Life’s pressures and stopping out running emotional eating

How are you when it comes to life’s pressures and emotional eating?  I know some women reach for food when stressed and others are the opposite.  This is for those who reach for food in times of pressure.  Let’s face it!  Fighting those demons can be a difficult thing and the only thing that can seem to soothe the emotions is food.  You know that feeling of peace that comes over you for a moment that can lead to regret and weight gain if it is a frequent thing.  Life moves in cycles and it’s important to understand that while seeking consistency and sustainable results.  If you can understand your behaviours, you will be able to master your emotional eating and find ways to find peace through other means.  These insights will assist you to overcome life’s pressures that may lead you to emotional eating:

 

1. Know what your triggers are.

   Many women aren’t aware of their triggers so they don’t know when they are in the midst of a cycle where they may be seeking food to find peace. Get to know what happens right before you reach for food and understand that you won’t be perfect all of the time, but you can calm your emotions in other ways when you understand what triggers your emotional eating.  Triggers can be external or internal things so be sure to not surround yourself with triggering people, things or thoughts and allow yourself some grace in life to be able to calm eat and find your balance.

2. Change your environment to reduce life’s pressures.

   The moral of the story here is to not expose yourself to the things that trigger you as much while additionally working on your triggers to be able to do whatever you like in the future. Healing is the key to success when it comes to mastering your emotional eating but don’t put yourself under undue stress if you don’t need to.  Who can you let go of in your life that trigger you and what habits, behaviours and environments can you change to allow yourself some peace?  At least until you are able master your emotional eating and find balance.

3. Know you can do it and place your attention on what you want instead.

   When you know you can overcome emotional eating and place your attention on what you want, you get to find peace over it. I’m not saying that you will never emotionally eat again as perfectionism isn’t what this is about and being a realist will help you love yourself at times when your emotions run the show. As you focus on what you want, you create more of that, and you begin to attract to you situations where you are better able to manage.   You don’t need to heal in an instant, each change is a win so know you are worthy and make small adjustments over time to a place where you are managing your emotional eating, focusing on what you want and living for balance to win the war on weight, body image and fitness.

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Your weight and looks don’t determine your worth

When it comes to your weight, how do you feel about what it means? Do you make it mean you are worthy if you are thin and unworthy if you gained weight?  In this mission, it’s important to understand that your weight doesn’t reflect anything about you when it comes to worth.  Yes, you may be wearing your emotions and trauma on your body, or you may simply eat more than your body needs for no reason except you like food.  Whichever it is for you, just know that you are a perfect human being regardless and your worth is determined by your inner self and not the way you look. Who ever decided in history that women’s physical appearance would be something that is important when it comes to attracting opportunities, a partner, worth and what you want out of life?  It really makes no sense if you think about where it all started – with human constructs of the mind.  Meaning it’s all made up.  These insights will assist you to know your worth that is more than your body and understand that weight is an ever-changing thing and if you place your worth on it, you may find yourself in states of perpetual unworthiness:

1. Your body is not your business card.

   Opportunity seems to often knock on the doors of those are thin right? That’s what society has created as something women believe because the ideal life often involves an image of a thin woman with it all. Well, it’s not really about these women’s body, it’s about how they often think about themselves while it is a fact of society that there is an image that is projected through the media and other means that says that when you are skinny you have made it.  Well, that’s not true.  If you are being discriminated against for your body and made to feel unworthy by others when it comes to opportunity, make sure you stand up for yourself because your body is not your business card.  It is simply a vehicle that holds your beautiful soul for which you can look after and do your best to be well.

2. Stay away from people who are only looks oriented.

   One sure way to destroy your worth is to be with or around people who are only looks oriented who place their connection with you on the way you look. I know, I have been there and at times you don’t look what they deem to be attractive and thin they disappear or they are embarrassed by you which seems like it’s a bad thing at the time but know it’s the best thing that can happen to you.  You know where you stand, and you get to find people who adore you for you.  Relationships based on looks place undue pressure on you and etch away at your worth because I know deep inside you want to be accepted for who you are in entirety.  I’m not saying don’t look stunning, what I am saying is don’t base relationships on physical aspects or be around those who do because your worth depends on it. Of course, hang out with healthy people, but make it from a place of worthiness and belonging.

3. Life phases happen so accept them.

   If you are placing your worth on your body, you may find you struggle as you age or things happen where your body may change.  I know this well and was thin most of my life and when things happened to me and my body changed, I had to accept that unless I wanted to starve myself, my body just wouldn’t morph into my former 20-year-old body.  These phases can pass, and the moral of this story is that it’s imperative you place your worth on your internal self and not the way you look because bodies can change and looks can change.  Don’t get out of the game if you go through a phase, do what you can with your exercise and eating and ride out the phase while loving your body and knowing you are worthy no matter what.

