New here

Hello. I’m new here. Struggling with body image, staying on track with healthy eating and exercise. I’m hoping to find support here to help me stay motivated or to give others support when I can.

[mommynutritionist]

Hi Lilac_,

Have you asked yourself why you're not eating healthy/staying on track? Is it because of stress? No time to plan? Not knowing what to eat/how much? Bad eating habits?

The most important thing in living a healthy lifestyle is to love yourself first. Know that you are beautiful and that you deserve the life that you are envisioning. Figure out the main reason(s) why you want to eat right and exercise. Be as specific as possible. Once you have this reason clarified, write it down and post it somewhere where you can always see it. After you do this, then you can tackle why aren't you taking the steps to get to that goal.

Good luck with your journey. You got this!

[Hidden in reply to mommynutritionist]

I’m not sure if you have encountered this or maybe know anyone who has felt the same, but I feel like I can’t come up with a reason I can stick to. I list a few, pick one, but then it’s almost like it loses it value. I have to keep changing my reasons so that I can keep myself motivated.

[mommynutritionist in reply to Hidden]

Have you thought about how you see yourself one year from now? 5 years? 10 years? Are you ok with your future if you just do nothing and continue on this current path you are on? Or are you really tired of your current lifestyle/body/health? You just need to ask yourself if your current comfort level is more important than your future health. Our days are just filled with lots of small decisions that ultimately lead you down one path or another. It's up to you to choose that path that aligns with what you most value: current comfort or future health. What's important is to understand that all it requires is just one decision at a time.

[Hidden in reply to mommynutritionist]

Thank you for this reply. Yes, I have thought about how I see myself in 1 year from now and about my future. Unfortunately I struggle with yo yo dieting, mental health issues, and a lack of support. I have learned throughout the ups and downs of yo yo dieting that I need to focus on accepting that this journey is a lifestyle change. Also what helps is not labeling foods as bad foods, but to be more aware of better food choices and what foods make me feel better. It also helps me mentally. The lack of support from people around me makes it a bit difficult to stay on track but Im hoping to continue to make the right choices for me. I’m trying not to feel feelings of embarrassment or feel the need to hide my lifestyle/progress because I’m afraid of hurting other people’s feelings. You are also right about how it requires one decision at a time. This helps me stay to track and avoiding an emotional eating rollercoaster.

[mommynutritionist in reply to Hidden]

I totally get it. You do seem like you're on the right track. You are right. I've always told clients it's a matter of lifestyle change than being on a restrictive diet. However the only way to do this is by shifting your mindset so that all the choices you make are to help you with your ultimate goals. I'm in the process of creating a FB group specifically to help women with changing their lifestyle and habits (without dieting!) to have a healthier life and to offer a community where women can really support each other when it gets tough (and to have women to celebrate with when we have little wins). Let me know if you want me to send you the link when it goes live.