PSA if you’re scared to gain weight with food freedom
Just because you’re working towards a healthy relationship with food and exercise (or you are already there), doesn’t mean you won’t ever experience negative body image again. It is highly likely that your physical body will change in some kind of way, and this can feel uncomfortable at times.
It is all too easy to grieve the body we once had, as we are still so shaped by diet culture and our societies obsession with thinness.
There is a lot of discomfort in recovery, and our body changing is one part.
An important reminder throughout this discomfort is this; If your body type and weight is only maintained through restriction, this isn’t a healthy or sustainable place for your body to be.
My body weight is 7% different from when I had an unhealthy and restrictive relationship with food and excessive exercise habits. I remember being so scared to gain weight. I compared myself to others online who shared ‘What I eat in a Day’, and thought, I could never eat that many calories and look like that. I found myself stuck in unhealthy and rigid patterns.
Finding food freedom has allowed me to gain; a life, my mental health, healthier relationships and connections with my important people, progress and gains in CrossFit, energy, better productivity at work and in my career, flexibility to enjoy food, socialising, celebrations and travel.
When this was just a matter of 7% difference.
If you are struggling with food freedom because of the fear of gaining weight-I understand.
Shift your focus towards body acceptance and neutrality. Continue to remind yourself; your weight is not your worth.
What do you have to gain from food freedom?
Side note-I don’t usually weight myself (I threw out the scales 3 years ago) but I had to test the scales at work (hospital setting). If you work in healthcare and a weight is NEEDED (medication dosage, fluid balance, heart failure, etc) on your patients explain why you need to weigh them and offer a blind weight (patient turns around on a scale so that they do not see their weight).
P.S-I don’t like to highlight weight normally, but an opportunity here to learn from my experience. When our body is in starvation mode, our metabolism changes. It seems counter intuitive at times to encourage you to eat more to improve your metabolism. But, this is an example of that concept. Again, a body neutral approach is what I preach.
Be kind to yourself,
M x