The following article Your weight and looks don’t determine your worth was first published on Battle Babes Fitness by Anna Maria Lang

Understanding the pitfalls of rapid weight loss

So many women are seeking a quick fix and trying to lose weight through extreme measures for rapid weight loss.  Let’s face it… there are many promises of an ideal life once you lose the weight really fast and thoughts that you will be happy when you reach the magic number on the scales.  I’m here to tell you that there are no quick fixes and immediate gratification will most likely get you into metabolic trouble. Rapid weight loss often leads to rapid weight gain and often more than you started because it’s impossible to maintain the extreme measures you go through to achieve the rapid result while additionally this causes your metabolism often to slow down.  Rapid weight loss is glorified and celebrated when slow weight loss should be the method by which you lose the weight if that is what you want to do. These insights will assist you to understand the pitfalls of rapid weight loss and find balance so you can lose weight if that is what you want to do:

1. Starvation causes a stress response in your body causing weight gain.

   Your nervous system, food intake and stress over food can be directly related and when you choose to go on a fad diet seeking rapid weight loss, you place undue stress on your body and your mind.Starvation causes the activation of your sympathetic nervous system which is the centre for stress in your body that can cause weight loss resistance or weight gain.  You might find you rapidly lose weight to begin with while in time you may find yourself not being able to lose weight because stress on your body and in your mind can cause weight loss resistance or weight gain.

2. Cycles of weight loss and gain are usually the biproduct of rapid weight loss.

   If you are on a cycle of weight loss and gain it could be because you are losing weight in the wrong way. You may be losing it too quickly and although you may feel somewhat better there can be some damage done to your metabolism as a result of the constant diet cycle.  It is important to find a balanced eating plan that is conducive to your results and lifestyle.  Of course, weight can fluctuate and what I am talking about here is the rapid weight loss that leads to rapid weight gain that has you struggle physically and mentally.

3. Rapid weight loss and cyclic dieting can cause metabolic damage.

   As you lose weight in cycles of weight loss and gain through rapid weight loss and quick fixes, you damage your metabolism leaving it sluggish and struggling. It may seem difficult to believe, but food is your friend when it comes to weight loss and sustaining your weight.  When I say sustaining your weight, I don’t mean to stay the exact number on the scale at all times, what I mean is to train your metabolism to keep you within your own healthy and desired weight range that has you feel energetic, healthy and living life. Rapid methods just don’t work long term and seeking quick fixes can cause you to suffer so make sure you seek professional guidance to be able to balance your life and achieve long term health regardless of the number on the scale causing your metabolism to flourish.

The post Understanding the pitfalls of rapid weight loss is republished from Battle Babes Fitness by Anna Maria Lang

Have compassion & empathy for you and others

In a world where fat shaming is sometimes a sport for people, it is important to be the type of woman who is about compassion and empathy for yourself and others.  Often women fat shame themselves and along with the stress and social pressures of the shaming others do, it can be a very stressful time if you gain weight.  It is important in the body image and body love mission to ensure you see that others shaming is only a reflection of them and to let it ride on by because others’ opinions don’t really count.  It is your opinion that matters and if you have an opinion of yourself that is not healthy for you and is about shaming yourself then now may be a good time to make some changes.  As you age, it is rare that women are as thin as they used to be while they can be.  People don’t know truly what someone who has gained weight is going through or has gone through, so it is such a gift to be compassionate and have empathy for yourself and others.  These insights will assist you to gain compassion and empathy for your situation and with others because as you judge you shall be judged:

1. Appreciate your weight gain while making changes.

   When it comes to weight gain, I know you want to hate it and I know it’s difficult to see that loving your body can help you heal it and lose weight. The stress of body hate can cause you to diet, temporarily lose weight and gain weight within itself. So be sure to appreciate any weight gain, know that it doesn’t mean anything about you that is negative and it’s not the end of the world if you gain a few kilograms.  As you see that there are lessons and the weight has served you in some way, you get to own what you have done to your body, see it as something you can learn from and move on permanently while understanding that weight fluctuates so have some compassion and empathy for yourself and others.

2. Deal with unresolved trauma to heal the real problem.

   So many people think weight is a weight issue when it most often is trauma or unresolved and undigested life experiences that are at play. Now I know… there may also be a stigma around not being ‘perfect’ in this day and age when it comes to mental health.  But understand that compassion and empathy can go a long way in your life and for your weight loss because releasing the stress and pressure trauma puts on your body can be life changing.  Even if you never lost another kilogram in your life, isn’t it better to live your life in a state of gratitude and joy regardless.  While with the right strategy, healing, compassion and empathy for all past hurt and pain you begin to find yourself and take inspired actions toward your ultimate health.  Seek professional guidance to heal your past hurt and trauma.

