Every
day I speak with women who tell me they hate how they look. They hate the rolls of fat on their stomach. Because of self-hate they do what I like to
call self-flogging, they go on strict diets and extreme exercise routines. The end result is always a feeding frenzy in
front of the refrigerator.
I
lived like that for years. A bad day at
work, a relationship ending, feeling stuck, and even celebrating good news – a food
frenzy always followed. I never felt
better afterwards. Food did not make a
bad day better or enhance a celebration.
It lead to feelings of guilt and more self-punishment. I was never able to change my weight because I
was doing it out of self-hatred rather than self-love. I hated me so I had to change me.
Think
of it like this how often do you cooperate with someone who disrespects you or
puts you down? I never have. I fight back, I rebel. It’s human nature. When you do that to yourself why would the
results be any different?
It
wasn’t until I loved myself that I wanted to stop hurting myself. The way I ate hurt me. It hurt me emotionally and physically. After a binge I would look for a way to “fix
it” another diet. Diets don’t work
because they take away our ability to trust are own judgment, that is another form
of self-punishment.
Once
you take the first step to self-love you will stop wanting to hurt
yourself. You will look for ways to “take
care” of you, not “hurt” you. I tell
women to make a list of non-food things they really enjoy. Next time they feel they need to have a food
frenzy – pick an activity on the list. Really
notice how they feel doing that rather than eating afterward.
Before
you start the next extreme diet really at how you view yourself. What are your beliefs are about yourself? You
are a wonderful creature who deserves all things magnificent – especially love.
Love is the greatest miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our
life.
