I do not like diets.
At all.
Almost a year ago, to the day, when I started Nona Jordan Business & Life Design, I began gaining weight. To the tune of 15 pounds over the last year. I find it extremely interesting that it started right around the same time I started my business, because when I first launched my yoga business in California almost 8 years ago, I also gained about 15 pounds.
I lost that 15 pounds after having my daughter and being very controlling with my food through a popular weight loss program and lots of exercise and running around after a toddler.
It seems to me that there is a fundamental life lesson that is begging to be learned here. I don’t want to diet it off or control it off. I want to learn the lesson and let my body land at it’s natural weight.
This feels like love to me.
I spend lots of time slowing down on the yoga mat and the meditation cushion, I build mindfulness into my days with my daughter, my family, and my friends.
Where I’ve struggled to apply the lessons of attention and awareness are with food. I simply don’t pay attention when I eat. I eat while I work, I eat while I cook, I eat when I drive, I stand up at the cafe and wolf down cornetti… you get the picture.
And there is a lesson here. A pressure-point that gets triggered when I slow down and pay attention to what I’m eating. I resist it. It’s uncomfortable. And that is where the lesson is.
My suspicion is that it’s wrapped up with wanting control and approval, spiced with a dash of fear of failure and/or success. Whatever it turns out to be, I absolutely believe that my body has the answers and it’s my job to listen and then work through whatever old, limiting mind-set is under it all.
Enter The Slow Down Diet by Marc David, a nutritional psychologist from Boulder, CO. I finished reading it the first time through last night and it’s a fabulous read. There is only one chapter that he talks about food at all – the rest of the book is about building awareness into your relationship with food and your body.
Bring it on.
Weight gain, pain, insomnia, headaches, illness… our bodies are so clearly sending us messages and for the most part, as a culture, we are not so good at listening to our bodies – our “gut reactions”, so to speak. Even as a long time yogini, I find that it’s a life long process to stay tuned in to my body and not become a talking head. Especially as I build my business and have a to-do list a mile long. It’s easy to get trapped in, “just one more thing…” and for me, that can turn into hours in front of the computer.
Yet, I know that my body never steers me wrong. When I am in a place of being aligned: my body, my mind, and my inner wisdom – I am unstoppable. I am in the flow and I just know what needs to come next. And that always includes time to enjoy my food and exercise and sleep.
I want to live my life and run my business from that place of alignment the majority of the time.
My first thought was to not blog about this. I have this thing about being a yoga teacher and gaining weight. I worry that it lessens my credibility. (Mindset #1 I want to address.) I also worry that it’s not possible to lose weight without a traditional diet – so what if this fails miserably? (Mindset #2 I want to address.)
However, as I thought longer and harder about this, I know this is common for entrepreneurs. For everyone, really. I hear it from lots of my clients and lots of my peers. Most people struggle with their body on some level. So for accountability purposes (I find I’m much more focused when I know I’m going to blog about something) and, for any of you that may be struggling with your body – maybe you’ll join me in exploring the message your body is sending you. I would love that.
Over the next 8-weeks, I am going to blog about my experience of working through the 8-week Slow Down Diet. At least once a week (if not more), I’ll share what the week’s focus is and how it’s going for me.
The Beginning
I’m going to officially start next week, the first week of May. This week, I’m preparing myself.
Writing out all of the mindsets that I want to question (see above) and setting the stage for myself. I would love to say, I weigh X now, and, by the end of the eight weeks, I want to weigh Y. But that feels like an old and worn out record. This time – and for always – I want my body to be at a naturally healthy weight. That requires trust. I *know* I’m not at that weight now, but I frankly don’t know what weight my body belongs at. So, I’m leaving that open. For my body to decide.
Join me if you like. I’d love to have company….
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