Diet without beating yourself up
Posted: June 28th, 2010 | Author: Bonnie | Filed under: Diet, Motivation | No Comments »We can all relate to the standards and ideals we create around the foods we know we *should* be eating. We beat ourselves up when we make choices that we know aren’t helping us reach our goals.
I’ve discovered the secret to dieting without letting it take a toll on my self-esteem and emotional well-being. Anytime the word “should” enters my thoughts, it’s because I have some ideal that I’m not living up to. This is not earth shattering news. The question then becomes, how do I not let those “shoulds” rule me? How do I create a vision for myself and what I want to be, without it centering on what I think it should be? It almost seems impossible.
But it’s not.
If I dig deeper, there are principles and values under those standards. There exists beautiful and complete guiding themes that create those ideals.
I took some time and considered this -
“What standards and ideals do I have around diet?” (these are the shoulds and shouldn’t)
I shouldn’t eat sugar
I shouldn’t eat white flour
I shouldn’t eat too many carbs
I shouldn’t eat too much dairy
I should eat more raw fruits and vegetables
I should eat less
I shouldn’t eat after 7:00
What principles and values do I have around diet? (These are things that have intrinsic value)
Nourishment
Nutrition
Life
Vitality
Energy
Togetherness / Connectedness
Community
Family
Longevity
Relaxation
Comfort
Tradition
Being Present
What I’m learning is that when I look at my diet from a place of standards and ideals I can never experience myself as whole and complete. When I view my diet from my principles and values I can experience myself as whole and complete. The standards and ideals I’ve set are vague and restrictive. I can experience no freedom or sense of empowerment while living in that.
The challenge I’m setting for myself this week is to view my diet from my principles and values, and observe the impact this has on myself.
