Tag Archive for: self love

4 Ways to Refocus Yourself on the Intuitive Eating Journey

If there is anything that you have learned in the past two years, it’s that things will happen in your life that you cannot control. As the saying goes, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Even on the intuitive eating journey, you will find at times that things do not go as planned and you lose focus. 

 

When life becomes stressful you may be tempted to fall back to old habits and divert from your intuitive eating journey. However, it is important to take a step back and refocus. Shift the focus back onto your health and don’t let the stressors in your life take control. 

 

There are ways in which you can control the stress in your life without turning to comfort foods, as tempting as it may be. Find ways to express your anxiety that benefit your well-being rather than hurt it. From yoga to journaling to talking to a professional, there are options, 

 

However, finding other outlets for your stress and utilizing them when you need to is a task easier said than done. When you are feeling overwhelmed, there are some steps you can take to guide you back onto your intuitive eating journey. 

 

Here are the four ways you can refocus yourself to stay on the intuitive eating journey: 

 

1. Ask Yourself Why 

Remember back to when you first decided to start this journey. What was the reason you decided to embark on your intuitive eating journey, the “why”? Did you do it to feel better about yourself and to be kinder to your body? Or maybe you did it to be healthy for your family. 

 

Chances are your “why” still resonates somewhere within you, even on your darkest days. Use it as the extra fuel to keep going on this path. Some days are easier than others but if you keep your “why” in focus, you can navigate the bumps along the way. Instead of letting the bad times discourage you from working to better your health and yourself, use mindfulness to clear your headspace and find peace within yourself.

 

 

2. Prioritize Your Needs  

When you have a family, or even if you’re single, putting your needs first can be challenging. It is human instinct to want to help others, however, you need to make yourself a priority. You can make the most of each day by scheduling time for your priorities into your daily routine. There is a time for work, a time for taking care of the needs of others, and a time to care for yourself. This includes time to sit down for meals and to be engaged, mindful, and do nothing but focus on your food.

 

3. Find Ways to Unwind

Life is hectic, even on the slowest of days, there is something to stress or worry about. Find an activity that you can use to unwind each day. It can be exercise, taking a bath, catching the newest episode of your favorite TV show, or talking with a friend. Remember that you do not have to navigate life alone. At times, life is too much to balance on your own so reach out to friends, coworkers, family, and loved ones for support when you need it. 

 

 4. Listen to Your Body 

When you are unwinding and allowing yourself to have some much-needed rest, take a few extra moments to check in with your body. Write down your motivation and the messages your body is sending you. You will gain clarity and feel motivated to trek on this journey.

 

Always remember, when you are feeling low, there is nowhere to go but up! If you keep your focus and mindfulness, you will find inner peace on even your worst days.

The 3 Biggest Mistakes that Keep You Yo-Yo Dieting

It’s really tough to stop dieting when you’ve been dieting for so long. Even if you intellectually know that the diets have never “worked” long term for you, you are still afraid to stop.

 

This isn’t your fault. The diet industry has you believing that you have failed the diets, yet it is the other way around. The diets have failed you.

 

The data is strong. Ninety-five to 98% of dieters regain the weight they lost within 1-5 years and 1/3-2/3’s regain even more. Are you included in this statistic?

 

Weight cycling (losing and gaining, losing and gaining) is more detrimental to your health than staying at a stable weight even if that weight is “higher” than what society deems “acceptable”.

 

Yet, you continue to diet.

 

There are 3 big mistakes that keep you yo-yo dieting.

 

Here they are:

 

Mistake #1: You are Stuck in Diet Mentality

Diets can be very tempting as they promise to help you see results quickly or with a magical ingredient that helps you lose weight without even trying. Even if you think you’ve given up dieting, keep in mind that the diet mentality is very sneaky and can show up in ways you wouldn’t have thought.

For example, if you skip carbs at dinner because you ate them for breakfast and lunch, you are still dieting. If you eat a smaller lunch because you ate a larger breakfast, you are still dieting. If you skip the cocktail hour at the wedding for fear you will overeat, you are still dieting. The list goes on and on.

See if you can identify the ways the diet mentality is sneaking up on you.

 

Mistake #2: You Put Your Self-Care on the Back Burner

In the hustle and bustle of day-to-day responsibilities, do you often forget to take the time to care for yourself? Do you feel guilty if you do take care of your own needs?

