Are you gaining the Quarantine 15?

You're reading in every email and every post how hard, uncertain, and crazy this current situation is and I won't argue with any of that. You're stressed! I get it! But eating potato chips like they are going to disappear is not the answer.

Turning to food for comfort is normal. Right now your whole being feels off balance. Your body and your mind want to regain the balance. Food, especially sugary or salty snacks, really do give us a calm feeling. Dopamine and serotonin are released making us feel temporarily happier. Plus, you're bored! You're in the same house, with the same people ALL the time! Brownies, chocolate, wine...are screaming to be eaten! Yet, you know this kind of eating will not only lead you to gain weight, it will lower your immune system (something we really don't want right now) and make you feel tired.

You want to control your eating but you just can't and you might be feeling very guilty about it!

I'd like to suggest that the self judgement is more harmful than the act of eating the chocolate (brownie, wine...).

Ever experience this scenario?

- You have a craving for something sweet.

- You tell yourself you're not giving in to it this time.

- The craving continues to persist. You tell yourself you've been good all day, you went for a walk, your stuck in the house for crying out loud "I deserve a treat!"

-You indulge in something sweet.

-Feel instant guilt. Beat yourself up about giving in. Call yourself some pretty nasty names that you would never say to anyone else.

- Finally, you decide you just don't have the will power to stop yourself so why bother? You give up and eat whatever you want and continue the cycle of guilt and self deprivation.

Oh yes! We've all been there and done that!

What if instead, after you eat the treat and start down the road of guilt and shame you stop yourself and say "Hey, that's interesting that I ate that chocolate bar when I didn't really want to. What is going on that my body is trying to tell me? What could I do differently?"

Every symptom, craving, or behaviour around food has a POSITIVE INTENTION; therefore, symptoms, cravings, or behaviours are not the problem, they are the best SOLUTION you have come up with so far.

What if you could come up with a different behaviour that gets you closer to the health you want and gives you the feeling of relaxation your body and mind are searching for? Some of the things I like are meditation, a gentle yoga class, and doing a craft. We all need of some destressing right now. Instead of gaining an extra 15 pounds give yourself permission to relax in another way. Your body will thank you!

Finally, if you do decide to indulge in a treat, ENJOY IT! Savour every bite. Smell the food. Look at it and really taste it. Eat slowly and chew often. Give yourself a break. Staying on track 80% of the time will keep you on track.

Sometimes this is not as easy as it appears until you have someone in your corner helping you out. Need help understanding your cravings? Join me for a free Body Transformation Session. A one-on-one session with me. We'll dive deep into what your cravings are telling you and figure out what you need to do to achieve lasting change.