What to do when you “fall off the wagon”?
So many times I see women being upset because they have fallen off of the wagon. They say: “Tomorrow, I’m starting again!” or “Starting Monday, I’ll be good again.”.
Guess what happens until then?
Yep, you guessed it.
Until then, they eat everything that they won’t be able to eat until tomorrow/Monday/1st day of the month.
You see, when I hear women say that they have fallen off of the wagon, I would love to just scream at them: “Awesome! Good job!”
Because the problem is THE WAGON.
Let’s do a quick test together.
Just imagine for a second, that from tomorrow on, you won’t be able to have any chocolate. Ever again. All the chocolate has disappeared from the Earth.
What will you want to eat TODAY, when you still have access to chocolate?
Ha!
You see?!
When you forbid certain foods, you will crave those exact foods!
That’s how things work.
So when you go on a diet or a “lifestyle” and you say: “From tomorrow on, I won’t eat any of ________.” What will you do today?
You will eat that food, of course. Because you love it and from tomorrow on, you won’t be able to have it anymore.
But… that’s not the end.
It’s not like you will now magically be on the wagon all the time and it’s not like you will *really* never eat that food again.
Eventually, you will fall off the wagon – probably soon. And you’ll binge again on those exact foods that you’ve been depriving yourself for such a long time.
You go on a diet > you’re good for a few days > you have a “slip-up” > you feel guilty > you decide you’re going to start again tomorrow > you eat more of the “slip-up” foods today > you start again tomorrow > you go on a diet …. you’re good for a few days > you have a “slip-up” > you feel guilty > you decide you’re going to start again tomorrow > you eat more of the “slip-up” foods today > you start again tomorrow >
What a crazy world!
Why even create a wagon that you can fall off of?
The thing is when people restrict and try to “diet”, people usually set such high expectations that when they veer off even just slightly, they instantly feel like they were bad.
They setting themselves up for disappointment. So the numb those awful feelings, we eat more of the junk food. And the cycle repeats.
I know that being healthy and happy is important to you – so you can live your life with everything you want and desire!
Let’s look at the alternative – what you can do instead.
STOP DIETING – I know this can feel like a scary step, but it’s necessary. Diets just don’t work. Believe it or not, being healthy and fit is exactly what your body desires too. And the whole manual is already inside of you. Everything you need is already inside of you – you have a whole manual hidden inside. So the logical next step is to connect with your body on a level where you can actually read the instructions and follow them. And this will NEVER feel like a deprivation because you will act in accordance with your own needs.
RELEASE JUDGEMENT – When you decide to hop on this beautiful journey of connecting with your body you will experience ups and downs. It’s a learning process. So instead of judging yourself whenever you don’t “read” the instructions (aka decipher what your body is trying to say) correctly, try to come from a place of curiosity. “Hmm, wow, that’s so interesting. Even though I ate something that I thought was bad for me… I really feel good after eating it.”
Remember – this is a journey. It’s a healing process.
You cannot expect to go from point A to point B from one day to another. But stay with me, and you’ll come there a hell of a lot faster than if you do it on your own. (Some of the women I work with were stuck in this vicious cycle for 20+ years before reaching out for help – don’t do the same mistake.)
Much love,
P.S. Download my emotional eating SOS toolkit HERE >>
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