I get it. You have people that rely on you. But the problem is that when you tend to others needs and ignore your own, you are serving from an empty vessel. Instead, if you fill up your own cup first, you are serving others from a place of abundance.

It’s not being selfish to take care of yourself. Does it take practice? Yes, for some people more than others. But that’s okay. You have to start somewhere.

What is one act of self-care that you will start doing for yourself?

 

Mistake #3: You Don’t Trust Your Inner Wisdom

You were born knowing exactly how to eat. We all were. But over the years, you’ve moved away from listening to that inner wisdom and instead, allowed diets and gurus to tell you what, when and how much to eat. This caused you to lose trust in yourself.

But you know what? You can learn to trust again. It takes practice, support and accountability. And it takes someone who cares about you to guide the way.

 

Let’s stop making these mistakes. Start by popping your name and email in the boxes below to Break the Spell of Diets in 3 Days.

 

Let me know if you have any questions along the way.

 

 

3 Strategies to Turn Self-Hate into Self-Love

Society has women believing that they need to look a certain way and weigh a certain number and if they don’t measure up, then they are not worthy of love, success and happiness. They tie their self-worth into a number on a scale which leads them to body hatred and self-hatred and continuously looking for the next diet.

 

What is self-love anyway?

 

You’ll likely find various definitions for self-love. To me, self-love means caring for yourself, meeting your needs and making yourself a priority in your life. It means valuing the person you are on the inside and not measuring your worth based on the outside.

 

So, you might be thinking that sounds great, but how do I do that with all the messages I’ve received since childhood into my adulthood that if I am not a size 2, I am not worthy.

 

Here are 3 strategies to help you turn self-hate into self-love:

  1. Focus on Self-esteem boosters: Make a list of the accomplishments you’ve had in your life. Read this list and add to it daily. Remind yourself that you are capable, smart and can do anything you set your mind to. You are awesome just the way you are!

 

  1. Make yourself a priority: Identify your needs that are being unmet and set self-care goals to fill those voids. Be sure to attend to your needs first so you can give to others from a place of abundance. Is this challenging when you have a partner, parents and kids relying on you? It sure is. But are you worth it? You sure are!

 

  1. Give thanks and show gratitude: You have a lot to be thankful for. Your body is amazing and keeps you alive. Each day look in the mirror and give thanks to each part of your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Proclaim your love to yourself. Do this every morning and every evening and watch how your feelings toward yourself change.

 

I am committed to helping women learn how to love themselves and their bodies exactly as they are now and gently move into a place of trusting their inner guidance system when it comes to nourishing themselves. If you’re interested in working together, schedule a call with me at www.TalkWithBonnie.com .

 

 

My 2018 Theme Word Revealed

Happy New Year! This is the first blog of 2018. I’m very excited for what’s to come in the New Year as I’ve been speaking to so many women (and a few good men!) who are truly ready to give up dieting. Hard to believe especially on January 3rd when there is so much talk about New Year’s resolutions and the new diets that will finally “help” you get the body you always wanted.

 

You are smarter than that. How do I know that? Because you are reading my blog:)

 

Okay, seriously. No good will come from starting a new diet now that a new year is here. But it’s so darn tempting! Even those of you on the intuitive eating journey might find it a wee bit tempting to just try the new diet you read about, and then come back to intuitive eating.

 

It won’t work. Don’t fall prey to that.

 

I know that giving up dieting and your ‘dream’ body is tough. I get it. But really what you are giving up is disappointment and false hope, which is what every diet gives you. And I’ll take that any day! Can I get an Amen!

 

Every year I reflect on my own life and journey, both personal and professional. And I choose a theme word that will drive all my thoughts, decisions and actions for the next year. I’ve given this a lot of thought and I’m ready to reveal my word for 2018…

 

Self-Care!

 

This is not a new concept to many of you, I’m fully aware of that. And, it’s not a new concept to me either! I teach my clients to move their self-care up the totem pole, from the back burner to the front burner…as part of their intuitive eating journey. As a matter of fact, Building Your Support and Self-Care Plan is Step 2 in my 5 Step Intuitive Eating Program called Freedom to Eat Forever™.

 

But you know what. I am human. And what I reflected on at the end of 2017 is that my own self-care was starting to move back down the totem pole. And, I felt it in many ways, including physically, mentally and emotionally.

 

So, I am committed to moving my own self-care back up to the top so that I can refill my cup and then better serve my family and my clients.

