy eating behaviors without restriction and participate in movement that you enjoy and live your best life.
Your body is healthiest when you are nourishing your whole self - mentally, physically and emotionally.
And most importantly,
♡ You aren’t what you weigh.
♡ You are more than a body.
♡ You are more than what your body looks like - we’re all aging.
♡ Your self worth should never be equated to your size or shape.
♡ Your health status shouldn’t be assumed based on your size or shape.
If this post resonated with you, please consider sharing it to spread the word. It might be of use to someone you know.
If you’d like to learn more about this topic, click HERE to book a session with me, or follow me on Facebook @Nourishing Body & Soul or on Instagram @tlastle.nourishingbodyandsoul
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