3. Have compassion and empathy for others.

   As you understand that weight is just an accumulation of habits and unresolved life experiences, you get to see that it’s not about being skinny anymore – it’s about being free. As you have more compassion and empathy for others, you will notice you have more for yourself and vice versa.  As you look into the world you are telling yourself things about yourself by what you think of others.  So, in having compassion and empathy for others, you begin to have more compassion and empathy for yourself and you set yourself and others free because your commitment to being free overcomes all shaming.  Just live your life and go about your life while including health as a priority so you can live with vitality giving yourself and others the gift of compassion and empathy.

The blog post Have compassion & empathy for you and others was originally published to Battle babes fitness

Embracing your youth for body love now

In life, it is very easy when you are young to hate on your body and self.  I consider this life and time wasted because as you age, you may look back and wish you appreciated your weight, body and fitness for the way it was because they may fade, or it may become more difficult to maintain.  Don’t spend your youth wasting it on hating your body and self and don’t be one of those women who looks back in the future and wishes you enjoyed what you had.  If you already have done that, this will assist you also while if you are doing it, make sure you consider the impact on your self-esteem if you don’t make some changes now.  Of course, your looks need not fade as beauty is ever present no matter what you look like, while so many women struggle in their teens and beyond and age or things change, and they wish they had loved their bodies and embraced themselves in entirety the entire time.  What are you like when it comes to your body now? What about your body in the past?  Have you always loved and embraced your body, or do you look back and wish you appreciated it when it was easier to maintain a healthy weight?  These insights will assist you to embrace who you were, who you are and who you are becoming:

 

1. Don’t live with regret, just love the past and forget.

   Too many women look back and compare themselves and body to the way they used to be.  It is important that you learn from your past, appreciate all that has occurred and then move powerfully forward because you can’t change what occurred, but you can most certainly adjust things now and for your future.  When you look back wishing you had appreciated your body or you are in your youth and not appreciating your body now, you cause yourself undue stress and put unrealistic pressures on yourself. The best thing to do is to accept yourself for the way you are, make a plan to make changes if this is what you want and stop trying to morph yourself into a teenager and start embracing the journey of health in entirety for a new way of life that has you free from your past, embracing the now and living for a great future.

2. Take care of your body and appreciate it now so you avoid regret.

   What do you want to do and wear that you know you deep down would love to that embraces your body and causes you to know you are good enough and beautiful in it? What have you been holding back on trying to hide away your body and self because you don’t think you are good enough or thin enough?  Most likely you look better than you think and in that, it’s important to understand that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Be humble in your approach to your beauty while being inspired to express yourself for the true you who wants to be loved and adored for your inner self and soul over your body while wearing what you want and appreciating your body now and avoiding regret.

3. No matter what your past looks like, it is now and the future that matters.

   We’ve all done it. That’s right – I believe we have all had regret over not appreciating our bodies when we were younger and more youthful no matter what age you might be.  Where did you think you are fat when you were perfect and although all of us have curves and bumps in places that we may not appreciate all of the time, you must consider that in the future as you age, you may find that it’s more difficult to maintain so why not appreciate your body now and for the future.  Regardless of what phase you are at in your life, make sure you love and adore yourself in entirety for the beauty you are from within while looking after your body in the best way you know how at any phase by loving it and making sure you appreciate every part of it now and into the future.

The article Embracing your youth for body love now is available on battlebabesfitness.com

What is mental fitness and what does it mean

When I talk about fitness, I am talking about mental fitness and also fitness for joy.  As someone who has had all of the obstacles you could think of thrown my way when it comes to aligning with a fit life, I came to the realisation that it’s not about being skinny and obsessively fit, it is about the quality of your life based on your thoughts about yourself.  That is why Battle Babes is about mental fitness. So many people use pain to leverage themselves and to take action focusing on the pain and not being fat to the point where eventually, the focus comes to a point where you may have become exactly what you didn’t want.  I know from someone who has had mental health challenges and weight issues including an eating disorder that it’s not an overnight process to heal and it can take a long time to restore your body’s equilibrium, so it is important to focus on mental fitness first, loving your body now, your thoughts about yourself and take actions from a place of peace and adoration for who you truly are.  These insights will assist you to understand what mental fitness is and what it means to be mentally fit:

1. Your mental fitness is about your stamina and capability to deal with life’s challenges.

   Physical fitness often comes from mental fitness and understanding that being super fit isn’t always the answer to being mentally fit but it can be if you choose it to be a by-product of your decisions and actions. Physical stamina can impact your mental stamina most certainly while mental stamina isn’t dependent of physical fitness.  I say this because injuries and other things may occur causing you to not be able to exercise or as much and if you are dependent of exercise for your worth, stamina and mental fitness, you may find you struggle and can’t seem to cope.  Mental fitness is derived from you.  It is a human construct that gives you the capability to deal with life’s challenges in a way that is powerful and has you able to overcome all obstacles that may come your way.  It is your inner resilience and ability to withstand any challenge and get right back up no matter how long it takes to be focused on mental fitness over physical fitness while doing what brings you joy.