 

I’ll share more about how I’m going to do this on a special Real Talk with Bonnie Facebook Live tomorrow, Thursday January 4th at 6:15 pm EST on my Facebook Business page.

 

Make sure you LIKE my page HERE so you get notified the moment I go live. You don’t want to miss this!

 

In the meantime, comment below and let me know what YOUR theme word is for 2018!

 

Oh, and if you’d like me to help you build your self-care plan, just request to speak with me at www.TalkWithBonnie.com

 

 

 

Be Your Own Valentine – The Ultimate Gift of Self-Love

It’s Valentine’s Day and I bet you’ve been thinking what you can do for you sweetheart, or what you can buy for him. You have spent countless hours thinking about this, what would make him feel special?

 

Yes, you find it! You are excited! Whether it’s that perfect gift or a special night on the town, you bare no expense when it comes to your honey!

 

That’s awesome! You are a wonderful partner!

 

But what about you? What do you do for yourself? When is the last time you said YES to yourself? When have you splurged on YOU!

 

Most probably it’s been a while. Especially if you have other people who rely on you (kids, spouse, elderly parents etc…). Well, their needs come first, you think.

 

Of, perhaps you don’t feel worthy enough of doing something for yourself. “How can I” plays in your head over and over again.

 

Today, on this day of LOVE, show some LOVE and KINDNESS to yourself. You’ve been struggling with your body, your weight and your food for years, maybe even decades. You think you’ve tried to help yourself by going on a diet, trying the cleanse that Jennifer Aniston was on (wow, look at her amazing body!), or signing up for Weight Watchers again (because if Oprah could lose 42.5 pounds, so could I!).

 

But I just want to talk to you straight from my heart right now. Those diets, cleanses, detoxes, even Weight Watchers won’t work. They never did work and they won’t work now. And you know what? I know you know this. It’s just that you are scared to try something different. Scared to go out of your comfort zone, even though staying in your comfort zone keeps you stuck.

 

Today, on Valentine’s Day, do this for you.

 

Schedule a call with me to see if Freedom to Eat Forever™ is right for you. If it’s not a good fit for either one of us, I will tell you!

 

The program starts on February 22, but you can start TODAY as soon as you give yourself this gift. Once you enroll, you will have immediate access to the Orientation and Pre-training Modules to get you started. Plus, the private Facebook group is already open and you’ll get to know the other amazing women in the group.

 

So, choose your Valentine’s Gift to yourself: Either –

  1. Register here for Freedom to Eat Forever™  
    There is a money back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose!
  2. Schedule a free call with me to see if Freedom to Eat Forever™ is a right fit for you. Click here to pick a time on my calendar.

 

Once you make this decision, you will feel relieved, happy and tickled all over!

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

How to Love Your Body Just As It Is

banner-2If you’ve been searching for the perfect diet to get the body you’ve always dreamed of, chances are you are still searching.

 

The truth is, chronic dieting and yo-yo dieting will not give you a body you love.

 

Diets are not maintainable.

 

Dieting to drop the last 10, 20 or 50 pounds can only backfire.  It is only a short-term solution to a problem that needs a long-term solution.  Chances are, when you reach your “ideal weight” (What is considered ideal anyway?  A topic for another blog), you won’t be able to stay there for long.  The reason for your need to overeat or feed your emotions will still be there.

 

You may be asking yourself, “If diets won’t get me the body I love, what will?”

 

Here’s the solution: learning to love your body right now.

 

The way to start loving your body is to step away from diets.  If all you’ve ever known is dieting, this might seem a little scary.  But, when you stop dieting, you become more in tune with your body’s internal hunger cues.  You are able to listen to your body and feed it when and what it wants.

 

Here are 3 steps you can take now to start loving your body:

 

  1. Respect your body. Respecting your body does not mean accepting your body how it is now and thinking you have to stay this way the rest of your life.  It means accepting your here and now body.  When you respect your body, treat it with dignity and provide your body with what it needs, then you’ll make room for loving every aspect of your body and what it does for you.

 

  1. Trust your body. Start listening to your body’s inner hunger cues and feed them.  Your body has the ability to tell you when it’s hungry, when it’s full and what it wants to eat.  When you listen to what your body wants, you’ll start to change your relationship with your body and see it differently.

 

  1. Stand in front of the mirror and tell your body what you love about it, whether it’s a physical trait or something your body has done for Use this as a way to show your body the same support that it has given you over the years- I love my ears, eyelashes, smile, butt or stomach.
  • I love how strong my arms are.
  • I love the freckles across my cheeks.
  • I love my legs because they take me where I need to go.
  • I love my hips because they help me carry my child.

