In An Effort to Shrink Our Stomachs, We Rob Ourselves of Happiness + Health
This is for the women out there laser focused on their body size. Obsessing over needing to lose that 10lbs, dieting/ restricting or fearing foods that might make you “fat.”
Be honest with yourself, how many times a day do you think about your body and your stomach? Narrowing in on it every time you look in the mirror?
I remember doing the daily “ab check.” All I cared about was shrinking my stomach. It didn't matter that I was freezing cold all the time, my hair was thinning, I was exhausted, my digestion was a mess and I lost my period. Not to mention my social life and joy was taken over by obsessing about food and the way I looked.
Are you determining your mood for the day based on the way your stomach looks? Why are we so damn obsessed with stomachs anyways? The only reason we are so damn obsessed with our stomachs is because we are comparing it with others - remember comparison is the thief of joy. Stay in your own lane.
What if instead of focusing on the desire to be smaller we focused on growth.
We focused on what our bodies can do and how the rest of our health markers look:
• pulse/ temps
• energy
• digestion
• menstrual cycle
• mood
• sleep
• hair skin nails
Mark my words. Most women feel their best 10-15lbs (sometimes more) over their “desired" weight or the weight the world tells us to be. I see it everyday in my practice.
Studies show that being “overweight”, (clinical BMI scale) is associated with longer life expectancy than having a clinically normal weight. Several studies have found that excess fat provides much-needed energy in times of stress and sickness. Especially women.
The biggest stressors on the human body are in the form of under-eating, intense/ over-exercise and negative thoughts about your body.
This in turn will
⬆️ stress hormones
⬇️ metabolism
You may feel real good running on stress hormones but eventually your body will burn out. You end up putting on the weight all over again, most likely weight you needed in the first place.
Your body is what gives you the ability to experience life and enjoying life requires energy + sometimes some extra weight.
Repeat after me. Weight + health do not correlate.
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Offerings:
Membership: The Wild + Well-Fed Wellness Collective
Online Course: Rewild Your Gut