Panic and go on a dramatic diet in the lead up to holiday, lose a stone in a few weeks…then eat and drink everything in sight while on the holiday, and come back 2 stone heavier.
Sound familiar?
Maybe not quite to this extent, but if you’re like most women, I’m sure you can resonate at least a little.
I listened to a podcast about binge eating on holiday the other day.
A woman had written in saying that she only enjoyed the first two days of being away before she wanted to go home and start a diet. She always dieted right up to going away, and then uncontrollably binged as soon as she got out there.
By day three she could already feel the weight coming back on and her clothes starting to get tight.
Feeling pretty helpless, but unable to control herself with food and drink, she carried on overeating for the rest of the holiday, came back miserable and more overweight than before, and then started another diet.
This woman was actually considering stopping going on holidays because it was making her so miserable.
What a crazy world we live in.
As the podcast host said, this woman was on a massive pendulum swing from extreme restrictive diet, to all out eat everything and anything, both resulting in misery. There was no middle ground. And although the middle ground maybe isn’t as exciting, that’s where the enjoyable approach to life is.
What this woman needed to do was to give herself permission.
Telling yourself you CAN’T have something is the quickest way to feel miserable and lead yourself to a binge.
There’s a huge difference between
‘I can’t have that’
versus
‘I’m choosing not to have that’
You ALWAYS have the choice, and you always need to be aware you have that choice.
CHOOSING not to have it = empowerment, in control, on track, pride in self, choosing a fit healthy body instead.
NOT ALLOWED to have it = deprived, restricted, lacking control, leading to resentment and disempowerment, and probably giving up at some point.
It’s OK to eat ANY foods you like – chocolate, cake, potatoes, pizza etc.
Just choose when you have them. If you really really want them, go for it. Just have an appropriate amount, knowing you can always have some more at a later date, because it’s never off limits.
No food on it’s own will make you gain weight or lose weight – it’s your total food and calories for the day and week as a whole that will do that. So fit in the things you want every now and then and ENJOY them. Give yourself permission. Then CHOOSE to be healthy and active the rest of the time.
That is the way you’ll be your slimmest, healthiest, happiest self.