Move Away from "Shoulding" Ourselves

We've discussed this here on the Zen Blog before and it's a regular conversation with clients; including when they catch themselves doing it in their daily lives (which is so cool!).

Recently a client brought up something she ate before bed. She finished her conversation with the statement;

"I know I 'shouldn't' eat that"...

Shouldn't she?? 🤔 ....

🍎1) We're adults. We can do WHATEVER we want! Remember when we were kids and we couldn't wait to grow up so we could do what we want? But today many of us keep waiting for others to tell us what to do and how to do it. There's no food police. There's no ONE way to be healthy and happy. We can do anything we want!

🍗2) We typically eat things we like and enjoy. Yet when we do, we guilt ourselves by saying "I know I shouldn't" or "why'd I eat that?". But if we ENJOY what we're eating, isn't that a good reason to eat it?

🍽 3) What about context? What if we took that exact same food and ate it with our best friend, during a celebration event or gathering... Should we still not eat it??

Living under these beliefs DO NOT turn into sustainable, lifestyle practices. They also don't allow us to be happy. They CREATE more stress. And they overlook the curiousity and discovery of how we individually can live our best life.

Try instead to ask yourself questions such as:

🍎"Is this serving me right now to make me feel good?"

🍗"Do I actually need this food right now?"

🍽"Am I actually hungry? Bored? Stressed? Anxious?"

🍉"Does it allow me to sleep well if I eat this now?"

🌮"Do I feel physically better or worse after eating this type of food?"

... To name a few.

Notice how none of these questions "scold" you...

Notice how all of these questions get you curious about YOURSELF...

Notice how these questions still allow YOU to be in control...

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If this "Zen Quickie" has got you thinking, feel free to reach out for a 10-min Discovery Call with 'Coach D' to discuss how Nutrition Coaching could help you reframe your relationship with food andyour health.