It's NOT my fault that as a child I wasn't told about nutrition.
It's NOT their fault they weren't well educated or were poor and couldn't afford the right foods.
It's NOT my fault that I've inherited certain traits and their consequences.
It's NOT their fault either, as they too were given it without consultation or agreement.
It's NOT my fault that every Celebration and every Sorrow was met with food, when boredom led to food and when even better cash flow led to food! -
But which food?
Not the wholesome home cooked ones - unfortunately the advertising conned us! The 'glitter and glam' of processed food, ready meals, sugary food and unhealthy eat outs!
There was a time when it looked like ALL life led to food! Stress or worry, happiness or success. All roads led to food.
But as life trundled along we found a couple of hidden truths - gems under the piles of oil and grease and fat and empty calories - struggling to get out and shout 'food is NOT the only comforter, and food is NOT the only reward!' & 'Good food is not what you're filling your body with!'
And so began a slow journey for food - of good and bad, what should be and what is, who to believe and who to turn a deaf ear to!
And where then would be Comfort and Joy?
Retrain your thinking!
There is Joy in simple activities like walking and talking and sharing time with people whom you trust. Joy in being able to watch the stars or hear the ocean or walk in the woods.
There is joy in acknowledging your achievements - as small and minor as they may be in the big scheme of things.
A first walk. A gratefulness for a body that works. A stroll with a friend. A pound lost.
Have hope, be thankful. Keep going.
There is Comfort in knowing you are being kind to yourself by protecting yourself from potential illnesses.
There is Comfort as you learn to love yourself again and your incredible body.
There is Comfort when you acknowledge the magnificent wonder that it is, and how well it has served you and yours.
Those tree trunk legs helped carry you through the tough times, they were the pillars that your children grew on.
That jelly belly was the world for the babies and also a cushion for sleeping infants and children.
Those flapping arms have hugged and loved and carried and cooked and cleaned and served.
That tried overloaded back kept it together to get the job done - complaining quietly of an evening, hoping you were listening.
And despite all the abuse that it's had directed at it - yet still it works as best as it can to serve.
It IS then MY responsibility to care for me, to feed and nurture body and soul to the best of my ability.
It IS in MY control to forgive, to move on, to remove the blanket of food and replace it with health, hope and enjoyment.
Life is a journey and maybe I've lost the map a few times but I've found it again. I'm back. I'm here.
Follow your plan, to your tune, and let go of the demons of past and of negativity.
This is just such an inspirational post and echoes all the myriad of thoughts and beliefs whirling around in my head 😊😊❤
I agree totally 😊
I eat good nutritious food because I am worth it and my body deserves it! 😊 2016 saw me with a potentially life threatening illness and 2017 heralds the arrival of my first grandchild, I'm almost three stone lighter and life is good 😊
Let's celebrate our success and enjoy our food, life and exercise, joyful that we have the capability to do so 😊🎉🎄❤👏🎈😊
What a wonderful expression , you have covered what a lot of other friends on this forum truly identify with written with heart felt honesty. Thankyou ⛄️⛄️⛄️⛄️
Thanks for your time writing that fantastic post.Its so true we are all frightened of enjoying life because we are constantly consumed with guilt for eating this and that. It creates negativity which leads one way back to the viscous cycle of weight gsin and loss.Really made me think.I wont be too hard on myself.Have a great Christmas.
Beautifully written, saying so much better than I could the things which I know to be true.
This is excellent Makemamathin. Thank you for such thoughtful words and a real encouragement to move forward and stop looking back.
As you say, we often blame so many other things for what we are today and This addresses that way of thinking so beautifully. If it's OK with you I will print this out and add it to my diary as a reminder to 'stop being afraid and be what you want to be'.
I agree entirely, especially with the effects of living in a consumerism based society where we are all brainwashed daily by TV and magazines. A useful reminder as to what really matters.
Fantastic post! Really well done Hidden . I agree so much with shifting one's mindset towards inner happiness in order to be more resilient to the ups and downs of weightloss. That's why I started the Happiness Challenge, so that there is a place each day that is specially designed to help with happiness development and offers support to those who might struggle on their own.
There are seven exercises to complete every day, which over time lead to a fundamental shift in one's mindset to positivity and happiness by focusing on gratitude, self-appreciation, positive memories from the past, exercise, calming the mind and performing self-care. We interact with each other intensely in order to benefit multi-fold from each day - one's own positive answers, reading about others' happiness, getting inspiration, replying to others and thus giving support and happiness back. Plus, the challenge offers accountability to practice the exercises daily.
The current challenge is dues to end on 31st December but I am considering to keep running it next year.
Funny HealthyTanja my husband asked me if it was continuing ☺ apart from the obvious stone of, he says its good me being more possitive after such a sad year. I'm not saying I'm not grieveing for mum any more but learning to think more possitive and not have the anxiety and 2017 I hope will be the moving forward year
How wonderful that your husband can see a real difference!
You are right, choosing to take care of yourself by practicing a fundamentally positive mindset does in no way mean you are not grieving for you mother or that your year wasn't hard! All it means is that you are winning over the sad and gloom and that you are coming out stronger for a happier future
You have a wonderful way with words ☺and thoughts ☺
Our priorities are with our children when they are young and only as they are getting less dependent on us do we find time to think about ourselves!
I have come to a stage in my life where I can say "I am going for a run by myself" "I am cooking for my needs"
"I am going to get to my target!"
Many of us will have put our lives on hold for our children, I don't regret a single second of it - but I have hit an age where I have to let go of them more and learn again that I have needs worthwhile attending to as well.
There is so much to gain from simple things in life -
I think the children, and even the oldies, will always still need us but yes there's enough of a seperation now to grab that little window here and there to nurture ourselves and fix any damage done over the years.
Agree too no regrets👍
We did what we could with what we had!
Now with better focus and education and time -we need to be kind to ourselves and forgive ourselves too.
It's all about moving on, and rediscovering that joy.
I'd actually forgotten how much I like walking and looking at the stars at night!!!👣👣🌃🌑
I still love walking barefoot in the summer and will go wading in the cold rivers on the moors 🙂
This summer was the first time in years that I have felt confident enough to go swimming in the sea - despite the cold water the others couldn't get me out 😁 the waves were great and diving into them was fun. I got some odd looks as I was bellysplashing onto the waves with my teenage son, but hey- who cares!!!
I used to swim so often in the sea and I so agree with you - there is a world to rediscover - and I count my blessings that so much is on my doorstep 🙂
What a lovely post Very thought provoking and moving. I couldn't agree more
I will print off too because it is so inciteful, yet encouraging of seizing the control. The happiness challenge has been revelatory to me and I recommend it to anyone. The pattern I see is that we all older women, and the tragedy is that other women are destined to follow our painful journey. I think this because it so very hard and stressful in today's world to work and bring up a family and have time for yourself. I feel this is the bigger picture that we need to rethink somehow.
along with the 'con' of advertising and consumerism women have also been conned by the idea we are some sort of 'super beings' who can work, look after house, raise children etc AND take care of ourselves!
I do think the older gentler times of one partner working and one raising the kids had a lot going for it - whereas now I see so many women basically working like slaves - in and out the house
Sure if the super-woman wants to do it all - I'll support her right to do so
and there are single folk - who don't get a choice!
BUT personally I think women generally have too much on their plate these days
Love love LOVE your post! Not sure how you got access to my own thoughts and write them down on paper so I could read them out loud. 🙂 Nodding along assertively and muttering "Yeah, exactly!"... Well worth a re-read in moments of low self-esteem or negativity with the seemingly never-ending struggle with weight and healthy choices.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.