Are you thinking, breathing and fearing food 24/7…?

What we think and how we feel often dictates what we eat, if we should eat and when we should eat. This may lead us to console our emotions with food we don’t really want or need but that temporarily might make us feel better.

Without a healthy self-image or balanced lifestyle, this may be enough to permanently chip away at your self-confidence and further influence your emotions. In the long term, it may be enough to spark a greater issue with food and body-image, leading to disordered eating.

Do you reach for food to comfort and console you when you feel sad, angry, depressed or alone? Hand up if this is this you. It’s okay – no one’s watching – as long as you can admit it to yourself.

Scientific studies have discovered and proven time again that the mind and what we think is directly linked to our bodies and how we feel – right down to our cells. Yes, our cells react by shrinking or expanding as a consequence of our thoughts and feelings! For a plump, healthy cell to function optimally – we need to pay more attention to our mind and what we’re thinking, as much as how often we’re moving our body and what we’re putting into it.

A new positive mindset creates new positive feelings, which benefit our overall health and wellbeing on all levels. By understanding which beliefs are controlling our thoughts and sabotaging every attempt at making healthy changes in our lives, we can isolate them, reframe them and turn them into new and true self-beliefs that are relevant to our current life situation and what we desire to achieve for ourselves, now and in the future. No longer then will those old erroneous beliefs hold us back from moving into a happier, healthier attitude toward ourselves, our health and our eating.

Nourishing yourself doesn’t just mean eating clean, colourful, healthful food. It’s a combination of assessing any limiting beliefs, prioritising self-care, diarising exercise, daily meditation or relaxation, and goal-setting, so that you can set about aligning what you think and believe with what you want.

Making permanent healthy changes is an overall lifestyle habit. Don’t let one day undo the rest of your life. Begin again the next day with a focused meditation, a daily intention, a short visualisation of your ideal goal, and a physical to-do list written down to keep you on track.
If the majority of your week is spent eating nutritious, healthful food, getting adequate rest and relaxation, moving your body and accomplishing daily tasks – you’re doing great!

Break free from emotional eating and self-sabotage. Calm your mind, tame that inner critic, and embrace who you truly are… Acknowledge your efforts and appreciate your body – because your body FEELS what you THINK.