Jane, this is so beautiful. As my body has shifted first by bonking last year, with a response to covid, low thyroid and adrenal burnout. I gained weight (no a lot but enough in my small frame to go up 2 sizes). I also lost muscle mass due to having to go much much slower. Last year, I could barely walk 5 minutes. I have worked my way to being able to walk 2 miles pretty much every day. I am so so thankful to be able to walk again.
What's hard is how far away I feel from running and lifting weights again. I also miss my thin frame. I know that there are others that look at me and wish they had my size. That makes me feel bad for feeling the way I do. But, I am slowly making may way to doing what I used to be able to do.
My wins are that I planted flowers in my front garden bed last week, when last year I could only watch my husband do it for me.
I don't have a bad relationship with food, but it has been hard with the setback I've had over this last year.
Thank you for reminding me to have body kindness and to focus on what I can do and that I can slowly and continue to add a new goal.
How you speak about the body is what I teach about our cycles and it has transformed my period cycles. I can put this same practice to my muscle and energy function.
Jess - thanks so much for sharing your story. It can be so hard when our bodies change and we can no longer do the things that once came easily to us. The change in ability is challenging on its own, but when combined with a change in shape and size in a world dominated by diet culture and messages that thin = beauty = worthy it leads so many people to isolate and hide for fear of judgment and rejection.
I have several clients who are navigating similar situations and circumstances. The comparison of what we used to have, what we used to look like, etc. I think in some ways this happens to anyone as we age, but it feels accelerated when it's due to an illness or something else in the body.
I like to say that the only comparison that I allow to the past is when you are finding the progress from where you used to be (for example your ability to plant flowers this year when you could only watch last year).
Body kindness is a powerful concept. And one that we often have to choose multiple times each day. With more practice it becomes easier. There is so much that your body can still do today, even if it's nothing like it used to be in the past.
I wish I had the information that you teach about cycles back when I had them - I'm sure it would have transformed so much for me personally. I'm thankful that more people are talking about this now.
... "focusing on what our bodies can DO rather than how they LOOK can transform our relationship with food and ourselves" (love this shift in perspective)
It’s powerful to use in the moment also. When you notice you’re focused on what it looks like from a place of “not good enough” - shift to gratitude for what it can do, for the life it gives you. Our bodies are the only way we get to live this life so why not be grateful for them?
Being in partnership with your body beats being at war with it any day. ❤️
Jane, this is so beautiful. As my body has shifted first by bonking last year, with a response to covid, low thyroid and adrenal burnout. I gained weight (no a lot but enough in my small frame to go up 2 sizes). I also lost muscle mass due to having to go much much slower. Last year, I could barely walk 5 minutes. I have worked my way to being able to walk 2 miles pretty much every day. I am so so thankful to be able to walk again.
What's hard is how far away I feel from running and lifting weights again. I also miss my thin frame. I know that there are others that look at me and wish they had my size. That makes me feel bad for feeling the way I do. But, I am slowly making may way to doing what I used to be able to do.
My wins are that I planted flowers in my front garden bed last week, when last year I could only watch my husband do it for me.
I don't have a bad relationship with food, but it has been hard with the setback I've had over this last year.
Thank you for reminding me to have body kindness and to focus on what I can do and that I can slowly and continue to add a new goal.
How you speak about the body is what I teach about our cycles and it has transformed my period cycles. I can put this same practice to my muscle and energy function.
Jess - thanks so much for sharing your story. It can be so hard when our bodies change and we can no longer do the things that once came easily to us. The change in ability is challenging on its own, but when combined with a change in shape and size in a world dominated by diet culture and messages that thin = beauty = worthy it leads so many people to isolate and hide for fear of judgment and rejection.
I have several clients who are navigating similar situations and circumstances. The comparison of what we used to have, what we used to look like, etc. I think in some ways this happens to anyone as we age, but it feels accelerated when it's due to an illness or something else in the body.
I like to say that the only comparison that I allow to the past is when you are finding the progress from where you used to be (for example your ability to plant flowers this year when you could only watch last year).
Body kindness is a powerful concept. And one that we often have to choose multiple times each day. With more practice it becomes easier. There is so much that your body can still do today, even if it's nothing like it used to be in the past.
I wish I had the information that you teach about cycles back when I had them - I'm sure it would have transformed so much for me personally. I'm thankful that more people are talking about this now.
... "focusing on what our bodies can DO rather than how they LOOK can transform our relationship with food and ourselves" (love this shift in perspective)
It’s powerful to use in the moment also. When you notice you’re focused on what it looks like from a place of “not good enough” - shift to gratitude for what it can do, for the life it gives you. Our bodies are the only way we get to live this life so why not be grateful for them?
Being in partnership with your body beats being at war with it any day. ❤️