 

When you love and respect your body, something wonderful happens.  You no longer obsess over it and see weight release happen without all the worry.  Having the ability to do this will help you succeed on your intuitive eating journey and you might be surprised to learn what your body is capable of when you show it love!

 

If you’re looking for more tools and techniques to learn how to love your body, come join my Love Yourself, Love Your Body free giveaway event happening now until September 30th.  I have complied 25+ experts who are giving away programs and gifts to help you make peace with food, enjoy guilt-free eating, a life free of dieting and a body you love.  Grab your free gifts here.

 

If you’d like help on learning to love your body again, contact me here.  I can help you.

 

How to Love Your Body Even if You Are Not “Skinny”

Giveaway squareThere is so much emphasis on being “skinny” or “thin” in today’s society. You are often judged based on your appearance and your body, not based on your inner qualities and abilities.

 

Don’t tell me it isn’t so. There are countless stories that can be told of 2 women who go for a job interview, one overweight, maybe even obese, the other thin and model-like. Who gets the job? More often than not, the thin woman.

 

The above scenario is what keeps you dieting, over and over again, berating yourself every time you “go off the diet” and bashing your body with comments such as “I hate my body, I hate my thighs, I’ll never have the body I want”.

 

Let’s take a different approach.

 

Let’s start to learn to love yourself and love your body RIGHT NOW as it is. Yes, I mean right now at whatever body size you are at. Appreciate all that your body has done for you, and continues to do for you. By giving and showing respect to your body and accepting it, you will let go of the body hatred and body bashing and allow yourself to move away from yo-yo dieting and move forward on your intuitive eating journey.

 

To help you do this, I have gathered together 20 fabulous experts who are who are giving away, for free, high-quality gifts on the topics of:

  • Self-Love
  • Body Love
  • Intuitive Eating
  • Meditation
  • Abundance
  • Mindfulness
  • Nutrition
  • Exercise
  • and many more!

 

The event is called Love Yourself, Love Your Body!

 

I am committed to helping women around the globe learn to love themselves and their bodies as they are RIGHT NOW in order to move away from the cycle of yo-yo dieting.  So, that means you will not find any fad diets, crazy exercise regimens, detox programs, etc….in this giveaway.  What you will find are gifts designed to help you get in touch with yourself, learn to love yourself, accept yourself and trust your inner guidance system when it comes to taking care of yourself and your body.

 

Click here and grab your free gifts before the event ends on November 23rd.

 

 

 

 

Pop Culture Permeates Body Image

Woman at ocean doing yogaIn 1959 Barbie burst onto the scene, meant to be a symbol for young girls to look up to and hope to be like.  However, throughout the years many mothers and advocates for woman’s issues complained about Barbie’s unrealistic proportions and the body image that it would represent to the impressionable young girls playing with her.  Now images of unrealistic body types are hard to escape in our country.  We are a nation obsessed with celebrity, and sometimes we forget that their lives are far from normal, and so are their body types.

I want to ask you a question.  Are you striving for the“perfect body?”  Are your looks what make you who you are?  I hope the answers to these questions are no.  However for a celebrity, their job and their responsibility to the public is to look good.  That means their days are designed to have hours to workout.  Their meals are delivered to their doorstep or handmade by a private chef.  Not to mention a little thing called airbrushing and spandex which are used to trick consumers when it comes to the magazines you see.  It is hardly fair to hold yourself to an image that is hardly realistic.

There is no person to whom you should be comparing yourself to.  Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another.  When it comes to body image, you are under no obligation look like anybody other than yourself, especially if it means putting yourself at health risk to do it.  You have to respect your body for what is and what it allows you to do.  Maybe your arms seem out of proportion, but those are the arms that are strong enough to lift your children with.  Or perhaps you would like your thighs to be smaller, but it’s those thighs that allow you to participate in your favorite sports or exercise activities.

There is always a positive to be found in the way you’re built.  The way you are built allows you to do the things that you do.  Try to internalize this thought; an improved self-image is the first step towards an improved body image.

Your turn to take action: Stand in front of the mirror with minimal clothing on.  Look at your reflection and ask yourself, “What one thing do I like about my body?”  If you can’t seem to find anything you like, then think about the way your body functions and all the good it’s done for you.  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.