Anyone else keep (or used to keep) a magic number in the back of their head?
I used to always think, "If I can just get to Xlbs, then I'll feel ______" (insert the word happy, healthy, confident, comfortable, etc) And for a while, I did get to my "ideal weight." You know what it took? A lot of saying no to any kind of snack or fun food. A lot of eating the same meal-prepped lunches and dinners for weeks on repeat. A lot of running and lifting (I spent at least an hour a day working out)... and a lot of anxiety that made me lose my appetite and simply eat less.
Over time, I healed a lot of that. I still enjoy moving my body (and honestly wish I made more time for it; something I'm currently working on) but I don't feel that I have to work out a certain way in an effort to achieve a particular body type. I move because it makes me feel strong, boosts my mood, and I know it's good for my health.
My relationship with food is stronger now than it has been in the past. I make most of my choices based off of nourishment and fuel, while leaving room for things that I enjoy and creative, fun food experiences.
And yet... there's that magic Xlbs, in the veryyyyy back corner of my head. It might even be worse in some ways, because now the voice also says, "REMEMBER when you were Xlbs? You could be that again. You just have to work harder."
Was I happier at Xlbs? 100% not; I'll tell you that with confidence. I didn't have the control over my mental health and the strong daily habits that I am so obsessed with now - I'm obsessed with them because they made me healthier and happier. Then why is that number stuck in my head??
Where the heck do we pull those numbers from, anyway?? BMI? 🙄 Doctors? Celebrities? The internet? What we weighed in high school or college? The size of our friends? What seems like a "reasonable" change from where we are now?
I have made an active choice over the last couple of years of DITCHING "ideal weight" mentality and I want to bring you along with me!!!
Here's why:
♡ weight is subjective to a LOT of factors - some sort of patterns got you to where you are now
♡ weight CHANGE is dependent on a LOT of factors - ya can't just pick a number, snap your fingers, and think it'll happen!
♡ scales are one tool for measuring one thing and don't give any other information on wellness or body composition
♡ focus on weight makes it a numbers game instead of a HEALTH game; lots of things can make someone change weight but can be harmful (or at the minimum, not considerate) to overall health
♡ when we are nourishing well, moving regularly, sleeping consistently, and managing stress appropriately, our bodies are going to settle into whatever weight they were designed to be ♡
I work with women every 👏 day 👏 on building healthy lifestyle habits (including healthy eating habits) that work to manage weight, sure, but also to improve HEALTH, mood, energy, digestion, self-love, and more.
Head over to www.bewellwithsteph.com for lots of ways I might be able to be a part of your health & wellness journey!
I no longer have a goal weight; I have a goal quality of life.
Who's with me??? 🙋🏼♀️💕
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