You still need to eat.
There are so many reasons you might not feel hungry.
Sickness and stress are two big ones...
If you're a parent, you might be familiar with this conversation.
When your kid is home sick, there's a good chance you talk to them about needing to eat even if they don't feel like they want to.
Because you know that we need food to heal, to grow, to fight illnesses and infuse ourselves with energy.
And although we freely give out this advice to our young ones, our friends- we're less likely to heed our own advice.
In light of the current state of medications meant for a medical condition being prescribed for weight loss, I've been thinking a lot about the feeling of hunger.
And how many reasons we might not feel hunger are directly related to the diet industry.
Much like people who don't feel hungry after bariatric surgery, people taking weight loss drugs face a possible similar fate; not being able to nourish themselves properly.
And potential malnutrition and illnesses that...
You can ignore your needs until you can't.
Being able to take a walk by myself- without my dogs- took up way too many sessions with my therapist.
How could I justify walking without one- or several- of my 4 leggers, who clearly need one too?
Wow did I carry (and still do, to a lesser degree) a lot of shame about how hard this was for me.
The most embarrassing part being that I am WELL VERSED in knowing how important taking time for yourself is- it’s a common conversation I have with my clients.
But no how matter how much awareness I have, my lived experience reflects being a caretaker since I was a kid.
Holding space for a parent in pain and keeping my own close to my chest in an attempt to not make things worse for anyone else.
It’s my default mode.
And.
It doesn’t serve me at all.
When it comes to my loved ones, I go through periods of not asking for help, putting myself and my needs last, getting to a breaking point, and only THEN making different choices that support my physical and mental...
'Healthy' things I no longer do.
Recently I’ve been thinking about all the ways I used to eat, train, coach, and well, just be. All in the name of ‘health’. Here’s just a few…
-Make sure every workout is at least an 8 out of 10 on the challenge scale
-Only do yoga if it’s power yoga
-Keep foods out of the house that I think I should avoid
-Get up for a workout even if I had a horrible nights sleep
-Make sure every lunch and dinner has veggies
-Do cardio 3-4xs week
-Always portion my food less than my male partners
-Try to make my body look like it did when I was 20
The not so secret secret of the fitness industry is a large percentage of fitness professionals have eating disorders and/or body image issues.
And it’s absolutely true that I became a trainer as a means to ‘manage’ my own disordered eating.
And even though it been years since I had last I binged or started...
Weight is not a behavior.
Or is it because we live in a society that is deeply rooted in anti-fat bias? A post for another day…
I’ve said it before and you know I’ll say it again: weight loss (or gain) is not a behavior, it is an outcome. For a large variety of reasons- that is ALSO for another day.
So often, weighing less is given credit for a whole lot of things it shouldn’t be given- like our health, our importance in society, our happiness.
So before you feel a way after hearing someone’s ‘successful’ weight loss story (reminder that you have no idea how they really achieved said weight loss), consider that there are things you can do that will make you feel better too.
Get more sleep. Eat nutrient dense foods and get exercise if you have the access and privilege. Get outside more. Connect with friends. See a therapist.
And remember that weight loss doesn’t have to be a part of that equation in order for you to feel better.
Author
Gretchen
Coach
Growing up I was a half-hearted athlete who struggled with my relationship with both food and exercise. I smoked for over a decade and spent much of my youth either binging or not eating at all. But after breaking my leg in a car accident, months of physical rehab and years of psychological counseling lead me to a renewed appreciation for my health and my ability to just move-something I'll never take for granted again. I overcame a lot and have spent much of my life sharing what I've learned. I became a NASM personal trainer over 16 years ago. The type of clients I've trained and my own personal interests lead me to attain many other certifications. These include Sports Specific and Orthopedic exercise specializations, Pre and Post Natal exercise, MMA conditioning, and ACE Mind Body Specializations. I've taken 2 TRX qualifying courses in general and functional fitness. I am Kettlebell certified through both NETA and Kettlebell Kings, also completing an independent study facilitated by Steve Cotter, founder of the International Kettlebell and Fitness Federation. I am also a certified Animal Flow Instructor. In the fall of 2021, I became a Certified Intuitive Eating Facilitator, as IE was integral to my own ability to divest from diet culture. I think this was the missing piece to be able to put together a holistic, meaningful training program for all my clients.
