Hello Lovelies,
I want to share with you something that happened with a client I started working with who has been struggling with her weight for a long time. She sent me an article that she read about the TV show ‘The Biggest Loser’, which is a show about an extreme weight loss competition that has been very controversial about their methods and behind the scenes rumored diet drugs. The article stated that almost everyone who lost weight on that show gained it back and the reason behind the weight gains was that each person’s body has a set weight, and the minute they lost weight and weighed below that set weight, their body worked to get back into that set weight by gaining weight. She was in tears, very upset and desperately said: “what’s the point of even trying?”
That conversation got me thinking… So many of us, including myself, had the experience of being on a lot of different diets. Those diets gave us the message that we have to “fight” our body and we have come to look at our body as the enemy and at our relationship with our body as constant war. That approach, that our body is working against us and we have to fight it every step of the way, sets us up for a lifelong struggle with our body.
What I told her and what I would like you to consider is a different perspective:
Your body is not your enemy
Your body does not work against you
Your body does not fight you to get back to a set weight
You body is your friend
Your body is your ally
Your body wants and likes to be healthy
Your body wants you to thrive
Your body wants you to have energy and vitality
When you start making healthy changes, you make your body happy.
When your changes reflect love for your body, your body will cooperate and work with you.
When your changes reflect care for your body, your body will reward you with excellent health and radiance.
Say goodbye to the notion that your body is your enemy.
Friend your body and your body will become your best friend.
Love your body and your body will love you back.
For a wonderful practice on how to love your body check out my blog Dear Body… A Love Letter.
To learn a healthy approach to creating radiant health read my blog The Problem With Weight Management.
I would love to hear about your experience, do you treat your body as a friend or an enemy?
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xoxo Rachel
I think you need to listen to a body and what it needs, nutrition, exercise, sunshine, rest…having a relationship with your body is as important as your mind, spirit and soul, it’s the only body you have, send it love 🙂
Send it love, of yes 💖. Thank you so much Heather for your affirming words.
A chronic illness — with pain as its primary symptom — almost had me believing my body was working against me but I am convinced you are correct. This body is quirky and requires individualized attention but, whenever I discover a “correct ingredient” it responds as a friend and ally. (But I need encouragement like this post. Thanks.)
Andrea, I am so sorry to hear that you have experienced a chronic illness and pain. I am glad that you have chosen to listen to your body and learn what works for it to be well.
When I started loving my body by going vegan, and finding a way to work yoga back into my life after fracturing my hip (chair yoga plus a few, gentle standing poses), my body started loving me back. I have so much more energy and, quite unexpectedly, lost some weight as a bonus! I use Louise Hay’s affirmation: “I love my body, and my body loves me.”
P.S. Love the videos!
Thanks Barb! I love Louise Hay’s affirmation as well. I am so glad to hear about how you transformed your body with loving practices.
I do not think our bodies are our enemy! I believe that if there is something not right, we need to look deeper to give it an opportunity to tell us what it needs. There is a wonderful book by Deb Shapiro titled “Your Body Speaks Your Mind”. It is fantastic!