2. Your mental fitness is about thinking kind things about yourself.

   So many women berate themselves and use negativity to leverage themselves by hating their bodies into submission and being skinny. I understand that if you have been doing this, you may not know another way or you may fear losing your footing and gaining weight because you have spent so much time hating your body into looking a way you think will get you what you want in life.  The key to mental fitness is to think kind things about yourself and tell yourself you are worthy and deserving while leveraging yourself from a positive space while understanding that results come from your decisions, commitments and actions you take.  Kindness relieves the pressure you put on your nervous system and reduces stress over your weight while assisting in the weight loss process.  It makes way for a new approach that may take some time to shift your thoughts and behaviours from and you might just find that you become happy no matter what shape or size you are.

3. Your mental fitness is about loving who you are internally.

   If you place your levels of love on the external, you may find as you go through different seasons and phases in your life where weight fluctuates you will struggle with self-love. When you place love on external factors that most certainly can enhance your life but are not the crucial ingredient to love – your internal dialogue, mental fitness and ability to love who you are in essence is.  Loving yourself internally means loving your thoughts, feelings and emotions.  I’m not going to tell you that you will be positive all of the time because that’s not realistic.  It’s what you do with your thoughts, feelings and emotions that counts and this is what mental fitness is all about.  It is about making sugar free lemonade out of lemons, and it is about making your setbacks, challenges and negative thoughts mean something powerful. As you love your internal self, you begin to love your external self more and more because you know your worth is not based on your looks, weight, image and fitness levels, it is based on so much more than that and is something that can’t be taken away – your deep soul and true love for yourself.  Your mental fitness is derived from your deep inner power and knowing that you can overcome anything and when you trust in this power, you can physically achieve what you want in time.

The article What is mental fitness and what does it mean was originally published to Battle Babes Fitness blog

Love is for everyone and all shapes and sizes

In watching movies and dating shows, it seems the world is portraying that love is only for the ones who look what society might say or think is like the young, glamorous and ideal woman.  They are filled with thin, glamorous people who may or may not be nice people portraying that soul mates might only come in those packages. When it comes to body image and loving your body this is not about not being healthy where possible, it is about embracing yourself and knowing that you don’t need to morph into an ideal woman to find love.  You don’t need to wait until you reach your goal to allow love into your life.  While it is important while you are on the quest for love to ensure you attract your soul mate and make sure he is supportive of your health but don’t confuse looks for being lovable.  These insights will assist you to know you are lovable no matter what while ensuring you work each day toward your goals:

1. Embrace your body while taking action toward your goals.

   You don’t need to be model looking to be worthy of love.  This doesn’t mean you should let yourself go and not take action toward your dreams.  What it does mean is that it’s important to know who you are deep inside over your looks and if the man you are dating or with doesn’t love you for you, and only wants your looks then it’s time to take stock and make some changes if that is what you want toward being loved for the real you.  As you embrace your body the way it is now and work toward your goals, it is imperative to your mental health and quality of life that you are adored not for your looks but for your deep and loving soul.

2. Date now, not when you reach the magic number on the scales.

   I know it might seem difficult to date or be in a relationship when you may not be completely happy with yourself and your body.  The thing is, get happy with it while taking healthy actions and finding the man who loves you warts and all.  Happiness doesn’t hinge on the way you look, while health can most certainly enhance your life and make you feel more joyful, it’s not the defining factor in you being worthy and deserving of the love you are meant for.  So many women miss out on true love because of the way that they think they look and what society might be projecting is perfection and who gets love.  Be the type of woman who has courage and who loves their body now and makes life happen in all seasons and phases of life.

3. Choose the man who wants you for you.

   I know that it may be difficult for you to feel loved for you.  Society has often portrayed the ideal life as skinny, glamorous, and perfect.  But life just isn’t like that as what is perfection anyways and that is not where happiness is derived from, it comes from you as a human construct that can be decided on each day and moment regardless of how difficult it might seem to do so.  As you go about choosing your life partner, make sure he wants you for you.  Make sure he doesn’t want you for your looks, body or any material aspects because the quality of your life is hinging on making the right choice or continuing to choose the one you have.  Find the man who loves you and your body just as much if not more than you do and embrace the fact that perfection is in the present moment, not some day in the future when you may have achieved your goals.

 

The post Love is for everyone and all shapes and sizes was originally published to Battle Babes Fitness blog