Are you riding the wave or battling the current? When it comes to your body and your health are you frustrated? What does it mean to have a healthy relationship with your body? And how can you nurture a healthy relationship when nearly every message you see or hear reminds you that your problems begin and end with what you eat? Diet – in one form or another – is the focus everywhere you look. Eat this – lose weight. Do that – lose weight. Hasn’t anyone considered that there is more to being healthy than food choices alone?
I can hardly take it anymore. That’s why it’s time for A New BMI. With A New BMI, health does not so much depend upon what you eat, but what you think.
Judging yourself, your body and your food are negative and energy depleting thought patterns. A “diet” of negative and judgmental thoughts does not restore or rejuvenate you in any way. Instead, those thoughts of “I should” be eating less or “I should” be exercising more are in fact counterproductive to the achievement of the “hoped for” end result.
“I should” only serves to negate the positive result. “I should” reinforces that you are “not” what you intend to be. “I should” is a form of personal shaming resulting in feelings of guilt and remorse. Those negative emotions require precious energy and the longer you remain with them, the more drained you will feel as a result.
Instead, turn your negative thoughts and “should” statements into a positive affirmation of action. I enjoy my food and it nourishes me. I seek out exercise because it feels so good to move my body. Do you feel awkward or at ease with these statements? This shift may take some time and effort on your part. It will require you to become very attentive to how you talk to yourself. You may not even be aware of how often “should” is applied to statements about your body and your health. If you want to feel better and have more energy, begin shifting these negative statements into positive.
Try this out for yourself. Raise your level of awareness to the use of the word “should”, especially around comments about your body, your food or your exercise. If possible, immediately replace the statement with one positive, non-negating compliment. Take a breath and say “thank you” to your body for supporting you. Your heart beats and your blood circulates to keep you alive from moment to moment. Say “thank you”. With your eyes you have the capacity to see the beauty all around you. Say “thank you”. With your ears you hear music and laughter. Say “thank you”.
Every moment you are alive, you have reason to be thankful for your body. Gratitude is a positive feeling that promotes a sense of well-being. “Should” drains you and “thank you” fills you up – one small shift in your self-talk that creates a positive shift in your energy. Let go of the “should” and embrace the “thank you”. Notice how much better it feels as you eliminate the negativity of just one simple word. Your body will thank you.
