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Out with the Old, In with the New

Michelle May

Out-with-old-in-with-new

Since our two children own their own homes now, we decided it was time to sift through all our Christmas decorations and pass some of them along. I really underestimated the size of this “little” project. Who knew our attic was where old holiday decor went to die?

Trip after trip into the attic, and soon our garage was filled with red and green boxes full of “stuff” I hadn’t seen in years! It was the perfect opportunity to decide what we really wanted to keep and what was ready to be donated or gifted to someone else. It felt great to create space for what really meant something to us.

New Year’s Intentions

That’s what I like about the New Year too. While I refuse to participate in the whole resolve-to-diet-and-lose-weight thing, I love the opportunity to take stock of different areas of my life. At the beginning of the year, I consciously evaluate what’s working and what’s not, set a fresh intention to create the life I want, and decide on a few focus areas that will bring me closer to that intention.

A “New” Diet is the Same Old Thing

As you consider what’s working for you and what’s not, I hope you’ll think about your relationship with food

For many of the people we work with, their old habit was to set a New Year’s resolution to start a new diet. But a “new” diet isn’t really new, is it?

It’s like putting boxes out of sight. It might feel like you’re accomplishing something, but before long, you realize that nothing has really changed.

Clear the Clutter

Pause to notice whether any of these old habits are cluttering up your life.

  • You start a new diet in January (and many Mondays), full of enthusiasm and commitment, only to find yourself struggling to stick with it.
  • You love to eat but feel guilty for eating foods you’ve heard are “bad.”
  • You eat differently in private than you do in public.
  • You resist certain foods or ingredients, then overeat them when your willpower runs out.
  • You keep looking for the “right” diet, but end up feeling discouraged and bad about yourself.
  • You think about food and eating (or not eating) more than seems “normal.”
  • You spend too much time weighing, measuring, counting, and logging food, then quit all that and spend too much time feeling too full and guilty!

If you’re ready to throw out the old and create space for a new relationship with food, mindful eating isn’t based on record-keeping, deprivation, or willpower. Instead, you learn how to use your awareness of your physical sensations, thoughts, and feelings to guide your eating, physical activity, and self-care.

I know it sounds like a big job, but we’ve been helping people do exactly that for 25 years! I know what a huge difference it will make in your life, and trust me, a clean attic doesn’t even come close!

Article updated from a previous version.

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Your journey is unique so we provide options to explore mindful eating in a way that meets your needs.