The annual food hangover set in yesterday…
I was aware of the post-feast bloat in my body but also aware of the part of my mind that still wants me to feel guilt and shame.
Even though I choose to no longer subscribe to the shame of an overeater’s post-Christmas binge, it’s good for me to be aware of the old feelings creeping in, trying to boycott my Christmas magic.
This year was a different year for me. My daughter came to stay with us, which meant I probably made more effort with planning the `Christmas Day feast’ than usual. I guess it’s partly the nurturing instinct of a mother. And perhaps an old belief from the past that unless I served up every possible traditional dish in exuberant amounts, I was a substandard mother or wife.
How was your Christmas?
When friends asked me how our Christmas was, I said, “It was lovely. I ate too much but it was great.”
I found myself quietly thinking “Where the f**k did that come from?” (I do swear a lot to myself!)
At least two replies were like,
“Didn’t we all?” and
“That’s what Christmas is all about!”
Two very-definitely guilt-free comments right there!
It got me thinking…
In reality, the typical binge or emotional eater struggles to forget anything when it comes to recent food
They constantly feel like they have to make amends.
Already, I’m seeing posts in my social media communities of guilt, self-loathing and shame. Diet plans, supplemental shakes and even fasting has started as a punishment to the excesses of December so far.
The strong message I want to share with you is this…
Dieting, fasting, food supplementation, exercise compensation, or whatever suffering you want to self-impose is DANGEROUS.
I heard from a follower on Facebook who feels that her metabolism is so slow that she can only fast to make up for binge eating over Christmas.
There is a scientific reason for this.
Metabolism slows down when we diet. It is the body’s way of protecting against possible starvation. This is the famine response and I write about it extensively in my book – BodyMAGIC!
Worse still, when we come back to normal from the restrictive eating, the metabolism stays slow for some time to stock up fat!
Yes, you read that right…
Your amazing body will try to store energy (fat) in case of another famine. This is a biological response that we have evolved for over thousands of years. And it’s just one of the many reasons why diets don’t work.
So please….don’t do it!
Here are some more from one of last year’s posts – 5 Reasons Why Diets Fail after the Holidays
Restrictive eating is dangerous to your physical health because it messes with your hormones and immunity. Your heart aches because you’re punishing yourself (with a diet), literally for having a good time, often pretending that it’s a cool thing to do. Furthermore, your spirit feels in tatters because you’ve disconnected from your amazing body and you’re fooling your mind into believing that everything will be OK, once you get the weight off.
In the meantime, your memories of special time with family and friends is marred by the feeling that you have ‘let yourself go’.
Make this year different. Come and join me with thousands of other women and men who have taken a new path to freedom with food.
There’s more to this weight-loss riddle than you could possibly imagine!
Firstly, take a look at BodyMAGIC! Secrets to understanding the facts before you invest your precious time, money and energy in the diet industry.
– Namaste
